REDACTED EFO.pdf

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

HEADQUARTERS

8725 JOHN J. KINGMAN ROAD

FORT BELVOIR, VIRGINIA 22060-6221

Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.102 & 3.104 For Official Use Only (FOUO)

JUSTIFICATION FOR AN EXCEPTION TO FAIR OPPORTUNITY

(FAR 16.505(a)(4) and FAR 16.505(b)(2))

1. IDENTIFICATION OF THE AGENCY AND CONTRACTING ACTIVITY:

Requiring Activity:

Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Information Operations (J6) 8725 John J. Kingman Road Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6220

Contracting Activity:

DLA Contracting Services Office, Philadelphia (DCSO-P) 700 Robbins Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19111

2. NATURE AND/OR DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION BEING APPROVED:

Pursuant to FAR 16.505(a)(4) and FAR 16.505(b)(2), the action being approved is an exception to the fair opportunity process. This justification authorizes the procurement of brand-name “IBM” software maintenance support renewal for the DLA Enterprise.

The procurement will be solicited as unrestricted and the resultant order will be a firm-fixed price delivery order placed against the successful offeror’s National Aeronautics and Space Administration Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (NASA SEWP) contract, a Government-Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC).

3. A DESCRIPTION OF THE SUPPLIES OR SERVICES REQUIRED TO MEET THE

AGENCY’S NEEDS, INCLUDING AN ESTIMATED DOLLAR AMOUNT:

DLA has a requirement for follow-on software maintenance support of its existing IBM software licenses used throughout the Enterprise. DLA currently utilizes licenses of different types. IBM frequently updates its software and conducts fixes when necessary to ensure the proper operation of its software. DLA requires IBM software maintenance to ensure access to these important updates and fixes. This maintenance is critical to DLA operations and various DLA mission support requirements.

DLA Contracting Services Office – Philadelphia (DCSO-P)

SUBJECT: EFO – IBM SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE SUPPORT RENEWAL FOR THE

DLA ENTERPRISE

Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.102 & 3.104

The full breakdown of items, descriptions, and quantities are attached:

“ATTACHMENT 1 – BILL OF MATERIALS (BoM)”

This requirement will consist of a 12-month base period and two (2) 12-month option periods. The Period of Performance (PoP) for the base period will be September 1, 2020 through August 31, 2021. The base period will be fully funded utilizing FY20 funds.

4. IDENTIFICATION OF THE EXCEPTION TO FAIR OPPORTUNITY AND

SUPPORTING RATIONALE, INCLUDING A DEMONSTRATION THAT THE

NATURE OF THE ACQUISITION REQUIRES USE OF THE EXCEPTION CITED:

Per FAR 16.505(a)(4) and FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(B), an exception to the fair opportunity process is justified because brand-name IBM maintenance support is essential to the Government’s requirement to maintain system continuity, efficiency in operations, and infrastructure security throughout the DLA Enterprise. Additionally, market research indicates other companies’ similar products do not meet, and cannot be modified to meet, DLA’s needs. Similar non-IBM products are not compatible or interoperable with DLA’s current Information Operations systems and thus do not satisfy the Government’s requirement. The required IBM software maintenance support renewal is peculiar to one manufacturer, International Business Machines Corporation; however, this will be solicited amongst a variety of authorized IBM resellers, increasing the likelihood of competition for this requirement.

DLA uses over IBM software licenses, all of which are critical to DLA operations and various DLA mission support requirements. DLA’s requirement to maintain existing IBM software products can only be met by IBM. The IBM software itself, including updates and fixes, is proprietary to IBM; therefore, only IBM brand name software maintenance can provide the required support. The DLA Enterprise must retain software maintenance for its existing IBM software licenses in order to continue to receive technical support, patches and fixes to its IBM software investment. Failure to procure this annual maintenance would adversely impact DLA’s Enterprise efforts resulting in software that is unsupported, functionally out-of-date and that would jeopardize DLA’s audit requirements and information assurance security and accreditation.

DLA currently uses a variety of IBM software products in support of programs and initiatives throughout the Agency. As DLA continues to improve and extend its Enterprise Business Systems (EBS), IBM continues to provide an integrated set of software tools that can support the enterprise throughout its life cycle (i.e., Websphere MQ and Rational, etc.) These tools allow IBM software to work seamlessly within EBS, and with SAP software required to run EBS. Failure to obtain brand name IBM maintenance support jeopardizes the integrated capabilities and interactions within EBS, which would jeopardize the success of a number of DLA programs. These software tools enable collaboration across distributed development teams and extend development scalability, providing the Agency with the ability to support

DLA ENTERPRISE

Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.102 & 3.104 thousands of users, working in various sites across the country. Failure to obtain the required IBM software maintenance will negatively impact DLA’s ability to effectively support these users and their missions

These IBM licenses also support disaster recovery, enabling file retrieval from replicated sites and the tools assist with the design, development, build, test, and deployment phase enabling closed-loop software delivery and full life cycle traceability from requirements through the production phase. A failure to properly update these licenses will affect the ability to retrieve files and would create an unacceptable risk of data loss.

5. DETERMINATION BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER THAT THE

ANTICIPATED COST TO THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE FAIR AND

REASONABLE:

As the Contracting Officer, I hereby determine that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable. The Government will attempt to obtain offers from as many responsible business authorized resellers as practicable. Quotations will be analyzed in accordance with FAR 15.404-1. It is anticipated that the Government will use various price analysis techniques including, but not limited to: (1) Comparison of proposed prices received in response to the solicitation; (2) Comparison with competitive published price lists; (3) Comparison of proposed prices with the Independent Government Cost Estimate; and/or (4) Comparison of proposed prices obtained through market research for the same or similar items.

6. ANY OTHER FACTS SUPPORTING THE JUSTIFICATION:

The IBM software licenses are key to a variety of applications across the Enterprise. DLA needs to maintain maintenance on this software in order to obtain required software patches, upgrades, and technical support directly from IBM.

This requirement will be solicited to authorized resellers of IBM products and services on the NASA SEWP V website as unrestricted. All responsible business resellers will be given an opportunity to submit an offer.

7. STATEMENT OF THE ACTIONS, IF ANY, THE AGENCY MAY TAKE TO

REMOVE OR OVERCOME ANY BARRIERS THAT LED TO THE EXCEPTION TO

FAIR OPPORTUNITY BEFORE ANY SUBSEQUENT ACQUISITION FOR THE

SUPPLIES OR SERVICES IS MADE:

At this time, the required IBM software maintenance support renewal for the DLA Enterprise is the only product capable of meeting the Government’s needs. However, DLA has exercised and continues to exercise competition as often as possible and is required to conduct ongoing reviews to keep abreast of new technology, both in industry and in the Government. DLA uses a variety of vendors, manufacturers, and contracts/orders to fulfill its requirements and

DLA ENTERPRISE

Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.102 & 3.104 will continue its practice of surveying the market to ensure full and open competition to the maximum extent practicable.

8. CERTIFICATIONS:

Technical/Requirements Certification:

I hereby certify that the supporting data provided for which I am responsible and which forms a basis for this justification is complete and accurate.

Contracting Officer Certification:

I hereby certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

I have reviewed and concur with this justification.

DLA ENTERPRISE

Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.102 & 3.104

Competition Certification:

I have reviewed and recommend approval of this justification.

I have reviewed this justification and hereby determine it to be legally sufficient.

I have reviewed and approve this justification.

9. ATTACHMENTS:

ATTACHMENT 1 BILL OF MATERIALS (BoM)