Redacted LSJ 26-0293.pdf

J&A Number: 26-0293

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

1. Nature and/or Description of Action being Approved.

This Limited Sources Justification supports the placement of a firm-fixed-price order under the Federal Supply Schedule pursuant to FAR Subpart 8.4 and GSAR 538.71 for the acquisition of Aspen Systems server cluster expansion components required to expand the Government�s currently deployed Aspen Systems high-performance computing environment located in a classified space.

*Aspen Systems Compute Cores for (Total Quantity 1,760) *Aspen Systems Raw Storage for (Total Quantity of 368.64TB) *Aspen Systems Power Cooling for (Total Watts: 22,007, AMPS: (208V): 105.8, BTU/H:

75,091, Refrigeration A/C: 6.26 Tons *Aspen Systems Configuration & Delivery

The contemplated order will provide additional compute capacity, storage capacity, and supporting power/cooling infrastructure, together with any associated configuration and delivery necessary to integrate the new components into the existing Aspen Systems environment. The purpose of this action is to expand the operational capacity and performance of the currently deployed Aspen Systems cluster to support increased mission demand while maintaining continuity of operations within the existing architecture.

This requirement is for expansion of an installed Aspen Systems platform and not for replacement of the current environment. Because the new components must operate within the existing deployed architecture, the Government requires Aspen Systems-compatible components that can be integrated into the current cluster without requiring redesign of the environment or disruption to ongoing mission support.

This requirement will be issued only to National Aeronautics and Space Administration

(NASA) Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) V Government Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) holders. The delivery schedule is anticipated to be approximately 6 months after order award, inclusive of manufacturer lead time, system configuration, and delivery to the Government-designated location. The total estimated value of this requirement, inclusive of all anticipated line items and any applicable options, is $2,780,247.10.

2. Description of the Supplies or Services.

The Government currently operates an Aspen Systems high-performance computing cluster in a classified environment in support of mission-critical modeling, simulation, analysis, and related computational workloads. Increased mission demand has exceeded the capacity of the currently deployed configuration. Additional cluster components are required to maintain system performance, support increased concurrent workloads, and avoid operational delays in mission support activities.

The required supplies consist of Aspen Systems server cluster expansion components, including additional compute nodes, storage components, and supporting power/cooling infrastructure necessary to expand the existing cluster. The additional compute nodes are required to increase processing capacity within the current environment, improve workload throughput, and support a greater number of simultaneous computational tasks. The additional storage components are required to increase available data capacity, improve data access performance, and support application resilience within the existing Aspen Systems architecture.

Supporting power and cooling infrastructure is also required to operate the expanded cluster safely and reliably within the existing facility constraints. The additional equipment must support the projected electrical load and thermal output of the expanded Aspen Systems configuration. Without compatible supporting infrastructure, the expanded system could experience overheating, reduced reliability, or hardware failure. Estimated support requirements include approximately 22,007 total watts, 105.8 amps at 208V, 75,091 BTU per hour, and approximately 6.26 tons of cooling capacity.

The supplies being acquired are not stand-alone commercial items being introduced into a new environment; rather, they are expansion components for an already deployed Aspen Systems cluster. Accordingly, the requirement includes not only the hardware itself, but also compatibility with the existing architecture, management framework, and operational environment. The complexity of the requirement arises from the need to integrate the new components into a classified, operationally active computing environment without disrupting current mission support.

3. Authority and Justification.

This justification is based on GSAR 538.7104-3(b)(1)(ii), which authorizes limiting sources when only one source can provide the required supplies or services because the supplies or services are unique or highly specialized. In this instance, the Government requires expansion of an existing Aspen Systems cluster, and the required components must be compatible with the currently deployed Aspen Systems architecture, management tools, and operating environment to satisfy the Government�s minimum needs.

Use of non-compatible components would also increase the risk of interoperability issues, degraded performance, operational disruption, and additional lifecycle cost. Expansion with dissimilar hardware could require redesigning the current cluster configuration, modification of management and monitoring processes, and additional testing to verify performance, reliability, and security within the classified environment. These impacts would materially impair the Government�s ability to provide the required expanded capability within the required timeframe.

The Government�s minimum need is therefore for Aspen Systems-compatible expansion components that can be integrated into the currently deployed Aspen Systems cluster without requiring redesign of the existing environment. Market research conducted by the Government determined that the required expansion must be limited to Aspen Systems-compatible components to maintain interoperability with the currently deployed cluster. There are distributors capable of providing Aspen Systems components.

The Contracting Officer will determine price reasonableness in accordance with the applicable ordering procedures and the contract vehicle used for award. The determination to limit sources is based on compatibility, integration, and mission requirements associated with expansion of the existing Aspen Systems environment, and not solely on price considerations.

The Government recognizes that reliance on an existing proprietary environment can reduce competition for follow-on expansions. Prior to future refresh or replacement actions, the Government will conduct market research to assess whether more modular or open-architecture alternatives can meet mission requirements without unacceptable transition risk. To the extent practicable, future acquisition planning will consider approaches that reduce dependency on a single original equipment manufacturer while preserving mission continuity and operational reliability.