RTLS VALB JA_Redacted.pdf

Control Number: VA-23-00092110

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1. Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Office of Procurement, Acquisition, and Logistics Technology Acquisition Center 23 Christopher Way Eatontown, NJ 07724

2. Description of Action: The proposed action is for a firm-fixed-price effort for brand name hardware, software, and services to implement the integrated CenTrak and Infor Location-Based Intelligence (LBI) Real Time Location System (RTLS) Asset Tracking (AT) solution at VA Long Beach Healthcare System.

3. Description of the Supplies or Services: The Veterans Health Administraton’s (VHA) VA Long Beach Healthcare System has a requirement for brand name RTLS hardware, software, and services to authorized users in VHA. RTLS is a System of Systems that integrates location data from multiple applications. The RTLS applications are deployed to more than 225 VA medical centers and Community- Based Outpatient Clinics. Current installations use proprietary CenTrak and Infor LBI software for tagging, tracking, and integration into a single database. CenTrak’s proprietary active Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-based hardware and software provides zonal, room-level, and within-room level accuracy regarding asset location, staff location, patient location, as well as environmental variables.

Specifically, VA requires an integrated RTLS AT solution for the VA Long Beach Healthcare System. RTLS AT automates inventory management and enables more effective use of existing medical equipment as time and resources do not need to be expended on tracking or searching for equipment. Asset tracking also allows various workflows to be managed in an automated manner and strengthens compliance with patient safety best practices. RTLS AT capabilities also provide Healthcare Technology Managers with improved capability to provide corrective and planned maintenance of medical devices and/or systems, which then allows for increased uptime and availability for patient care purposes. Services under this effort shall include installation, end user acceptance testing, training, warranty services, engineering, and professional services. The scope of this effort shall include completion of implementation already started and expansion of current inactive system at VA Long Beach Healthcare System. The period of performance shall be 12 months from date of award, with one 12-month option period, and one optional task for transition planning. The total estimated value of the proposed action is

4. Statutory Authority: The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(1) as implemented by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1 entitled, “Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.”

5. Rationale Supporting Use of Authority Cited Above: Based on market research, as described in Section 8 of this justification, it was determined that limited competition is available among authorized resellers of the integrated CenTrak/Infor LBI-based

Real Time Location Systems Asset Tracking (VA Long Beach) Control Number: VA-23-00092110 hardware, software, and services for the RTLS AT solution. Centrak brand name hardware is the only hardware that can continue to build upon VA Long Beach’s existing RTLS hardware installed under a previous National RTLS ID/IQ contract/order (VA118A-12-D-0025 VA118A-13-J-0036). Any other brand name hardware is unable to integrate with the currently installed virtual walls, monitors, and low frequency exciters at VA Long Beach. These components work as a system with each other to deliver the asset tracking solution. Other vendors’ hardware are not able to integrate with already installed Centrak hardware. Additionally, no other brand name hardware is interopable or compatible with the installed Infor (formerly Intelligent Insites) software that integrates with Centrak hardware. Centrak hardware and Infor software is the only VA approved RTLS system and is supported by the National RTLS Program Management Office (PMO). Furthermore, Centrak/Infor is the only Technical Reference Model (TRM) approved solution for RTLS. Any other solution would have to be TRM approved before connecting to the VA network.

If the Government were to acquire an RTLS system that is not CenTrak or Infor, the currently installed hardware would not be able to be utilized. If acquiring a system other than the integrated CenTrak/Infor, VA estimates it would take approximately 220 hours to remove the old system, as well as incur a duplicative cost due to the additional step of removing the existing CenTrak system. The estimated time to remove the old system is based on the volume of equipment to be installed and the hours it would take. The estimate of cost is based on the hours it would take to reinstall new equipment and the amount of new equipment

. These estimates were based on previous acquisition history and the volume of previously installed equipment.

These estimated duplicative costs would not be recovered through competition. This would result in substantial loss to the Government with additional funding needing to be secured and a delay in RTLS AT implementation at VA Long Beach Healthcare System. In addition, all sites that have implemented VA’s RTLS solution use an integrated platform provided by the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM), Infor LBI (Asset Tracking Software Application) and CenTrak (Location Services Technology Hardware and Software). CenTrak hardware is not compatible with other proprietary RFID-based real time locating systems. Since Infor LBI serves as the user interface to aggregate location data, the use of Infor LBI is required for a unified, enterprise-wide user interface. Finally, VA RTLS architecture relies on a central database housed at a data center in the VA Austin Information Technology Center (AITC). Any additional CenTrak/Infor systems that are implemented throughout the country, to include the VA Long Beach location, are added to AITC as they go online. Purchase of different OEMs would fragment and decentralize this existing architecture and prevent the ability for data and maintenance integration among VISNs. Having multiple OEMs increases operational risk since assets are unable to communicate with more than one OEM. This means that equipment that is moved to a facility with a different RTLS would not be tracked at this facility.

Untracked equipment does not receive planned maintenance and life cycle management, both of which introduce additional risks to patients and increase operating costs.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: Market research was conducted, details of which are in Section 8 of this justification. This effort did not yield any additional sources that can meet the Government's requirements. However, the undersigned VA technical representative determined that limited competition is available among authorized resellers for brand name licenses, as well as software maintenance and support. In accordance with FAR 6.302-1(c)(1)(ii)(c) and 5.102(a)(6) this justification shall be posted with the solicitation. Furthermore, the proposed action will be synopsized on the Contracting Opportunities Page in accordance with FAR 5.201. Any proposals that are received shall be evaluated.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: The Government will continue to conduct market research to ascertain if there are changes in the market place that would enable future actions to be competed.

8. Market Research: The Government’s technical experts conducted market research by reviewing available vendors of RTLS Asset Tracking. This market research is an ongoing process that was started in November 2022 and continuously being conducted, as recently as August 2023. Vendors reviewed were CenTrak hardware, Infor LBI software, .

Based on reviews of these products and in coordination with the National RTLS PMO, it was determined that CenTrak and Infor or its authorized resellers are the only brand name providers to meet the Government’s needs. CenTrak and Infor do not allow access to their proprietary software to any firms with whom they do not have an active re-seller agreement. Centrak and Infor are also the only VA Technical Reference Model (TRM) approved RTLS hardware and software.

asset tracking through passive tags were also reviewed; however, Passive tag tracking is currently not supported by National RTLS PMO and therefore were determined to not have met the Government’s interoperability and compatibility requirements previously discussed. Additionally, are not an approved RTLS solution according to the VA Technical Reference Model.

Review of these products is based on actual VA experience using the competing monitoring software. Additionally, VA networking Subject Matter Experts regularly review industry trade publications and conduct internet research to ascertain if any other brand name software is available. Based on all of these market research efforts, the Government’s technical experts have determined that brand name Centrak hardware and Infor software or its authorized resellers can meet all of VA’s needs.

9. Other Facts: None.

10. Technical and Requirements Certification: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in this justification, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

11. Fair and Reasonable Cost Determination: I hereby determine that the anticipated price to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable based on a comparison of proposed prices to historical pricing and by comparing the quote against the Independent Government Cost Estimate.

12. Procuring Contracting Officer Certification: I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Approval

In my role as procuring activity Advocate for Competition, based on the foregoing justification, I hereby approve the acquisition of the brand name hardware, software, and services to implement the integrated CenTrak and Infor LBI RTLS AT solution at VA Long Beach Healthcare System on an other than full and open competition basis pursuant to the authority cited in Section 4 above, subject to availability of funds, and provided that the property and services herein described have otherwise been authorized for acquisition.