RY CISCO_1_Redacted.pdf

This is a Justification for an Exception to Fair Opportunity or Use Brand-Name Restriction document submitted by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Sensors Directorate (AFRL/RYWE), located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

The justification approves a brand-name restriction for the procurement of Cisco Catalyst 9300 Series network switching equipment and associated hardware, licensing, and software subscriptions. The agency requires high-performance, enterprise-grade stackable access switches with 24 Gigabit SFP ports designed for secure data center networking environments. The procurement includes 21 specific Cisco components and modules totaling multiple units, including catalyst switches, power supplies, network modules, fiber transceivers, licensing packages (DNA Advantage and DNA Spaces), ThousandEyes Enterprise Agents, and Network Plug-n-Play connectivity solutions. The brand-name restriction is justified under FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(B) based on the proprietary nature of Cisco Catalyst 9300 Series architecture, the original equipment manufacturer's exclusive control over hardware architecture, IOS-XE operating system, and licensing models governing access to critical features, security patches, and software updates. The document confirms this is not a bridge action and indicates the agency will continue searching for commercially available alternatives to determine if other products can meet requirements in future acquisitions.