Sole Source Justification LDB.docx

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE EDUCATION ACTIVITY

Non-Competitive Memorandum for Actions Under the SAT IAW FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)

Lockdown Browser for Schoology

Upon the basis of the following justification, the Contracting Officer approves this justification for the proposed contract action pursuant to the authority cited above because Respondus Inc. is the only entity capable of providing the required gifted aptitude assessment.

Background: DoDEA awarded HE1254-15-P-0011 to Respondus, Inc., using a sole source acquisition strategy. Due to a protest over the re-competition for DoDEA’s learning management system (LMS), DoDEA had to continue to use Schoology until the protest was resolved. To accommodate the lockdown browser requirement for Schoology, a two-year contract, HE1254-20-P-0008, was awarded to Respondus for FY20 and FY21. Schoology was awarded a 10-year contract, so a lockdown browser is still required until 2031.

Rationale: Based on market research (below), Respondus is the sole distributor of the Respondus Lockdown Browser Campus-Wide License. It is the only lockdown browser that integrates with Schoology’s Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) function. No other lockdown browser on the market has this capability. Based on the rationale above, the Contracting Officer has made the determination to issue a sole source solicitation to as the only entity that can provide the required educational services Therefore, the Contracting Officer has made the determination to issue a sole source solicitation to Respondus, Inc. — the only entity that can provide the required software application and support.

An internet search using “Lockdown Browsers – LTI function” yielded one result, Respondus. In a search using “Lockdown Browser,” most of the links again related to Respondus. However, one link was to the Chrome Web Store which offers a Respondus lockdown browser designed for Chromebooks. An article referenced Proctor U, Proctorio, and Examity, which are lockdown browsers for students taking tests; they require students to record themselves during the test and also require a 360-degree view of the room in which they are taking the test. None can integrate with Schoology. Regarding the three companies referenced above, the source of that information is the following URL: http://cuatower.com/2021/03/lockdown-browsers-protecting-integrity-or-invading-privacy/.

The three bulleted companies (below) were in the 2015 and 2021 market research, and their information has been updated:

· Analytical Design Solutions, Inc. (dba KioWare), York, PA. James Kruper, Government POC, 717-843-4790 - jkruper@kioware.com - CAGE code 37GA6 - Small business, per SAM.gov for NAICS codes 511210 and 54511 (Custom Computer Programming Services) - Secures a desktop computer or mobile device so that it can operate as a self-service kiosk. It cannot meet DoDEA’s requirement because it cannot integrate with Schoology.

· Provisio, LLC, Miami, FL. Sales, 800-916-7422 - sales-america@provisio.com - CAGE code 5QE38 - Small business, per SAM.gov for NAICS code 511210 - Specializes in computer design services and cannot integrate with Schoology.

· Software Secure, Inc. of Newton Upper Falls, MA. Not registered on SAM.gov. The company, which was listed in the previous market research reports, has permanently closed.

Using the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) and Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) for NAICS code 511210, Software Publishers—the code used for the current contract—and the keywords, lockdown and lockdown browser, yielded the following results:

DSBS: Under lockdown browser, there were no results. Under lockdown there were the following three results: White Cloud Security, Inc. whose lockdown browser protect servers and does not meet our requirements; Analytical Design Solutions, Inc., which cannot meet our requirements, per Potential Sources; and Bluefletch, LLC, which provides advanced enterprise grade security for Employee Android devises and cannot meet our requirements.

FPDS: Under both lockdown and lockdown browser, there was one result, the incumbent, Respondus, which had contracts with several other federal agencies, including DoDEA.

DoDEA Gifted Education Aptitude Assessment

CERTIFICATION

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

Digital Signature/Date: ______________________________________________________________ Eddie Hackler, Contracting Officer’s Representative

APPROVAL

Approval is granted subject to the availability of funds and provided that the products/services described herein have otherwise been authorized for acquisition.

Contracting Officer: I certify that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief, and hereby determine the anticipated costs to the Government for this requirement will be fair and reasonable.

Digital Signature/Date: ______________________________________________________________ Alim Koroma, Contracting Officer, Procurement

FAR Part 13.5 Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition Source Selection Information - See FAR 2.101 & 3.104 - Controlled Unclassified Information