MEB_Sustainment_Support_EFO_Redacted.pdf

Source Selection Information See FAR 2.102 and 3.104

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

DLA CONTRACTING SERVICES OFFICE -

PHILADELPHIA

700 ROBBINS AVENUE

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA 19111-5092

JUSTIFICATION FOR AN EXCEPTION TO FAIR

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

1. IDENTIFICATION OF AGENCY AND CONTRACTING ACTIVITY:

Agencies Requiring Activity:

DLA Information Operations 8725 John J. Kingman Rd Ft Belvoir, VA 22060

Contracting Activity:

Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Contracting Services Office- Philadelphia 700 Robbins Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19111-5092

2. NATURE AND 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 because the agency need for the supplies or services is so urgent that providing a fair opportunity would result in unacceptable delays. This justification authorizes the use of other than full and open competition to award a Firm Fixed Price task order under the J6 Enterprise Technology Services (JETS) Indefinite-Delivery Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) in order for U.S. Information Technologies (USIT) to provide uninterrupted system sustainment for the Mapping Enterprise Business System (MEBS) while a protest for contract SP4701-16-F-0200 is resolved. In addition, if or when the acquisition situation changes subject to the resolution of the protest knowledge transfer may have to occur to the new awardee once that protest is resolved.

3. DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES OR SERVICES REQUIRED TO MEET THE

AGENCY’S NEED/ESTIMATED DOLLAR AMOUNT:

The Defense Logistics Agency’s Map Mission is managed by DLA Aviation – Quality Assurance Mapping (QAM). QAM manages all supply chain functions for the DLA Map Mission within the Mapping Enterprise Business System (MEBS), which is supported and maintained by J62GE, located at the Defense Supply Center Richmond (DSCR) (Virginia).

. MEBS manages the inventory, issue, disposition and procurement of over 120,000 mapping products. MEBS is an Oracle/Java-based system that conforms to J62’s system architecture standards. USIT is the current incumbent maintaining

MEBS.

The prior software sustainment contract SP4703-13-F-5077 with USIT ended in September of 2016, and the new contract SP4701-16-F-0200 was awarded to a new vendor, Syneren. This award was protested in October, and the government began using the 6 months of available contract extensions from the prior contract with USIT to maintain support coverage while the new contract re-competed. This re-compete SP4701-16-F-0200 also resulted in award to Syneren, and a new protest was filed in March 2017. The final extension available on the prior contract SP4709-16-F-0200 ends on March 31, 2017, at which time, application sustainment support coverage will lapse if a new contract is not in place.

The purpose of this requirement is to procure application sustainment support to keep the MEBS application online. This procurement is necessary to provide uninterrupted system sustainment support for MEBS.

Since MEBS is one of the critical business systems supporting the DLA mission, the sustainment support provided by the MEBS contractor is essential. DLA cannot risk an interruption in the sustainment support that ensures MEBS stays online and available to customers. If the MEBS application were to go offline without contract support in place to bring it back up, then the following impacts and risks will occur to DLA and the warfighter:

The DoD eMall and FedMall applications will be unable to provide current map product information for the warfighter to order/requisition. If the outage occurred during the update cycle for the Flight Information Publication (FLIPS), FLIPS would not be able to provide current map products to aviation customers.

QAM would have to process all map requisitions manually in cooperation with Defense Distribution Mapping Activity (DDMA). The manually intensive process would likely cause delays in meeting customers' needs to obtain map products. The map product subscription service would also be unavailable, preventing the automatic distribution of new/updated map products to the military forces, which can impact fleet deployments and other military operations. Ongoing work to remediate several Cybersecurity vulnerabilities identified during a recent security review would also stop.

The period of performance will include the following periods:

Base Period (1Month): 04/01/2017 through 04/30/2017 Option 1 Period (1Month): 05/01/2017 through 05/31/2017 Option 2 Period (1 Month): 06/01/2017 through 06/30/2017 Option 3 Period (1 Month): 07/01/2017 through 07/31/2017

4. IDENTIFICATION OF THE EXCEPTION TO FAIR OPPORTUNITY (SEE FAR

16.505(a)(4) and FAR 16.505(b)(2)) AND THE SUPPORTING RATIONALE, INCLUDING

A DEMONSTRATION THAT THE PROPOSED CONTRACTOR’S UNIQUE

QUALIFICATIONS OR THE NATURE OF THE ACQUISITION REQUIRES USE OF

THE EXCEPTION CITED:

Per FAR l6.505(b)(2)(i)(A), an exception to the fair opportunity competition requirement is justified because the agency need for the supplies or services is so urgent that providing fair opportunity would result in unacceptable delays.

Due to contract SP4701-16-F-0200 receiving a second protest that resulted in a stop-work order, and since DLA has already used the available extensions from contract SP4703-13-F-5077 to provide sustainment support during the contract re-compete resulting from the first protest, the DLA Map Mission is at risk of unacceptable delays to include lapse of the support provided for the Mapping Enterprise Business Systems (MEBS). The only way to ensure continued support under the circumstances is to issue a task order to U.S. Information Technologies (USIT), the contractor who is currently performing on this requirement.

Per FAR l6.505(b)(2)(i)(B), an exception to the fair opportunity competition requirement is justified because only one awardee is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services ordered are unique or highly specialized. USIT provides highly unique and specialized experience, because they have been supporting the DLA Map Mission since 2008. In 2010, USIT completed the initial software development and production deployment of the MEBS system. As the incumbent, USIT has accumulated intimate knowledge and matured experiences that no other vendor can offer. USIT is already knowledgeable of J62's technical guidance and policies, of J62's configuration management processes, and of the external technical organizations that are critical to sustaining the MEBS system's availability and functionality, such as the J64 Oracle Database Admins, J64 Network Admins, and Cybersecurity. USIT already has the mandatory security accesses, system access, Government Furnished Equipment (GFEs) that are required to support the MEBS system.

In addition, USIT is the only contractor with knowledge to sustain the MEBS during this time – there simply is not adequate time to transition support via competitive avenues while the protest is being resolved.

Since MEBS is one of the critical business systems supporting the DLA mission, DLA cannot risk an interruption of support for sustainment activities to keep the application online and performing well. If the MEBS application were to go offline without contract support in place to bring it back up, then the following impacts and risks will occur to DLA and the warfighter:

The DoD eMall and FedMall applications will be unable to provide current map product information for the warfighter to order/requisition. If the outage occurred during the update cycle for the Flight Information Publication (FLIPS), FLIPS would not be able to provide current map products to aviation customers.

. QAM would have to process all map requisitions manually in cooperation with Defense Distribution Mapping Activity (DDMA). The manually intensive process would likely cause delays in meeting customers' needs to obtain map products. The map product subscription service would also be unavailable, preventing the automatic distribution of new/updated map products to the military forces, which can impact fleet deployments and other military operations. Ongoing work to remediate several Cybersecurity vulnerabilities identified during a recent security review would also stop.

5. A DETERMINATION BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER THAT THE

ANTICIPATED COST TO THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE FAIR AND REASONABLE:

The proposal will be analyzed in accordance with FAR 15.404-1(b)(2)(ii). It is anticipated that the Government will use various price analysis techniques including, but not limited to: (1) Comparison of proposed prices to historical prices paid; (2) Comparison of proposed prices with independent Government cost estimates; and (3) Comparison of proposed prices obtained through market research for the same or similar items. The contracting officer therefore determines that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable.

6. ANY OTHER FACTS SUPPORTING THE JUSTIFICATION:

Although there are other approaches available in the market place, USIT provides continuity and aligns with other DLA initiatives. USIT has demonstrated that they meet the unique DLA requirements specified in the MEBS requirement. Also, DLA is operating in an environment that requires flexibility to adapt to a variety of fast-paced, highly challenging conditions while maintaining stable internal processes to ensure it can efficiently and effectively achieve its mission. USIT currently addresses the challenges that DLA is facing. DLA needs to maintain internal consistency to maintain efficiency while simultaneously adapting to address issues related to our changing environment.

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

REMOVE OR OVERCOME ANY BARRIERS THAT LED TO THE EXCEPTION TO

FAIR OPPORUNITY BEFORE ANY SUBSEQUENT ACQUISITION FOR THE

SUPPLIES OR SERVICES IS MADE:

A competitive follow-on contract has already been awarded and it is anticipated that performance will continue under the newly awarded contract once the protest is resolved.