SSJ_SyncSort_Redacted.pdf

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION (SSJ)

1. IDENTIFICATION OF AGENCY AND CONTRACTING ACTIVITY

Agency: Social Security Administration

Contracting Office: Office of the Deputy Commissioner for Budget, Finance, Quality, and Management

Office of Acquisition and Grants

Office of Information Technology Acquisition

Division of IT Software and Maintenance

Contracting Officer (CO): Kathryn Fain

(410) 965-4853

Program Office: Office of the Deputy Commissioner for Systems

Office of Telecommunications and Systems Operations

Division of Resource Management and Acquisition

Contracting Officer’s Monaye Rikard

Technical Representative: (410) 965-3184

Project Title: Maintenance and Upgrades for SyncSort and Zen Group

Trace Software

Proposed Contractor: SyncSort, Inc.

2. NATURE OF ACTION BEING APPROVED

Type of action:

_X new award

___modification of existing award, number ______________________

Contemplated contract type:

_X firm-fixed-price

___time and materials/labor hour

___combination

We seek approval of an SSJ to obtain the following:

_X_ expansion of mainframe software licensing required in order for compliance with our license agreement, due to agency mainframe hardware capacity increases. Since commercial mainframe software companies commonly license software based on the capacity of the mainframe hardware where we installed the software, we are responsible for expanding our mainframe software licenses commensurate to the hardware capacity each time we upgrade mainframe hardware.

_X maintenance of SyncSort and Zen Group Trace Software.

We will solicit a proposal and award a single firm fixed price award to SyncSort, Inc. for a base year and four one-year option periods.

3. DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES AND ESTIMATED VALUE

Estimated Value: $3,018,047.61

Base Year $268,622.59

Option 1 $891,792.95

Option 2 $619,210.69

Option 3 $619,210.69

Option 4 $619,210.69

We currently use both Syncsort and Zen Group licenses. Syncsort, Inc. recently procured

Zen Group Trace software. This single acquisition consolidates all upgrades, updates, and maintenance of those products into one contract vehicle.

We use the SyncSort MFX z/OS, PROC SyncSort, and COBOL Advantage software to sequence or merge data files or members of datasets, to generate reports, and selectively extract data. This software supports our systems used for Representative Payee and

Quality Assurance, and Title II and Title XVI benefit payments. The software runs on the mainframe systems in both the National Computer Center (NCC) and the Second Support

Center (SSC). We may install the SyncSort software at a third agency location during the life of this contract. SyncSort software license upgrades are necessary to continue legal usage of the software on higher-level mainframes when the processing capacity is increased.

SyncSort licensed software currently resides on Systems 91, 92, 93, and 94 located in the

SSC and Systems 81, 82, 83, and 84 located in the NCC.

The maintenance subscription for SyncSort software includes updates, fixes and patches, as well as online and telephone technical support, allowing the software to remain operational in a changing environment. Maintenance allows us access to the latest changes and security patches, and allows the software to continue to operate in a changing environment.

The Zen Group Trace software is an intelligent trace tool for network troubleshooting and problem determination activities. The software simplifies trace data collection and produces detailed interpreted trace reports enabling a broader range of personnel to work with the tool and to perform in-depth analysis of all network traces. The Zen Group Trace software runs/combines multiple Internet Protocol (IP) traces and effectively monitors and manages our mainframe Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)/IP stacks and application environments. It is vital that we efficiently monitor strategic TCP/IP entities in a “real time” mode to trigger possible network problem areas immediately. The “real time” mode of the Implex software is useful for troubleshooting network problems between our clients and users. This software monitors the transmission of buffers to and from applications and servers and other hosts running on our network and is the only product we use for this purpose. The Implex software runs as a started task on each Log A Posteriori Ratio configured on the mainframes, currently 32 systems. Without this product, individual traces would have to run on each system, and manually collated/combined to track the traffic flows between systems. Zen Group Trace software provides a much more efficient and accurate tracking methodology for troubleshooting and performance monitoring.

Zen Group Trace software resides on Systems 81, 82, 83, and 84 located in the NCC and on Systems 91, 92, 93, and 94 located in the SSC.

The maintenance subscription for Zen Group Trace software includes updates, fixes and patches, as well as online and telephone technical support, allowing the software to remain operational in a changing environment. Maintenance allows us access to the latest changes and security patches, and allows the software to continue to operate in a changing environment.

By consolidating agency purchases of software and maintenance into a single acquisition vehicle, we will be better able to direct and coordinate the planning, budget, and acquisition activities related to licensing and maintaining this software, while also allowing for enterprise level pricing.

4. IDENTIFICATION OF STATUTORY AUTHORITY PERMITTING OTHER

THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

41 U.S.C. § 1901(a), as implemented by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.5—

“Test Program for Certain Commercial Items.”

The acquisition is “commercial” in nature, as defined at FAR Section 2.101, and will be solicited using FAR Part 12, as well as the procedures outlined at FAR 13.500.

The basis for restricting competition is:

_X_ (1) Unique supplies or services available from only one source or only one supplier with unique capabilities.

____(2) The existence of limited rights in data, patent rights, copyrights, or secret processes; the control of basic raw material; or similar circumstances, make the supplies and services available from only one source.

5. DEMONSTRATION OF CONTRACTOR'S UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS

SyncSort, Inc. is the copyright holder for SyncSort and Zen Group Trace software. Only

SyncSort, Inc. has the right to issue an enterprise license for this software. Furthermore, only SyncSort, Inc. has legal access to the source code necessary to provide software maintenance. Software maintenance includes a subscription to version upgrades, updates, fixes and patches, as well as telephone support for resolving issues.

Continued maintenance of these products is essential. Access to upgrades, updates, and fixes and patches ensures software continues to be compatible with the operating system and is in good working order. Without maintenance, there is potential for a major Payment

Service Center (PSC) workload disruption. SyncSort, Inc. provides unique patches and technical assistance necessary to support all the notice processing at the PSCs. Any interruption to maintenance can severely affect our service to the public.

6. EFFORTS MADE TO SOLICIT FROM AS MANY POTENTIAL SOURCES AS IS

PRACTICABLE

____We posted a FedBizOpps Sources Sought from XX/XX/XXXX to YY/YY/YYYY, and a copy is included in the contract file.

_X__We posted a FedBizOpps Synopsis of Proposed Contract Action from 08/05/2015 to

08/10/2015, and a copy is included in the contract file.

____Responses received listed under item 10 below.

_X__No responses received.

7. DETERMINATION BY THE CO THAT THE ANTICIPATED COST TO THE

GOVERNMENT WILL BE FAIR AND REASONABLE PRICE

In accordance with FAR Part 15.404, the CO will perform a final price analysis in order to determine the eventual awardee’s proposed price is fair and reasonable.

8. DESCRIPTION OF MARKET RESEARCH

See Section 6 above.

These software products are proprietary products licensed to the agency. Market research confirmed that SyncSort, Inc. is the copyright holder of this software; therefore, the only known source capable of providing the required software maintenance is SyncSort, Inc.

Additionally, __X_ We used market research conducted within 18 months of the anticipated award date.

Therefore, we consider the information still current, accurate, and relevant.

___ When examining whether this is a requirement for Commercial vs Non-Commercial items, market research helped determined that this requirement involves

____A) Items of a type customarily available in the commercial marketplace;

____B) Items of a type customarily available in the commercial marketplace with modifications; or

____C) Items used exclusively for governmental purposes (i.e. not commercially available).

__X_ Market research helped determine

___ Customary practices regarding customizing, modifying, or tailoring of items to meet customer needs and associated costs;

_X_ Customary practices including warranty, buyer financing, discounts, contract type considering the nature and risk associated with the requirement, etc., under which commercial sales of the products or services are made;

___ The requirements of any laws and regulations unique to the item being acquired;

___The availability of items that contain recovered materials and items that are energy efficient;

___ The distribution and support capabilities of potential suppliers, including alternative arrangements and cost estimates; and

___ Size and status of potential sources (see Part 19).

__X_ Techniques for conducting market research include any or all of the following:

_X__i) Contacting knowledgeable individuals in government and industry regarding market capabilities to meet requirements.

___(ii) Reviewing the results of recent market research undertaken to meet similar or identical requirements.

___(iii) Publishing formal requests for information in appropriate technical or scientific journals or business publications.

___(iv) Querying the government-wide database of contracts and other procurement instruments intended for use by multiple agencies available at https://www.contractdirectory.gov/contractdirectory/ and other government and commercial databases that provide information relevant to agency acquisitions.

___(v) Participating in interactive, on-line communication among industry, acquisition personnel, and customers.

___(vi) Obtaining source lists of similar items from other contracting activities or agencies, trade associations or other sources.

___(vii) Reviewing catalogs and other generally available product literature published by manufacturers, distributors, and dealers or available on-line.

___(viii) Conducting interchange meetings or holding pre-solicitation conferences to involve potential offerors early in the acquisition process.

____Additional information, sources, comments.

9. ANY OTHER SUPPORTING FACTS

Upon selection of an awardee, the CO will make a responsibility determination in accordance with FAR 9.104.

10. LIST OF SOURCES EXPRESSING INTEREST IN THE ACQUISITION IN

WRITING

No other sources have expressed an interest in this acquisition.

11. ACTIONS AGENCY MAY TAKE TO REMOVE OR OVERCEOME BARRIERS

TO COMPETITION BEFORE ANY SUBSEQUENT ACQUISITION IS

REQUIRED

We will continue to survey the market place by synopsizing our requirement and reviewing product literature and capability statements submitted by the vendor community.

CERTIFICATION BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER AND

OTHER CONTRACTING OFFICIALS

The contracting officer and other contracting officials hereby certify that the information provided in support of sole source justification for other than full and open competition is accurate and complete to the best of their knowledge and belief.

RECOMMEND: 08/11/2015

Angela Lee Date

Division of Information Technology Software and Maintenance (DITSM)

Office of Information Technology Acquisition (OITA)

Office of Acquisition and Grants (OAG)

CONCUR: ___ 8/11/2015________

Kathryn Fain Date

Contracting Officer

DITSM, OITA, OAG

CONCUR: ________________ 8/13/2015________

Christian Hellie Date

Director, OITA, OAG

CONCUR: __Cathy A. Bella_________ 8/17/2015__________

Cathy A. Bella Date

Deputy Associate Commissioner, OAG

8/17/15

CONCUR: ________________________________ _______________

Seth Binstock Date

Associate Commissioner, OAG

APPROVE: ________________________________ 8/18/15__________

Michelle A. King Date

SSA Competition Advocate

Competition Advocate Review Board (CARB)

Project Title: Maintenance and Upgrades for SyncSort and Zen Group Trace Software

Estimated Amount: $3,018,047.61

Review and discussion occurred: Electronically

For a

____Limited Source Justification (LSJ)

____Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition (JOFOC)

_X_Sole Source Justification (SSJ)

CARB Panel Members

Associate Commissioner, Office of Telecommunications & Systems Operations (or designee)

____ ____Date__8/18/2015___

__X__I recommend signature by the approving official

_____I do not recommend signature by the approving official

General Counsel (or designee)

Date_August 17, 2015

__X_ I concur that the justification is legally sufficient

_____I do not concur that the justification is legally sufficient