SSJ-Application Streaming Subscription_Redacted.pdf

5.2 Specific Characteristics of the Unique or Highly Specialized Item or Service:

6. Check all applicable statements:

The material or service must be compatible in all aspects (form, fit, function) with existing systems presently installed. The new product(s) / service(s) must coordinate, connect, or interface with existing systems.

A patent, copyright, proprietary data, or licensing agreement limits competition.

These are "direct replacement" parts/components for existing equipment.

NPS requires an application streaming service to stream applications and desktops to users’ web browsers. This service must be able to provide the use of applications in a streaming fashion or as a native application delivered to the customer’s device. Based on extensive market research, Apporto is the only source that can provide the following with regards to the required application streaming service:

(a) Streams desktop as well as individual applications.

(b) Delivers applications to a browser or natively to a user device. This feature is critical for use in low bandwidth environments.

(c) Apporto permits scaling (up or down) on a concurrent user basis. This eliminates the need for the user to provide and tune virtual machine specifications.

(d) Apporto will permit NPS to use existing provisioning services. The service integrates with Active Directory, Shibboleth, Centralized Authentication System (CAS) and Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML).

Extensive market research identified only two potential application streaming services: Apporto and Amazon Appstream. NPS requested and received product demonstrations from both sources. Appstream was unable to meet requirements (a) and (d) above.

NPS subsequently conducted a 45-day usage trial to further evaluate the Apporto application streaming service in an operational environment. The 45-day trial permitted NPS to build a customized test environment with operationally-relevant applications, 10 concurrent users for comprehensive testing and the ability to use NPS credentials for application sign on (further simulating an actual operational environment), providing a far more relevant evaluation of the service's usability, effectiveness and potential value to NPS.

The trial of Apporto, as well as the last 12 months of usage by NPS staff/faculty/students determined the service's quality, usability and effectiveness in an operational environment, and demonstrated the service's potential value to the Government.

Apporto Inc. has no commercial resellers. The streaming subscription is only available directly from Apporto Corporation.

6.1 Compatibility Statement:

6.2 Copyright / Proprietary Data / Licensing Agreement Statement:

The requested application streaming service subscription is proprietary to Apporto Corporation.

7. Brand Name (if applicable, detail why the procurement is restricted to a specific brand name manufacturer):

8. Additional information supporting a sole source acquisition:

The Apporto application streaming service is used by distance learning (DL) students in the Graduate School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Graduate School of Defense Management and provides students with the equivalent of an on-premise lab with access to mathematics and engineering software applications they otherwise would not have access to. In addition, Apporto manages the computing power and bandwidth of their service in accordance with the needs of the applications being provided, all of which is completely transparent to the user. The flexibility and responsiveness of this service provides NPS DL students with academic and research tools they would not otherwise have access to.

02/20/2020