ARNG_Data_Protector_EFOJ_12DEC18R_Redacted.pdf

AQ Control No: 19-0007 Program/Equipment: HPE Data Protector Software License Support

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Justification for an Exception to Fair Opportunity

Program/Equipment: Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) Data Protector Software License Maintenance Support.

Authority: 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1) as implemented by FAR Subpart 16.505(a)(4) – Restricting consideration to an item peculiar to one manufacturer (e.g., a particular brand-name, product, or a feature of a product that is peculiar to one manufacturer.

Amount: $80,035.91 Fiscal Year FY19 funds will be used for this task order with a Period of Performance (POP) from February 01, 2019 to 31 January 30, 2020.

Prepared by: D Title: COR Date: 12DEC18 E

Contracting Officer: DSN:

Title: Contracting Officer Date: 12DEC18 Em

Technical: D Title: COR Date: 12DEC18 E

Requirements: s D Title: Division Chief, ARNG-IMA Date: 12DEC18 E

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Justification for an Exception to Fair Opportunity

1. Contracting Activity: National Guard Bureau, Operational Contracting Division 111 George Mason Dr., Bldg., Arlington, VA 22204-1373

2. Description of Action: Army National Guard Information Management Architecture Directorate (ARNG-IMA) requests a firm fired price contract with an authorized reseller of HPE Data Protector Software License Maintenance Support. The Government projects award for 01 Feb 2019 with a Period of Performance (POP) from 01 Feb 2019 to 31 Jan 2020 using Fiscal Year 2019 Operations and Maintenance funds. An acquisition plan is not required because this procurement does not meet the threshold at Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement 207.103(d)(i)(B).

3. Description of Supplies/Services: This effort is to procure 60 each HPE Data Protector Software Licenses and Maintenance of the software licenses for existing servers located in the 54 States/Territories. HPE Data Protector is a Comprehensive, centrally-managed backup and recovery software for physical and virtual environments designed for the HPE dynamic, data-driven data centers that the ARNG uses. The current maintenance contract will expire on 31 January 2019. ARNG seeks Software License Maintenance Support to continue these service after the expiration date. The total estimated contract value of this contract is not expected to exceed $80,035.91.

4. Authority Cited: 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1) as implemented by FAR Subpart 16.505(a)(4)

– Restricting consideration to an item peculiar to one manufacturer (e.g., a particular brand-name, product, or a feature of a product that is peculiar to one manufacturer.

5. Reason for Authority Cited: This HPE Data Protector Software Licenses and Maintenance of software licenses is vital to the operations of the Army National Guard because it facilitates the back up of crucial data located on servers in each of the 54 states and territories. The HPE Data Protector software provides comprehensive, centrally-managed backup and recovery of physical and virtual environments designed for HPE’s dynamic, data-driven data centers. The servers located in the 54 states and territories process data in support of the Standard Installation/Division Personnel System (SIDPERS), My Unit Pay (MUP), and Automated Fund Control Order System (AFCOS) these are major systems which manages personnel action, soldier pay, processes orders. These systems support over 350,000 soldiers within the Army National Guard.

In the event a catastrophic loss, having the software would allow the government to restore the servers to a fully operational status within 2-3 hours. If the Government does not procure this software and experienced a catastrophic loss, all data would be destroyed and not usable. The complete loss of data would have devastating effects for soldier’s and civilian’s pay, personnel system’s processing personnel actions, and commanders not being able to adequately assess available forces within NGB to meet title 10 missions. In this instance, the Government would have to expend the time and effort to manually repopulate all the current data. Complete loss of data from not having this software would severely impact the support to the Warfighter across all spectrums of operations that the National Guard Bureau supports. In the event that the National Guard completely lost the data to support operations, this system would be unable to process soldier pay, the National Guard Bureau could expect numerous Congressional inquiries and negative attention that would detract from National Guard Bureau’s

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mission. Per Army Regulation (AR) 600-8-6 entitled Personnel Accounting and Strength Reporting, paragraph 1-21 states “Standard Installation/Division Personnel System (SIDPERS) is the database of record for all ARNG Soldiers. It provides information retrieval capabilities for commissioned officers, WO, and enlisted personnel. It is designed to support the functional areas of strength accounting and personnel management. SIDPERS has the capability of interfacing (sharing data between systems) with other systems such as those within the Military Pay Branch and as well as the Retirement Points Accounting Management System. In addition, SIDPERS generates outputs for external interfaces and data transfers. At this time the SIDPERS database is directly tied the U.S. Army Personnel Records Management System (iPERMS) which is the online repository which stores soldier’s personal data and career information. The National Guard Bureau uses the information within these systems to provide routine and requested reports of National Guard information to the Department of Defense and Congress. The Government is currently in the process of selecting alternative hardware and software products to support these programs. Additionally, the U.S. Army is currently in the process of converging all current personnel databases into one solution under the Integrated Personnel and Pay System – Army (IPPS-A) program. The Government expects the databases processing ARNG soldier data to be subsumed by the IPPS-A program within the next 2-3 years for SIDPERS and FY20 for AFCOS.

Because the IPPS-A program is unable to subsume the ARNG SIPDERS databases at this time, the ARNG is still required to maintain and operate these systems and back up the required data.

Although the Government currently owns the hardware, HP is the original software developer and the only source, other than authorized retailers to provide HP hardware/software maintenance support. HP is the only known contractor that possesses full proprietary data rights for the HP hardware/software, and necessary technical support. HP has been the hardware/software maintenance support provider since the hardware was purchased. Any service performed by an unauthorized 3rd party voids HP warranties. HP software support provides the license to use patches, updates new releases ofHP-UX, storage products, associated software, and is only available from HP. Access to all the latest documentation, software releases and firmware updates are limited to information that is on HP's public domain. Only HP personnel have access to prerelease or problem specific information. Competing this requirement would also require a substantial duplication of cost to the Government that would not be recovered through competition. The Government has a list of 8,760 items that include web servers, data base servers, storage area network, and tape libraries, which would have to be replaced if HP were not the successful offeror. The total replacement value of those items is approximately $4,218,338.00, not including delivery, installation, and training costs. This estimate was derived from the most recent Computer Hardware and Enterprise Software Solutions (CHESS) contract pricing for the major end items. HP has the experience and resources on staff necessary to successfully provide continuity of services. Competing this requirement among the resellers is also expected to result in a higher price as the resellers will add their overhead and other fees to the HP price.

6. Actions to Increase Competition: The Government will continue to perform market research and monitor the capabilities available for this requirement. While this requirement is sole sourced to the manufacturer, the Government will compete this requirement among authorized resellers within the Computer Hardware Enterprise

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Software and Solutions (CHESS) website. CHESS is the Army's designated Primary Source for commercial IT products.

7. Market Research: Market Research was performed on the vendor, NETCENTS II RFI number NC2-219135 and commercial websites. As a result of the RFI conducted from 16NOV18 through 02NOV18, the Government found two companies under the CHESS ITES-3H IDIQ that can support this effort. Therefore, adequate competition exists and this requirement will be competed under FAR Part 16.505 procedures.

8. Interested Sources: At the conclusion of the RFI, market research revealed that the HPE Data Protector software licenses and maintenance was available thru CDW GOVERNMENT LLC., and UNICOM under the Information Technology Enterprise Solutions (ITES)-3H IDIQ contract vehicle.

9. Other Facts:

a. Procurement History:

Contract Contractor Period of Performance Competitive

Status Authority Cited W9133L-17-F-0008 HP 01FEB17 – 31JAN18 Sole Source FAR 8.405-6 W9133L-16-F-0010 HP 10MAR16 – 31JAN17 Sole Source FAR 6.302-l(a)(2)(iii)(A)

W91QUZ-07-D-0004

Order N09PD10053 NCI 01JUL15 – 31JAN16 Sole Source Unknown W9133L-14-F-0043 HP 15SEP14 – 30JUL15 Competed FAR 52.211-6 W9133L-13-F-0032 HP 19APR13 – 18APR14 Competed FAR 8.405-6(b) W9133L-12-F-0018 HP 01OCT11 – 30SEP12 Sole Source FAR 6.302-1

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

Typed Name: Date: 12DEC18 Title: COR Signat

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

Title: Division Chief, ARNG-IMA Signature:

11. Fair and Reasonable Cost Determination: I hereby determine that the anticipated cost or price to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable. Per FAR 15.403-1(c)(3)(i), the Government is prohibited from requiring certified cost and pricing data for this requirement.

Title: Contracting Officer Signature:

12. Contracting Officer Certification: I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Title: Contracting Officer Signat