Google Earth Server Licenses and Support

Department of the Air Force 55th Contracting Squadron Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska Limited Sources Justification For Acquisition of Google Earth Server Licenses and Support I. Contracting Activity: Department of the Air Force, Air Combat Command, 55th Contracting Squadron, Offutt AFB, NE is the contracting organization responsible for the individual justification for other than full and open competition. The Contracting Officer is Mrs. Sheila M. Rollins, DSN 271-5142. II. Nature and/or Description of the Action Being Processed: This limited sources justification authorizes the use of other than full and open competition procedures for the Department of Defense (DoD). This requirement provides for acquisition of Google Earth server software licenses and related support to HQ Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA). The scope of this J&A is for an initial purchase of initial licenses, along with an agency effort to consolidate any contractor A&A/S purchases and maintenance costs for a discounted rate. The initial software license is expected to consist of the following Google Earth licenses (but not limited to): Google Earth Fusion Server, Google Earth Server (NIPRNet, SIPRNet, JWICS), Google Earth Data World, Google Earth Terrain Data World, Google Earth Development/Test Server, and Google Earth Server, user mobile. This J&A will allow for an agency effort to consolidate purchases at AFWA to negotiate a discounted rate for the United States Air Force. The ceiling for this limited sources justification is $3.5M. The scope for this J&A is limited to a one year period. III. Description of the Supplies/Services: The Contractor shall provide AFWA Google Earth server software licenses and related support for AFWA purposes, including 2-D/3D satellite, maps and terrain imagery. IV. Statutory Authority: Multiple Award Schedule Program: Title III of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (41 U.S.C. 251, et seq.) and Title 40 U.S.C. 501, Services for Executive Agencies; Limitation of Sources, FAR 8.405-6(b)(1), only one source is capable of responding due to the unique or specialized nature of the requirement (see Section V for detailed justification). V. Applicability of Authority: Google Earth software is needed to interoperate with / match Google Earth capabilities currently employed within Air Force Air and Space Operation Centers, Air Force Operations Group, and other operational environments. The provision of other disparate capability platforms would not allow AFWA's net-centric, service oriented architecture (SOA) developers to build to the operational users' current environment and would stifle standardization of user-consumable services extended to mission planning/command and control applications. Google Earth is the sole software suite that has the capability to operate on the Air Force NIPRNet. The government may not rely on the public internet for operational platforms. Neither the Microsoft Virtual Earth suite nor the NASA World Wind software have accreditation to operate on the Air Force NIPRNet, but rely on the public internet. A sources sought announcement was posted on www.fbo.gov for duration of ten days. Two responses were received, from ESRI and Onix Networking. ESRI recommended a full end to end Geographical Information System (GIS) solution based around its ArcGIS Server software. Onix proposed a Google Earth (GE) installation consisting of the software licenses listed in paragraph II. AFWA evaluated the ESRI recommendation and determined that the ArcGIS server software will not satisfy the government's requirements for mapping and terrain capabilities that are offered by Google Earth. AFWA already has access to a full ArcGIS Server solution through the use of the Commercial Joint Mapping Toolkit application (C/JMTK), and has no need for a redundant ArcGIS suite or full GIS solution to deliver more than 2D globe support. AFWA already has established service based data delivery and discovery methods through the ArcGIS suite and other application software already in house. The Onix proposal offers a Google Earth solution through its GSA Schedule contract, and would meet the government's requirements. VI. Efforts to Obtain Competition: A sources sought announcement was published on www.fbo.gov on 29 June 2009 and closed 10 July 2009. The announcement included the required capabilities of the software solution. VII. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost The Government compared ONIX Network price quote, ranging from $8,000 to $100,000,with Northrop Grumman SEMS II order that included a mixture of Google Earth licenses. Listed below is the comparison of NG SEMS II Order with Onix. The Government intends to request for the best discount in accordance with ACC Contracting Mandatory Procedures Subpart 5308 available from Onix's GSA Schedule. Placing an order through a GSA schedule contract provides the best value to the government. VIII. Other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition: Google provided initial information about its Google Earth server software capabilities, and offered standard GSA pricing. However, Google itself does not have a GSA Schedule Contract, but relies on other companies who sell its product lines. Google Earth products meet all the government's requirements, and are available via GSA schedule contracts. IX. Market Research: AFWA/CCX conducted market research on Google Earth, Microsoft Virtual Earth and NASA World Wind software products. AFWA's research consisted of interviews, demonstrations, and Q&A with various companies. Research on Microsoft Virtual Earth revealed a dependency on the public network, limited extensibility, and a fee structure that required user counting (not standard, difficult to cost). A Microsoft Live Meeting was conducted in April with Microsoft Virtual Earth; the consensus from this technical interchange meeting was that Microsoft's Virtual Earth application didn't meet AFWA's requirements because of its dependency on the public network, limited extensibility, and fee structure. NASA World Wind (government-owned product) is free, highly extensible and meets some AFWA requirements. However, NASA World Wind does not present a complete solution because of its dependency on public networks and servers, and therefore, does not meet AFWA requirements. Neither MS Virtual Earth nor NASA World Wind has client accreditation to operate on AF NIPRNet, and accreditation would not be provided for at least 6-12 months. However, this is a secondary impediment, and does not overcome the fact that neither MS Virtual Earth nor NASA World Wind meets AFWA requirements. The Google Earth solution includes a server that would negate the need to rely on publicly accessible servers, is a complete solution, and meets AFWA's requirement. Several other GSA Schedule contracts were researched and found unsatisfactory to meet the required needs of the Government, either because they did not provide all the necessary Google licenses, or because they offered different products with different capabilities. Six companies have GSA schedule contracts that provide Google products; however, only Onix Networking provided exactly the software licenses required. X. Listing of Sources that expressed, in writing, any interest in the acquisition: Google provided market research pricing in several formats, to include software products, installation, on-site support, on-site training, and additional training in the Reston, VA office. ESRI provided a proposal in response to the sources sought announcement. Onix Networking provided a proposal in response to the sources sought announcement. XI. Statement of Actions the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition: The government will continue to conduct market research into capabilities/products that would meet future requirements. Research includes attending meetings/conferences/ symposia that discuss future solutions or products. The government may also pursue accreditation of the NASA product through DISA. XII. Contracting Officer Certification: The contracting officer's signature on this Limited Sources Justification and Review Document coordination and approval cover page evidences that he/she has determined this document to be both accurate and complete to the best of his/her knowledge and belief. XIII. Technical Representative's Certification: The technical and/or requirements personnel signature on this Limited Sources Justification and Review Document coordination and approval cover page evidences that he/she has certified that the data contained herein, within his/her responsibility, is both accurate and complete to the best of his/her knowledge and belief.