70--Virtual VA (VVA) Disaster Recovery (DR) Software (SW) and 3YR Warranty - Hitachi

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL FOR AN EXCEPTION TO FAIR OPPORTUNITY 1. Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Acquisition and Logistics Center for Acquisition Innovation - Austin 1701 Directors Blvd., Suite 600 Austin, TX 78744 2. Description of Action: This proposed action is for a Firm-Fixed-Price Delivery Order (DO) issued under the General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) 70, for software licenses to support Virtual Veterans Affairs (VVA) application's Backend (Server) program functions for a Disaster Recovery (DR) solution. Additionally, maintenance support is required for the aforementioned software. There is a 3-year warranty period of performance for the maintenance support. 3. Description of Supplies or Services: The proposed action will provide software licensing subscriptions necessary to support the VVA application's DR strategy implemented within VA's data centers. The VVA application is a mission critical application, which is sponsored by Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Compensation and Pension Services and is maintained by Office of Information & Technology (OIT) Operations Region 5. A DR solution must be capable of modeling the production system exactly in the event of a catastrophic failure. The purpose of a DR solution is to have a geographically diverse backup system that can be brought on-line quickly to minimize production downtime during a system failure at the primary production sites. The concept of disaster recovery is critical to the VA's ability to execute continuity of operations plans during emergencies. VVA represents VBA's solution to implementing an electronic claims folder in support of the compensation and pension (C&P) claims process. VVA was rolled out as a pilot in 2003 as a solution to eliminating the heavy paper dependent processes VBA used to adjudicate C&P claims. VVA is now mission critical to VBA's business and claims processing which cannot continue if the application is unavailable. This proposed action will provide support for over 50+ Server Software components that are deployed and necessary to run VVA. Additionally, maintenance support is required to ensure the aforementioned software remains operational. The total estimated price of the proposed action is . The specific software and associated functions are as follows: Hitachi brand name software: Using unique hybrid recovery technology, Hitachi Dynamic Replicator software provides a single solution that supports heterogeneous servers and storage while preserving existing VVA infrastructure. Hitachi Dynamic Replicator Software is also required for site to site replication of DR data from Hitachi's Adaptable Modular Storage to Enterprise Storage Area Network - DR cannot function without data replication. The VVA DR replication is dependent on this enterprise storage solution. Hitachi AMS2300 Software is also required for in-site replication (snapshots) needed for configuration and maintenance on VA's Storage Area Network (SAN). Hitachi Dynamic Link Manager software is also required and will allow VA to properly multi-path the solution to provide proper failover and continue operations on alternate channels of the host bus adapter used for DR and boot from SAN. The DR solution is designed to leverage existing VA deployed enterprise technology solutions that have been previously competed. The Hitachi Storage Solution Software is a foundationally critical part of the storage solution for VVA that the Corporate Data Center Operations (CDCO) has created. The Hitachi brand name software for this procurement leverages the Enterprise Hitachi Storage solution that was competed, selected and deployed by CDCO in the 2009/2010 timeframe. The VVA solution will interface with the Hitachi storage to store critical veteran electronic folder information. The software being procured with this investment is necessary to provide the interface with the CDCO storage solution. This software is proprietary to Hitachi and supports the management and replication of data stored on Hitachi hardware. 4. Statutory Authority: The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 41 U.S.C. 253(j)(b) as implemented by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 16.505(b)(2)(ii)(B), "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." 5. Reason for Authority Cited: Based on extensive market research, as described in paragraph 8 of this document, it was determined that limited competition is available for this brand name item and service. VA must ensure the software is completely compatible with the software that exists at other VVA locations. VVA depends on the deployed software, which supports the interoperability and compatibility of devices to operate and perform its mission. As stated previously, the DR solution must exactly match the production model so as to minimize production outages during emergency situations when DR actions are executed. The software licensing subscriptions being procured under this action will enable the construction of the necessary interfaces between the original VVA production sites and the DR sites located at CDCO. The interfaces will enable the exchange of data to ensure that the DR system maintains a separate and distinct copy of the VVA production data that can be used to continue operations in the event of a catastrophe. The Hitachi Software products are proprietary, they are the only products capable of providing for this interoperability between the DR locations and the primary production sites. The software identified in Paragraph 3 above ensures interoperability and compatibility with the existing VVA Application system and code currently implemented across the country, with its major sites located at the three Regional Offices in Philadelphia, PA, Milwaukee, WI, and St. Paul, MN, as well as the data center in Hines, IL. Use of software, other than the brand name items identified would adversely impact VVA's ability to continue supporting C&P's business operations. Only the identified software can meet all of the Government's interoperability and compatibility requirements for DR. 6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: Market research was conducted, details of which are in the market research section of this document. Limited competition is anticipated for the required brand name items and maintenance. Furthermore, in accordance with FAR 5.3 the contract award will be synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) Page. In addition, this Justification and Approval (J&A) will be made publicly available on the FBO page. 7. Actions to Increase Competition: Although the Government is limiting competition as a result of specifying a brand name item, there are authorized resellers of these products on the GSA FSS. Limited competition for this requirement among these vendors is anticipated. Accordingly, this J&A and the Request for Quotations will be submitted to all 999 vendors in order to fully notify all interested parties and obtain price competition. Any quotations received will be evaluated. Furthermore, in order to remove or overcome barriers to competition in future acquisitions for this requirement, the agency will work with the program office to perform additional market research in a timely manner so that other solutions can be considered. 8. Market Research: Market research was conducted by VA through the issuance of a Request for Information (RFI) on the NASA SEWP IV GWAC. Four contract holders responded to the RFI, showing their ability to provide the required software, maintenance and licenses. Additional market research was conducted utilizing a non-SEWP vendor to identify the availability and clarification of the product list. Based on this market research, limited competition is expected for this proposed action. The Hitachi component of this procurement leverages the Enterprise Hitachi Storage solution that was competed, selected and deployed by CDCO in the 2009/2010 timeframe. The VVA system will interface with the Hitachi storage to store critical veteran electronic folder information. The software being procured with this investment is necessary to provide the interface with the CDCO storage solution. The Hitachi software is proprietary and supports the management and replication of data stored on Hitachi hardware. 9. Other Facts: These software licenses and maintenance services were previously purchased and have since expired. This procurement is for new updated software licenses and maintenance services.