Brand Name Justification - New Dell Server Equipment

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION (Brand Name Justification) In accordance with FAR 11.105 (a) (3), the following brand name justification is hereby provided for public dissemination. NOTE: This requirement will be competed under the NASA Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) Government-Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC), Groups A, B, C, and D. All prime vendors under Groups A, B, C, and D of the NASA SEWP contract will be given a fair opportunity to compete. The NASA SEWP RFQ Number is 120286. 1. DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES AND SUPPLIES: The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), Office of Technology and Information Management (OTIM) has a requirement for the purchase of new server equipment specifically manufactured by Dell. 2. STATUTORY AUTHORITY: FAR 6.302-1 (c) Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, Application for brand name descriptions. 3. RATIONALE SUPPORTING USE OF AUTHORITY CITED ABOVE: This requirement is for specific brand name equipment. Although this requirement is brand specific to Dell, multiple distributors are available to quote on a competitive basis under the NASA SEWP multiple award contract vehicle. Brand Name Justification: If different brand names are procured, beyond those specified within this justification, FHFA will sustain duplication of cost to the Government, because such duplication within the network environment must be supported and additional personnel staffed to support that environment. Further, a change in brand name requires establishing new IT standards, images, and standard operating procedures which would result in unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency's requirements. FHFA currently uses Dell manufactured servers with a minimum 5 year gold support contract. Consequently, Dell manufactured equipment; specific to those servers is required. OTIM has a limited number of system engineers support staff. The current server support staff is trained and has significant experience with the Dell product line. Also, in order to minimize service interruptions to FHFA, support staff can swap computers, components and parts without compatibility and functionality issues, because FHFA is currently standardized on the Dell brand. As with using anything other than Dell equipment, the introduction of a vendor's equipment other than Dell would be counterproductive due to the likelihood that it would not be compatible with the current system tools used and would require support staff to be cross-trained and have to acquire an equivalent amount of knowledge and experience. Contracting Office Address: Federal Housing Finance Agency; 1700 G Street NW; Washington DC 20552 Place of Performance: Federal Housing Finance Agency; 1700 G Street NW; Washington DC 20552 Point of Contact(s): Carmen G. Rios