In accordance with FAR 11.105 (a) (3), the following brand name justification is hereby provided for public disemination. 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. JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION 41 U.S.C. 253(c) (1) Pursuant to the requirements of the Competition in Contracting Act (CICA), as implemented by FAR Subpart 6.3, and in accordance with the requirements of FAR 6.303-1, the justification for the use of the statutory authority under FAR Subpart 6.3 is justified by the following facts and rationale required under FAR 6.303-2 as follows: 1. AGENCY AND CONTRACTING ACTIVITY The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), Office of Budget and Financial Management (OBFM), proposes to enter into a contract on the basis other than full and open competition for a brand name purchase. 2. NATURE AND/OR DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION BEING APPROVED FHFA has a requirement to procure brand name Cisco network and telecommunication hardware, software, and services to expand and refresh components within FHFA's enterprise network infrastructure. 3. DESCRIPTION OF EQUIPMENT FHFA will purchase network and telecommunication products that will include: 15 each Cisco Catalyst 4500 E-Series Switches w/ interface modules 12 each Cisco VG204 Analog Voice Gateways 1 each Cisco Wireless Service Module 70 each Cisco Aironet 1142 Access Points 2 each Cisco Cat6500 Virtual Switching Supervisor Engine 2 each Cisco Cat6500 16port 10Gbe Fiber Module 2 each Cisco Cat6500 48port Interface Module The resultant order will also include all required modules, operating systems and service to support the above products. 4. IDENTIFICATION OF STATUTORY AUTHORITY PERMITTING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1) implemented by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 6.302-1 entitled "Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements." 5. DEMONSTRATION THAT THE NATURE OF THE ACQUISITION REQUIRES THE USE OF THE AUTHORITY CITED The following key points are some of the considerations in justifying the acquisition of Cisco solutions: - FHFA's current network infrastructure is based on Cisco products. Because of the concerns that incompatible equipment might introduce significant risks into the FHFA production environment, FHFA would need to acquire additional equipment to duplicate our existing production environment before proceeding with interoperability testing. In addition to the substantial cost of acquiring this equipment, this testing would require significant effort from FHFA network engineers and would result in the delay of multiple critical initiatives. - All of the FHFA network staff is experienced Cisco network engineers. FHFA has a significant investment in staff training and certifications, resulting in experience installing, operating, administering, and maintaining Cisco equipment. Introduction of non-Cisco brand networking components would require significant retraining and recertification. In addition to the cost of this effort, the need to retrain staff would negatively affect key initiatives, most directly being our ability to move to a new consolidated datacenter. - In addition, introduction of non-FHFA standard networking components (other than Cisco equipment) would conflict with the FHFA Enterprise Architecture. Likewise, deviation from the use of FHFA established networking technology would cause the need for recertification of the FHFA General Support System (GSS). Recertification would result in added costs and would negatively impact the agencies data center consolidation initiative. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) Government-Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) provides a broad base of vendors that can compete for award of the required Cisco network and telecommunication hardware, software, and services. 6. DESCRIPTION OF EFFORTS MADE TO ENSURE THAT OFFERS ARE SOLICITED FROM AS MANY POTENTIAL SOURCES AS IS PRACTICAL A solicitation will be sent to thirty-eight (38) vendors under the NASA SEWP Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. This contract vehicle has already been synopsized in accordance with FAR 5.201. 7. DETERMINATION BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER THAT THE ANTICIPATED COST TO THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE FAIR AND REASONABLE The Contracting Officer determines that the anticipated price will be fair and reasonable by obtaining competition among the NASA SEWP vendors. 8. DESCRIPTION OF MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED The Office of Technology and Information Management (OTIM) performed web-based market research to determine if there were non-Cisco alternatives. FHFA believes that award to any other brand would result in substantial duplication of cost that is not expected to be recovered through competition and would result in unacceptable delays in fulfilling agency objectives. As a result, while comparable products may exist, FHFA market research focused on available sources to fulfill our requirements. The market research concluded that the requirements could be fulfilled by soliciting from the NASA SEWP IDIQ contract. These vendors appear to be capable of providing Cisco network and telecommunication products including all required modules, operating systems and service to support the products. 9. ANY OTHER FACTS SUPPORTING THE USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION To maintain network infrastructure continuity at FHFA, Cisco equipment is required; adding network equipment from different manufactures will introduce additional operational and maintenance requirements for the staff supporting the equipment as well as increased manufacturer cross compatibility risks. Introduction of another vendor's product would also require a second network management platform to properly monitor the different manufacturer's equipment. 10. A LISTING OF SOURCES, IF ANY, THAT HAVE EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN THIS ACQUISITION Thirty-eight vendors under the NASA SEWP IDIQ contract will be given the opportunity to submit a quote. 11. A STATEMENT OF ACTIONS, IF ANY, THE AGENCY MAY TAKE TO EITHER REMOVE OR OVERCOME ANY BARRIERS TO COMPETITION If FHFA has a need to execute a complete network infrastructure rebuild, the Agency will conduct an extensive market research effort in attempts to identify additional manufacturers with products compatible with FHFA's enterprise network infrastructure. 12. CONTRACTING OFFICER'S CERTIFICATION I certify that the data supporting the recommended use of other than full and open competition is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. //s// ___________________________ ___________ Carmen G. Rios Date Contracting Officer 13. TECHNICAL/REQUIREMENTS PERSONNEL CERTIFICATION: I certify this requirement meets the Government's minimum need and that the supporting data, which forms a basis for this justification, is complete and accurate. ___________________________ ___________ Redacted Date Technical Representative 14. LEGAL REVIEW: This justification is: (x) Legally Sufficient ( ) Not Legally Sufficient ___________________________ ___________ Redacted Date Office of General Counsel 15. APPROVAL: ___________________________ ___________ Redacted Date Competition Advocate
