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FBO DAILY - FEDBIZOPPS ISSUE OF AUGUST 21, 2016 FBO #5385
DOCUMENT

D -- Aternity Software Maintenance - Attachment

Notice Date

8/19/2016
 

Notice Type

Attachment
 

NAICS

541519 — Other Computer Related Services
 

Contracting Office

Department of Veterans Affairs;Technology Acquisition Center;23 Christopher Way;Eatontown NJ 07724
 

ZIP Code

07724
 

Solicitation Number

VA11816Q1261
 

Archive Date

11/25/2016
 

Point of Contact

Amy Schmalzigan
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Award Number

NNG15SD26B VA118-16-F-1314
 

Award Date

8/18/2016
 

Awardee

THUNDERCAT TECHNOLOGY, LLC;1925 ISAAC NEWTON SQ STE 180;RESTON;VA;20190
 

Award Amount

$329,711.00
 

Description

On August 18, 2016, the Technology Acquisition Center awarded Delivery Order VA118-16-F-1314 under the terms and conditions of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) V contract NNG15SD26B with ThunderCat Technology (ThunderCat), located at 1925 Isaac Newton Square Suite 180, Reston, VA 20190. ThunderCat will be providing Aterntiy Software maintenance. The period of performance is September 1, 2016 through August 31, 2017, plus one 12-month option for continued maintenance support, the total order value of $659,422.00. ? JUSTIFICATION FOR AN EXCEPTION TO FAIR OPPORTUNITY 1. Contracting Activity:Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Acquisition Operations Technology Acquisition Center 23 Christopher Way Eatontown, NJ 07724 2. Description of Action: This proposed action is for a firm-fixed-price delivery order issued under the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) V Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) for brand name Aternity Frontline Performance Intelligence (FPI) Platform software maintenance. 3. Description of the Supplies or Services: VA, Office of Information and Technology, Service Delivery and Engineering, Enterprise Operations (EO), requires the renewal of brand name Aternity FPI Platform software maintenance for 10,000 software licenses that are currently fielded at Austin Information Technology Center. The current EO infrastructure includes existing Aternity FPI Platform perpetual software licenses and VA requires continued support compatible with the existing infrastructure protocols and functionality. Aternity FPI Platform software provides a desktop agent approach to Real End User Experience management. This is achieved by uniquely monitoring, aggregating, analyzing, and correlating all metrics associated with Application, Desktop, and User Performance in analyzing end user usage behavior that constantly interact to both define and impact the end user experience. Software maintenance services are required to ensure that the software remains operational by providing software updates and patches. The contractor shall provide software maintenance support which shall include 24 hour per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year assistance via phone and email, as well as all software updates and patches. The period of performance is September 1, 2016 through August 31, 2017, plus one 12-month option period, if exercised. 4. Statutory Authority: The statutory authority permitting this exception to fair opportunity is 41 U.S.C. 4106(c)(2) as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 16.505(b)(2)(i)(B), entitled "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. Rationale Supporting Use of Authority Cited Above: Based on market research, as described in section eight of this justification, it was determined that limited competition is available for the required brand name Aternity FPI Platform software maintenance among authorized Aternity resellers. In order to prevent operational degradation resulting from EO inability to have complete visibility of end user behavior and application and system performance, VA requires software updates and patches for its existing Aternity FPI software. Only Aternity FPI, through an authorized reseller, can provide the necessary software updates and patches because of the propriety source code required to develop and implement software updates. Since the software is proprietary, a legal restriction is placed on access to the software code that is required in order to develop updates and patches to the software. Without this access it is impossible to modify the software code as necessary to provide the required patches and updates. Additionally, for this reason no other source other than an Aternity authorized reseller can provide the required software maintenance for the FPI products, such assistance via phone and email, as well as all software updates and patches. 6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: Market research was conducted, details of which are in section eight of this justification. This effort did not yield any additional sources that can meet the Government's requirements. It was determined that limited competition is viable among authorized resellers for the required brand name Aternity FPI software maintenance. In accordance with FAR 5.301 and 16.505(b)(2)(ii)(D), notice of award of this action will be synopsized and this justification will be made publicly available within 14 days of award on the Federal Business Opportunities Page. In accordance with FAR 16.505(a)(4)(iii)(A), this justification will be posted with the request for quotation on the NASA SEWP V GWAC website to notify all interested parties. 7. Actions to Increase Competition: In order to remove or overcome barriers to competition in future acquisitions for this requirement, the agency will work with the program office to continue to perform market research to consider and ascertain if any other sources can provide these services in the future. Specifically the Government will continue to investigate alternatives to Aternity FPI Platform software maintenance that may be compatible with the current infrastructure, or whether Aternity permits third parties to access its proprietary software to provide maintenance and support. VA technical experts will conduct this market research throughout the year. 8. Market Research: In May 2016, the Government's technical experts reviewed similar software products to include their ability to provide software maintenance to ascertain if they could meet VA's requirements. The Government's technical experts utilized numerous publications, to include Forrester Research and Gartner Research, and conducted web-based research on technical monitoring websites and forums related to desktop and user side monitoring to identify potential software solutions. This market research has identified only two products in the desktop monitoring space, Aternity and KNOA, both of which were reviewed. Of these two products, only the Aternity, through an authorized reseller, is capable of providing the required support and software updates and patches for the existing FPI software. While KNOA provides software maintenance for its own proprietary product, for the reasons previously stated KNOA is incapable of providing updates, patches, and support on the proprietary Aternity FPI software. Additional market research was conducted in May 2016 by utilizing the NASA SEWP Provider Lookup tool to determine whether the brand name Aternity FPI Platform software maintenance is available from NASA SEWP V GWAC holders. It was determined that there are several resellers of the brand name Aternity FPI Platform software maintenance that hold current GWACs such that limited competition is anticipated. 9. Other Facts: None.
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/notices/146447edb000f24bb993c17a07b3383f)
 

Document(s)

Attachment
 

File Name: NNG15SD26B VA118-16-F-1314 NNG15SD26B VA118-16-F-1314_1.docx (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=2953740&FileName=NNG15SD26B-042.docx)

Link: https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=2953740&FileName=NNG15SD26B-042.docx

 

Note: If links are broken, refer to Point of Contact above or contact the FBO Help Desk at 877-472-3779.
 

Record

SN04233471-W 20160821/160820000006-146447edb000f24bb993c17a07b3383f (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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