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FBO DAILY ISSUE OF SEPTEMBER 29, 2012 FBO #3962
DOCUMENT

N -- Enterprise Storage Requirements for Regional Storage Needs (non NS-120) - Justification and Approval (J&A)

Notice Date

9/27/2012
 

Notice Type

Justification and Approval (J&A)
 

NAICS

541519 — Other Computer Related Services
 

Contracting Office

Department of Veterans Affairs;Office of Acquisition Operations;Technology Acquisition Center - Austin;1701 Directors Blvd, Suite 600;Austin TX 78744
 

ZIP Code

78744
 

Solicitation Number

VA118112Q0239
 

Archive Date

10/7/2012
 

Point of Contact

Chaz Gordon
 

E-Mail Address

1-4421<br
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Award Number

NNG07DA43B VA118A-12-F-0247
 

Award Date

9/27/2012
 

Description

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL FOR AN EXCEPTION TO FAIR OPPORTUNITY 1.Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Acquisition and Logistics Technology Acquisition Center 1701 Directors Blvd, Suite 600 Austin, TX 78744 2.Description of the 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) IV Government-Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) for NetApp brand name enterprise storage equipment in order to upgrade and expand the existing environment at five VA sites. 3.Description of Supplies or Services: VA requires NetApp brand name enterprise storage equipment, specifically, replacement of four NetApp storage systems and related components, as well as five disk shelf upgrades to existing NetApp systems. VA procured NetApp regional file servers as a storage system in 2008. Currently four existing NetApp storage controllers at Milwaukee and Minneapolis VA Medical Centers are at end of life and must be replaced. In addition, Milwaukee, San Antonio, Houston, Omaha, and Iowa City VA Medical Centers require a capacity expansion upgrade of the existing NetApp storage systems. In addition, VA requires one-year warranty of all equipment and components. 4.Statutory Authority: The statutory authority permitting an exception to fair opportunity is 41 U.S.C. 4106(c), as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 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 paragraph 8 of this document, it was determined that limited competition is available among authorized resellers for the brand name equipment, software, and components. This is a brand name justification in support of FAR 11.105, Items Peculiar to One Manufacturer. VA Region 2 currently uses NetApp storage systems. VA requires replacement of four existing storage systems, as well as five disk shelf upgrades within the NetApp storage environment. Only NetApp equipment is fully interoperable and compatible with the current Region 2 NetApp storage system environment. No other manufactured product meets the interoperability and compatibility requirements of the existing NetApp storage system. Specifically, the existing NetApp storage system will only recognize new NetApp equipment and components when installation occurs and will add storage capacity instantly. If VA installed a different manufactured storage equipment or component, the existing system would not recognize the additional storage capacity. 6.Efforts to Obtain Competition: Market research was conducted, details of which are in the market research section of this document. Although the Government is limiting competition as a result of specifying unique or highly specialized equipment, there are multiple authorized resellers of the equipment on the NASA SEWP IV GWAC. Additionally, this justification will be submitted to all four NASA SEWP IV GWAC groups prior to release of the Request for Quote in order to fully notify all interested parties. Furthermore, in accordance with FAR 5.301 and FAR 16.505(b)(2), this action will be synopsized at award on the Federal Business Opportunity Page (FBO) and the justification will be made publically available within 14 days after award. 7.Actions to Increase Competition: While the existing storage environment uses NetApp equipment, VA will require additional NetApp brand name equipment and components. In order to remove or overcome barriers to competition in future acquisitions, the Government's technical experts will perform additional market research to ascertain the ability of other potential solutions. 8.Market Research: Market research was conducted through internet searches which identified Hewlett Packard, EMC, IBM, Dell, Pillar Data Systems, and Nimble Storage as storage device manufacturers. The Government's technical experts contacted these manufacturers in August 2012 to determine if any devices could be used within the VA NetApp storage environment. Each manufacturer, including NetApp, confirmed that all equipment and components within an enterprise storage solution, similar to VA's, must be of the same manufacturer in order to ensure interoperability and compatibility. In addition, none of the manufacturers could provide a warranty for a system that contained equipment or components manufactured by another company 9.Other Facts: None.
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/notices/2209544e0e4c52a452a5c18bae0293bb)
 

Document(s)

Justification and Approval (J&A)
 

File Name: NNG07DA43B VA118A-12-F-0247 NNG07DA43B VA118A-12-F-0247.docx (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=488420&FileName=NNG07DA43B-020.docx)

Link: https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=488420&FileName=NNG07DA43B-020.docx

 

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

Record

SN02901030-W 20120929/120927235453-2209544e0e4c52a452a5c18bae0293bb (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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