DOCUMENT
D -- EMC Storage Augmentation - Attachment
- Notice Date
- 8/7/2015
- 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
- VA11815Q0283
- Archive Date
- 11/12/2015
- Point of Contact
- Amy Schmalzigan
- E-Mail Address
-
hmalzigan@va.gov<br
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Award Number
- NNG15SD27B VA118-15-F-0254
- Award Date
- 8/5/2015
- Awardee
- V3GATE, LLC;6060 HOLLOW TREE COURT;COLORADO SPRINGS;CO;80918
- Award Amount
- $620,957.04
- Description
- On August 5, 2015, the Technology Acquisition Center awarded Delivery Order VA118-15-F-0254 under the terms and conditions of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) V contract NNG15SD27B with V3 Gate, 6060 Hollow Tree Court, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80918. V3 Gate will be providing EMC hardware, software, maintenance, and installation services. Period of Performance shall be co-termed through February 20, 2016, plus two 12 month options if exercised, the total order value of $697,419.24. 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 to acquire brand name EMC Model VNX5500 storage devices hardware components, maintenance, and installation services under a firm-fixed-price delivery order issued under the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) V Government-wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC). 3. Description of Supplies or Services: VA Office of Information and Technology (OI&T), Service Delivery and Engineering, Field Operations Region 5 has a requirement to expand the capabilities of two existing EMC Model VNX5500 storage devices at VA Data Centers located at Hines, Illinois and Austin, Texas. The additional EMC storage devices will accommodate network load balance capacity requirements for the Continuity of Operations Plan and backup of data and files for disaster recovery purposed in support of 10,000 telework users within the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) supported by Region 5. The data stored on these devices is de-duplicated and then replicated between the two VNX5500 systems. The proposed expansion devices add disk array enclosures, each populated with Near-Line Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) or Serial Attached SCSI hard drives, provides associated software licensing and maintenance support for additional storage device capacity per terabyte, and provides parts retention of failed components such as hard drives and memory. Storage devices shall be delivered within 30 days of contract award. Installation shall be completed within14 calendar days of delivery of storage devices. The base period of performance will be from date of award through February 20, 2016, plus two 12-month options for continued maintenance. 4. Statutory Authority: The statutory authority permitting this exception to fair opportunity is 41 U.S.C. 4106(c)(2) as implemented by the 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 extensive market research, as described in section 8 of this document, it was determined that in accordance with FAR 11.105, Items Peculiar to One Manufacturer, limited competition is available through authorized resellers for the aforementioned brand name EMC storage devices, maintenance, and installation. Only EMC brand name hardware components and the associated firmware, which is proprietary to EMC, has the necessary source code to be compatible and interoperable to integrate with the current EMC storage solution supporting VBA users. Each EMC VNX5500 hard disk drive controller card currently owned by VA, has EMC proprietary firmware loaded on it which is required for the hardware to be operational. This proprietary firmware only allows the use of EMC brand name drives in the enclosures. No other brand name storage device hard drives will be recognized by or interoperable with the EMC controller card. Similarly, VA's current Link Controller Card which manages the existing hardware has proprietary firmware and controls that will only work with EMC devices. Other brands are not compatible or interoperable with this Link Controller Card. Additionally, enabler/driver software is required in order for the EMC storage device to recognize and transfer data across the disk array enclosures installed in the existing EMC VNX storage devices. This is proprietary software to EMC, and without the software the drive enclosures will be non-functional. The EMC storage devices must be procured to augment the existing storage devices to ensure a functioning storage system. Procuring two distinct brands of hardware and associated software would result in components that could not interoperate as the proprietary code in each storage device would not allow for connectivity. VA OI&T Region 5 virtualization systems and infrastructure utilizing EMC storage devices are currently in place. Other brand name hardware components and firmware will not support integration into VA's existing EMC storage platforms and architecture. Finally, maintenance services for software integrated in the required storage devices must be acquired for patches and updates. Since the software is proprietary to EMC, only EMC or an authorized reseller can provide the requisite updates. No other vendor can provide these maintenance services due to the proprietary nature of the code. 6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: Market research was conducted, details of which are in the section 8 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 EMC storage devices, maintenance, and installation. In accordance with FAR 5.301 and 16.505(b)(2)(ii)(D), this action will be synopsized within 14 days of award on the Federal Business Opportunities Page and this Justification will be made publicly available. In accordance with FAR 16.505(a)(4)(iii)(A), the justification will be posted with the request for quote on the NASA SEWP V GWAC website with the solicitation to notify all interested parties. 7. Actions to Increase Competition: The Government will continue to conduct market research to ascertain if there are changes in the marketplace that would enable future actions to be competed. 8. Market Research: During May 2015, the Government's technical experts reviewed other disk drive storage expansion products from Hewlett Packard and Dell with similar capabilities to the aforementioned EMC hardware via research on the internet. Based on this market research, it was determined that other brand name hardware components and the supporting firmware, software and maintenance support could not meet VA requirements due to the EMC proprietary source code that runs on the EMC storage devices, which includes continued patches and updates. Specifically, other hardware would not interoperate and be compatible with existing VA-owned EMC VNX5500 storage devices. Additionally, the technical experts concluded that other software maintenance services would not be interoperable with the existing storage platform, as it is proprietary to EMC storage devices. Based on this market research, the Government's technical experts have determined that only EMC brand name storage devices, maintenance, and installation can meet all of the Government's requirements. Additional market research was conducted by the Contract Specialist during May 2015 by issuing a Request for Information on the NASA SEWP V GWAC to identify sources capable of meeting the requirements. Four responses were received from EMC resellers that demonstrated an ability to meet VA's needs. Therefore limited competition is anticipated.. 9. Other Facts: None.
- Web Link
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FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/notices/e00c44ea9b7416deed36cd47356e0369)
- Document(s)
- Attachment
- File Name: NNG15SD27B VA118-15-F-0254 NNG15SD27B VA118-15-F-0254_1.docx (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=2232809&FileName=NNG15SD27B-000.docx)
- Link: https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=2232809&FileName=NNG15SD27B-000.docx
- Note: If links are broken, refer to Point of Contact above or contact the FBO Help Desk at 877-472-3779.
- File Name: NNG15SD27B VA118-15-F-0254 NNG15SD27B VA118-15-F-0254_1.docx (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=2232809&FileName=NNG15SD27B-000.docx)
- Record
- SN03829871-W 20150809/150807235824-e00c44ea9b7416deed36cd47356e0369 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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