Sentillion Vault ReplacementJUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION Application For Brand Name Descriptions (FAR 6.302-1(c)) 1. Identification of the Agency and the Contracting Activity: Requesting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs VA Central Office 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20420 Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs IT Acquisition Center (200/00D3) 1615 Woodward Street Austin, TX 78772 2. Nature and/or description of the action: The purpose of this task is to replace the existing Sentillion Vergence Vault hardware with the current state-of-the-art hardware platform. This acquisition action is planned as a sole source delivery order under the SEWP IV contracts. New Vault hardware is required to operate version 4.2 of the Sentillion Vergence software on the Clinical Context Object Workgroup (CCOW) Vaults and work-stations. Clinical Context Object Workgroup is an HL7 standard protocol designed to enable disparate applications to synchronize in real-time, and at the user-interface level. The existing Vault hardware does not interface version 4.2 of the Sentillion Vergence software which is designed to upgrade functionality under the enterprise Sentillion software maintenance support task order V200P-1982. By upgrading the Vault hardware in order to operate Sentillion software version 4.2, the VA can expect improved performance due to faster equipment and improved reliability and functionality of the upgraded software. Benefits of moving to Sentillion Vergence software version 4.2 include the following: " Support for Citrix roaming sessions " Support for Client to Vault connectivity across a VPN " Updated operating system to Redhat Enterprise version 4 " Added support for Windows Terminal Server (WTS) " Added support for multiple administrative accounts " Added support for AES encryption " Changed desktop components to run as a service " Increased system performance to support up to 2,500 concurrent CCOW sessions per Vault " Improved availability and disaster recovery capabilities " Improved laptop support for disconnected states and power save modes " Improved wireless support for intermittent connectivity " Enhanced Citrix support " Support for Active Directory password self-reset " Support for Dell 1950 hardware 3. Description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency's needs (including the estimated value): This procurement will allow the VA to purchase and deliver 237 upgraded Vaults to 32 locations. Once installed and tested by the VA the Sentillion software will be upgraded from version 3.7 to version 4.2. The estimated value of this equipment procurement is $1,787,500. The Sentillion product is utilized in a wide variety of VA applications to provide CCOW functionality. Developers have previously received training and assistance in incorporating the Sentillion product into their applications. Many VA and several COTS applications are currently in production nationally using this functionality: VistA Kernel and RPC Broker, CPRS (Computerized Patient Record System), BCMA (Bar Code Medication Administration), CCR (Clinical Case Registry), HealtheVet Desktop (aka Care Management), Imaging, VIC (Veterans Id Card), iMed Consent (COTS product), Brit Lite (COTS product). 4. An Identification of the Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open Competition: This acquisition is conducted under the authority of FAR 11.105, Items Peculiar to One Manufacturer and 6.302-1(c), Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. This acquisition uses a brand name description peculiar to one manufacturer and does not provide for full and open competition. 5. A Demonstration that the Proposed Contractor's Unique Qualifications or the Nature of the Acquisition Requires Use of the Authority Cited: The use of Sentillion Vergence software for CCOW functionality is already several years in progress, and is currently involved in development of additional VistA and COTS products. The Sentillion Vergence software is designed to run on specific hardware, i.e., Sentillion Vault hardware. It is a violation of Sentillion's Vergence licensing and support agreement to run the software on any other hardware. The VA currently has a task order V200P-1982 for the enterprise Sentillion software maintenance support and hardware maintenance support with option years that provides contract coverage through FY 2010. It benefits the VA to upgrade the brand name Vault hardware in order to capture all the state of the art functionality under Sentillion software version 4.2 already paid for under V200P-1982 as part of software upgrades. As an alternative, a different solution could be purchased if available; however, a different solution is not available. A recent Request for Information (RFI) from the SEWP contract yielded only the Sentillion solution for CCOW functionality. If another product could be found, the new product would require the retraining of developers, create a significant delay of products currently in process, as well as delay current timelines of additional features to current CCOW applications. Additionally, a bridging mechanism would be needed to allow two CCOW mechanisms to work concurrently - until all applications have been converted to the new product. That mechanism would be very complex to develop and may incur additional delays in the timelines. The cost for new software and hardware could be as high as $9,771,132.00 with maintenance approximately $1.5 million per year. This cost is based on the current cost estimates for Sentillion software and hardware obtained through a recent SEWP RFI. If a new product was found that could replace the Sentillion product, multiple VA GUI applications, such as VA Kernel, Imaging, CPRS, HealtheVet Desktop (aka Care Management), Clinical Case Registry, Vista Web, Veterans ID Card and COTS products such as iMed Consent (and others in process) would have to be rewritten to use the new product. The minimum cost to initiate the rewriting of the existing applications is estimated at $333,632.00. The total cost for a new product (if one could be found) could be as high as a total cost of $10,104,764.00 for the base year, plus $1.5 million per year for maintenance for every year thereafter. As stated above, as a result of the recent SEWP RFI, the Sentillion products were the only technical solutions offered that can meet the government's needs 6. A Description of Efforts Made to Ensure that Offers are Solicited from as Many Potential Sources as is Practicable, Including Whether a Notice was or will be Publicized: This acquisition will be solicited under the National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) Solution Enterprise Wide Procurement (SEWP) IV Government Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC), to all SEWP contract holders. The justification for other than full and open competition will be posted the Government Point of Entry, Federal Business Opportunities (FBO). 7. A determination by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable: Pricing shall be determined fair and reasonable based on competitive quotes, as prescribed in FAR 16.505 (b)(1)(iv). Market research has indicated that there are multiple distributors of the required products. The acquisition will result in a delivery order against a previously competed contract (NASA SEWP IV) which was determined fair and reasonable. 8. A Description of the Market Research Conducted: A Request for Information (RFI) was posted for review by NASA SEWP IV contract holders containing the following language: "VA seeks market research information on vendors who can provide an enterprise license for an ANSI HL7 Clinical Context Object Workgroup (CCOW) solution. CCOW is a standard methodology by which clinical context can be managed between different GUI applications running on the same desktop environment. The CCOW solution must adhere to the HL7 standards. This solution will allow users to access only the information and systems to which they are authorized." Only the Sentillion solution was offered as a result of this RFI. 9. Other Facts: The total estimated cost to pursue competitive offers for the overall solution at this time would consist of the following: Context Management Software - VHA Enterprise License for Clinical Users: $ 4,000,000.00 User Link Software - VHA Enterprise License for Clinical Users: $ 3,000,000.00 Hardware - 237 Vergence Vaults: $ 1,787,500.00 Standard Implementation: $ 594,000.00 Application Immersions: $ 56,000.00 Re-write of existing applications: $ 333,632.00 Grand Total: $9,771,132.00 10. A Listing of the Sources, if any, that Expressed, in Writing, an Interest in the Acquisition: MPC-G, a NASA SEWP contractor and small business, currently holds the contract for the software maintenance and has expressed interest in continuing the effort. 11. A Statement of the Actions, if any, the Agency may Take to Remove or Overcome any Barriers to Competition Before any Subsequent Acquisition for the Supplies or Services Required: The VA Office of Information Technology has already begun to monitor the market for availability of alternative products that are suitable with VA's infrastructure and offer improved technology. This alternative would allow for obtaining new software and supporting hardware in a competitive environment with the goal of achieving an overall best value to the Government. 12. For Additional Information, Contact: Brian Steensland
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