DOCUMENT
70 -- Vocera Communication - Attachment
- Notice Date
- 9/21/2017
- 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
- VA11817Q2333
- Archive Date
- 11/19/2017
- Point of Contact
- William Freer
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Award Number
- NNG15SD19B VA118-17-F-2393
- Award Date
- 9/20/2017
- Awardee
- ALVAREZ & ASSOCIATES, LLC;8601 GEORGIA AVE STE 510;SILVER SPRING;MD;209103476
- Award Amount
- $1,381,392.60
- Description
- Vocera Wireless Communication System Control Number: TAC-17-44348 2 Vocera Wireless Communication System Control Number: TAC-17-44348 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, New Jersey 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 the procurement of brand name Vocera hardware, software licenses, installation, training and maintenance. 3. Description of the Supplies or Services: Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center (LSCVAMC) requires installation of a brand name Vocera Wireless Communications system to improve clinical workflow and patient safety. This installation shall include Vocera hardware, specifically, 500 wireless badges, 750 software licenses, new installation, administrator training, and maintenance support. The Vocera system includes Vocera Voice and Vocera Integration for up to 750 users in the following five Louis Stokes VAMC nursing units/departments: (1) Operating Room (OR) Nursing; (2) Environment Management Services (EMS); (3) Sterile Processing Service (SPS); (4) Spinal Cord Inpatient (SCI) Long Term Care (LTC); and (5) Anesthesia. As part of the installation services, the Contractor shall integrate the Vocera System with the existing Extensions Healthcare Engage Smart Alarm Management System and Hill-Rom system for the purpose of alarm and event notification delivery to the Vocera communication devices. The Contractor shall test and verify that the installed Vocera system delivers alarm and event notifications from the Hill-Rom system and that workflows/call flows reach the nursing staff member(s) in accordance with the existing VAMC call flows/workflows hierarchy in the five nursing units. Maintenance support shall consist of 24/7 emergency coverage, new releases, hot fixes, service packs, technical bulletins, designated support contacts, and an annual site assessment. Delivery and installation shall be completed no later than 180 days after award. The period of performance shall include a 12-month base period and four 12-month option periods. These options are required to renew the licensing procured under this proposed action and continue support. VA anticipates utilizing the existing Extensions Healthcare Engage Smart Alarm Management System for a minimum of five years and therefore requires the ability to utilize this software during that time. However, the options allow VA to cease using this software if the Extensions Healthcare Engage Smart Alarm Management System is no longer in use or if emerging products that meet VA s needs become available. The total estimated price of the proposed action inclusive of the option periods is $. 4. Statutory Authority: The statutory authority permitting this exception to fair opportunity is Section 41 U.S.C. 4106(c)(2) as implemented by the 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 section eight of this justification, the Government has determined that limited competition is available for the required brand name Vocera products and maintenance. This effort is to procure brand name Vocera wireless communication system as part of an add-on/upgrade to the existing Extensions Healthcare Engage Smart Alarm Management System. The existing Extensions Healthcare Engage Smart Alarm Management System is a Vocera-owned system that is used by LSCVAMC for smart patient monitoring alarm escalation among medical center staff through a defined alarm notification hierarchy. The currently fielded Extensions Healthcare Engage Smart Alarm Management System is an enterprise solution that is a critical component of the VAMCs communication infrastructure and directly integrates with the existing patient monitors, biomed devices and ventilators to trigger critical event alarms and alerts directly to caregivers on their wireless devices based patient event urgency and through a defined alarm notification caregiver hierarchy. No other brand name software is interoperable and compatible with this existing system due to the proprietary constraints the Extensions Healthcare Engage Smart Alarm Management System operates through. Specifically, if another brand name software was utilized it would not communicate with the existing software and would not function with the aforementioned devices that integrate with the Extensions Healthcare Engage Smart Alarm Management System. In addition, using any other brand name software would result in a complete replacement of the existing Extensions Healthcare Engage Smart Alarm Management System. The Vocera hardware being procured under this effort include wireless badges that are an extension to the existing Engage platform and will directly interface with the platform in tandem through the Hill-Rom system to provide clinicians with increased communication capabilities to reduce clinician response times and improve patient care while maintaining the existing alarm notification hierarchy. No other brand wireless badges, through use of the communication bade system currently in place, are interoperable with the existing Extensions Healthcare Engage Smart Alarm Management System platform due to proprietary constraints. Specifically, if any other brand name hardware was utilized, it would not communicate with the existing systems and not meet VA s form, fit, and function requirements. In addition, implementing any other brand communication system that can t integrate with the existing Extensions platform will invalidate the call flow/workflow hierarchy and associated automatic escalation process thereby significantly impacting current alarm notification procedures and hampering the ability for medical center staff to effectively react to critical situations directly impacting patient care. Further, the Vocera system will need to connect to VA s internal Wi-Fi network and transmit sensitive data quickly, safely and securely to nurses and clinicians throughout the medical center. Any wireless communication system to be implemented within the medical center s wireless infrastructure must have a current Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) Publication 140-2 certification in accordance with VA s Information Security Program as defined in VA Directive 6500. As noted Section 8, the Vocera wireless communication system, and specifically the B3000 hands-free badges, are the only wireless badges known to be FIPS140-2 compliant. Implementing any other wireless devices without a FIPS 140-2 certified encryption would pose a significant security risk to VA due to the unique vulnerabilities of wireless extensions to the VA network. In addition, no other source can provide maintenance support on the system without access to Vocera s proprietary source code. Access to this code is required to ensure all the services provided are properly configured. As such, only Vocera equipment and maintenance support is capable of satisfying all VA s requirements. 6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: Market research was conducted, details of which are in the market research section of this document In accordance with FAR 5.301 and 8.405-6 (a)(1)(i)(B) Only one source is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services are unique or highly specialized, this action and the justification will be made publicly available on the Federal Business Opportunities Page within 14 days after award. In addition, this Justification for an Exception to Fair Opportunity will be posted on the GSA eBuy website with the solicitation. 7. Actions to Increase Competition: In order to remove or overcome barriers to competition in future acquisitions for this requirement, the Government will continue to perform market research to determine if there are any new products or maintenance services available that will fulfill the Government s need. 8. Market Research: The Government s technical experts performed market research during April 2017 by reviewing similar sources to ascertain if alternate brands could meet the VA s requirements. Specifically, the Government s technical experts conducted web-based research on web sites of vendors including Cisco Systems Incorporated which provide similar type products. Based on this research, the technical experts confirmed that no other brand communication system can directly integrate with the existing Extensions Healthcare Engage Smart Alarm Management System. In addition, no other communication devices were found to be FIPS 140-2 certified. Further, only Vocera or an authorized reseller has the proprietary rights to access the software to provide the necessary maintenance support. In July 2017, the Contract Specialist conducted market research to ascertain the extent of limited competition among resellers. Through the use of the Provider Look-up tool on the NASA SEWP V GWAC website, four Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs) were identified as resellers of the required Vocera product line. Therefore, limited competition is expected on NASA SEWP. 9. Other Facts: None. 10. Technical and Requirements Certification: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in this justification, is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. 11. Fair and Reasonable Cost Determination: I hereby determine that the anticipated price to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable based on anticipated competition. Additionally, NASA SEWP V has already determined the prices on contract to be fair and reasonable. Finally, the successful quote will be compared with the Independent Government Cost Estimate. 12. Procuring Contracting Officer Certification: I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. Approval In my role as procuring activity Advocate for Competition, based on the foregoing justification, I hereby approve the acquisition of brand name licenses for Vocera hardware, software licenses, installation, training and maintenance on an other than fair opportunity basis pursuant to the authority cited in paragraph 4 above, subject to availability of funds, and provided that the property and services herein described have otherwise been authorized for acquisition.
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- Document(s)
- Attachment
- File Name: NNG15SD19B VA118-17-F-2393 NNG15SD19B VA118-17-F-2393.docx (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=3808650&FileName=NNG15SD19B-121.docx)
- Link: https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=3808650&FileName=NNG15SD19B-121.docx
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- File Name: NNG15SD19B VA118-17-F-2393 NNG15SD19B VA118-17-F-2393.docx (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=3808650&FileName=NNG15SD19B-121.docx)
- Record
- SN04689697-W 20170923/170921232533-8091247acfa7df9ac3fd17a1bf646930 (fbodaily.com)
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