SOURCES SOUGHT
D -- Microsoft RFI
- Notice Date
- 4/20/2023 9:04:14 AM
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541512
— Computer Systems Design Services
- Contracting Office
- TECHNOLOGY ACQUISITION CENTER NJ (36C10B) EATONTOWN NJ 07724 USA
- ZIP Code
- 07724
- Solicitation Number
- 36C10B23Q0242
- Response Due
- 5/3/2023 7:00:00 AM
- Archive Date
- 06/02/2023
- Point of Contact
- Matthew Newell, contract specialist, Phone: 848-377-5170
- E-Mail Address
-
Matthew.Newell@va.gov
(Matthew.Newell@va.gov)
- Awardee
- null
- Description
- Microsoft EA Alternatives 2 REQUEST FOR INFORMATION Microsoft EA Alternatives Introduction: This is a Request for Information (RFI) only issued for conducting market research. Accordingly, this RFI constitutes neither a Request for Quote (RFQ), Request for Proposal (RFP), nor a guarantee that one will be issued by the Government in the future; furthermore, it does not commit the Government to contract for any services described herein. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is not, at this time, seeking proposals or quotes, and therefore, will not accept, review, or evaluate unsolicited proposals or quotes received in response hereto. This notice is not to be construed as a commitment on the part of the Government to award a contract, nor does the Government intend to pay for any information submitted because of this request. The Government does not reimburse respondents for any costs associated with submission of the information being requested or reimburse expenses incurred for responses to this RFI. The information provided may be used by VA in developing its acquisition strategy and Performance Work Statement (PWS) or Product Description (PD). Any information submitted by respondents to this RFI is strictly voluntary; however, any information received shall become the property of the Government and will not be returned to the respondent. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary, restricted, or competition sensitive information contained in their response. This is a request for information and does not obligate the Government in any way, nor does it commit the Government to any specific course of action. Product information, brochures, part numbers, and/or other description information may be included with the submission. Requirement: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has maintained a continuous award of Enterprise Agreements for Microsoft products since 1998. The various Microsoft licenses and subscriptions are required to provide VA employees with a broad range of IT capabilities necessary to meet agency mission needs for over 600,000 users. The current Microsoft Enterprise Agreement (EA) provides the VA with 1) software assurance, 2) core support services, 3) operational support, 4) additional licenses and is slated to be renegotiated in 2022. Before renewal of this multiyear agreement, VA performed a re-baselining of requirements as well as analysis of alternatives to determine the best path forward to maximize enterprise level functionalities and cost efficiencies across the VA. VA seeks to identify competitive products and strategies that could be implemented as alternatives to the current Microsoft technologies identified herein. This effort does not indicate VA will move to an alternate technology but only that VA is investigating viability, costs, and impacts associated with specific alternate technologies. To be clear, VA is not seeking proposals but only identification of alternate products, impacts, and market trends. VA desires identification of enterprise proven alternate products that have been demonstrated to operate at a similar level of size, scope, and complexity of the current VA environment. VA owns and maintains licenses and subscriptions for the following products from Microsoft. The exact number of users/licenses is dynamic and will be revised in any request for proposals. This list is not all inclusion of the Microsoft products but only shows those products which have either a substantial number or users or is critical to the VA mission. VA supports a user base of approximately 600,000 users. Responses: For this RFI, VA has broken apart the Microsoft EA into key functional areas with its respective MS Product Equivalency and to further understand the size, scope and complexity of the VA. These functional areas are parsed by on-premises products and online services with their respective current state descriptions as described below: Table 1: Software Functional Matrix On-premises Products Key Functional Areas MS Product Equivalent Current State Description Desktop Office Products MS Office, Project, SharePoint, Visio VA currently owns and operates over 600,000 endpoint user devices. This includes traditional workstations, laptops, and tablets. Each of these devices is equipped with Microsoft Office as a component of Microsoft 365, an operating system (either Microsoft Windows or Apple iOS), and rights to access Microsoft Server and Cloud products. Server Operating System MS SQL Server, Remote Desktop, Windows 10, Window Servers VA owns and operates over 26,500 physical and virtual Microsoft Windows Servers to support 600,000 users. VA users will access the numerous shared services of Microsoft Server including but not limited to Active Directory, Kerberos Authentication, Certificate Services, Domain Naming Service, Windows File Service, etc. Database MS SQL VA owns and operates over 4100 Microsoft SQL servers within our physical and virtual environments supporting 600,000 users. Online Services Key Functional Areas MS Product Equivalent Current State Description Email/Communication Services/Portal Microsoft 365, MS Teams, SharePoint Online Email/ Microsoft 365 VA owns and operates over 600,000 user licenses for Microsoft Exchange Services as a component of Microsoft 365. VA also operates 16 on premise Microsoft Exchange Servers. These services include on-line archiving and on-line protection. Portal/SharePoint Online: VA uses Microsoft s cloud services for SharePoint which supports 600,000 users. Communication/ MS Teams: VA owns and operates over 600,000 client licenses for Microsoft Teams as a component of Microsoft 365. Security and Access Control Enterprise Mobility + Security M365 G5 Security Suite) VA uses components such as Identity and Access management, Endpoint Management, Information protection and Identity-driven security to secure VA critical infrastructure. Access Compliance Suite M365 G5 Compliance Suite VA uses components of M365 Compliance suite to safeguard sensitive data, identify and remediate risks, assess compliance and respond to legal requirements. Identity Management Azure Active Directory VA owns and operates over 600,000 client licenses for Microsoft FIM and licenses for Microsoft FIM Server. Customer Relationship Manager Dynamics 365 VA owns and operates about 30,000 client licenses for Dynamics CRM. Cloud Services Azure, Azure DevSecOps, Azure Marketplace VA uses the full suite of cloud services as defined in NIST SP 800-145 in both Azure Commercial, and Government Community Cloud (FedRAMP High). VA also has Azure Commercial Cloud ( There are currently over 100 services utilized and authorized by FedRAMP in the VA Enterprise Cloud. Power Platforms Power BI, Power Platform, Bing Maps PowerApps and Power Automate Any alternate product or technology must provide at least the same capabilities as the current commercially available version of the Microsoft product equivalent identified above. VA does not seek to fragment capabilities in an identified Functional Area. For example, for Desktop Office Products, VA seeks a comprehensive alternative and is not interested in investigating only the word processor or other individual components of the Microsoft Office suite. For each key functional area identified, VA desires identification of enterprise proven alternate products that have been demonstrated to operate at a similar level of size, scope, and complexity of the current VA environment. (Support Services) VA also seeks information associated with acquisition and operation of that technology over a term of 5 years. Please submit a response to each question below per Key Functional Area and use the Functional Area Matrix below to provide responses for Questions 1-3. All other responses should be no longer than 10 pages. Questions per Key Functional Area: Identify the alternate product/solution for each key functional area that will provide at least the same capabilities as the current Microsoft product. Insert your answer in the Equivalent Product(s) column in the Functional Area Matrix Addendum. Assess the products compliance with Section 508 of the Americans with Disabilities Act. If less than 100%, estimate date when product will be fully compliant. Insert your answer in the Functional Area Matrix Addendum drop down column Section 508 Compliant and additional comments for more details if this product is less than 100% compliant. Is your company currently providing similar services to any government agency or other non-government customers? If so, please identify the agency or non-government customer. If you are unwilling to share your customers' identity, please address whether your company offers the same or similar services, commercially (outside the federal government). Does this product have an established Authority to Operate (ATO)? Is the product FedRAMP authorized and at what level if applicable. Provide your responses in the Functional Area Matrix Addendum drop down column FedRAMP Authorization and US Government/Department Agency along with any additional comments if needed. What innovative concepts does your proposed solution provide? Does your company and associated subcontractors use a Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) program? Briefly describe an implementation approach of this product within similar size, scope, and complexity of the VA and a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) for the initial purchase, implementation effort and subsequent years. Describe the transition strategy, timeline, training and associated costs to migrate from the current Microsoft implementation to the proposed solution. This strategy should include migrating all current VA data, document format, and VA workflows and document repositories. What is the end user impact? Specifically, VA seeks to understand how implementation of the identified alternate product/solution will integrate into each area solution currently being operated. The description of this should be as extensive as necessary because seamless integration and interoperability are critical. Please submit a response to each question below regarding your company. Include the following identification information: Name of Company Address Point of Contact Phone Number Fax Number Email address CAGE Number Company Business Size and Status for NAICS (enter in current NAICS code for requirement) NAICS code(s) Any Schedules held on General Services Administration (GSA), Government-Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWAC) held on SAM.gov or any other schedule not mentioned above to assist in determining acquisition strategy if you are included in one or more. Please also include Contract Number, expiration date, etc. Socioeconomic data: If a small business, what type of small business are you? Are you able to comply with FAR 52.219-6 and 52.219-14 in execution of this effort? Are you able to comply with VAAR 852.219-10, VA Notice of Total Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Set-Aside and with subcontracting limitations in 13 CFR 125.6 in execution of this effort? RESPONSE Please provide your response no later than May 3, 2023 at 10:00AM to matthew.newell@va.gov and Kalil.ONeal@va.gov Post RFI Phase Based on market research results, the RFP/RFQ may be made available on SAM.gov. It is the responsibility of interested parties to regularly monitor the SAM.gov for updates. The government will not provide hard copies of the solicitation once issued. Interested parties are responsible for monitoring the website and downloading the solicitation, its attachments, and any amendments from the internet site identified above when/if issued. All information regarding the procurement is provided herein, and no additional information shall be provided at this time.
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-
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- Record
- SN06658208-F 20230422/230420230119 (samdaily.us)
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-
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