Notice ID: 030ADV24R0016
The Library of Congress requires the full range of brand-name Microsoft Cloud Services including Azure Cloud services (compute, storage, software, and services) covering the spectrum of the Library’s Information Technology needs now and for future growth to support development efforts in Microsoft Azure Cloud, Microsoft Software as a Service subscriptions and support offerings from Microsoft to provide support for Azure and M365 operations. This contract is an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract for the purpose of fulfilling a broad range of commercial information technology (IT) requirements throughout the Library of Congress specifically related to brand-name Cloud Services.
The Library has undergone a major shift with the migration of licensing for Microsoft applications from its current datacenter/clients in on premise locations to Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud for various applications and services unrelated to this J&A. This J&A is limited to cloud services, subscriptions and platform support for applications that have been or will be awarded consistent with the Library’s Competition regulations and policies for Microsoft branded solutions needed to sustain or expand these awarded solutions to meet mission needs.
The application services which were previously licensed as on-premises applications are no longer supported with that license model and now require additional services within Microsoft Azure Cloud, including specifically the Azure Active Directory service. Active Directory is the on-premises security feature that logs employees on to their workstations, and it links to the Azure-based directory that gives employees access to M365 and associated Microsoft applications. These capabilities are not available in other Cloud platforms. Additionally, the existing Microsoft Visual Studio subscriptions is migrating to the Microsoft Azure cloud environment to support the development of Library applications including IRIS, CMS, and DMS. These existing applications are being migrated to M365/Microsoft Azure and require services uniquely available within the Microsoft Azure cloud to complete their migrations. The Microsoft Visual Studio requires an application development continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipeline to be established within Azure Cloud.
Due to these awards and the migration of application and services to the cloud the Library has a current requirement to put in place an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) vehicle for the Library’s deployment of the Office Productivity in the Cloud (M365) software subscriptions, cloud services, and support for existing applications that have been competitively awarded. There is a likelihood that development of future applications may be deployed in the Microsoft Azure Cloud environment. This J&A supports the expansion of the Azure Cloud environment for future deployments, however, does not permit the limitation of future competition for applications that may be deployed to the Azure Cloud. Applications to be developed in the future must individually comply with the Library’s competition regulations and policies.
As an effect of the stringent requirements imposed by Microsoft to become a Federal Services Provider (FAQ – Partner Center – Microsoft Cloud for US Government – Partner Center | Microsoft Learn), there is a limitation of competitors that can provide Enterprise Agreements to Government Entities (Federal, State and Local). Partners will need to onboard to the CSP program for Microsoft Cloud for US Government to meet regulatory and compliance requirements. (Onboarding for Microsoft Cloud for US Government is separate from onboarding for CSP Commercial.) Once enrolled, vendors can create customers and transact offers available within Microsoft Cloud for US Government and are approved Microsoft Licensed Solution Provider (LSP). Currently there are eight LSPs certified to issue Enterprise agreements for Government Entities. The limitation of vendors is this space is an environmental side effect due to the cost and regulation burden required to get that designation. Qualification criteria to sell the CSP program for Microsoft Cloud for US Government is the same as the qualification criteria for CSP Commercial, open to both direct partners and indirect resellers. You do not need to be renominated to be an indirect reseller for the CSP program for Microsoft Cloud for US Government if you are approved as an indirect reseller for CSP Commercial. The Library currently resides in the Microsoft Commercial Cloud for US Government FEDRAMP High. In this procurement, the requirements have been limited to the eight Microsoft Licensed Solution Provider (LSP) since they are the only entities that can provide that service directly to the Federal Government. Since only the LSPs can provide the full-range of services, it is reasonable to limit this contract to the LSPs or reseller/teaming arrangements with LSPs that are qualified to provide the service.
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