1.5.1-Justification and Approval (J&A) posting for SAM_Redacted.pdf

This is a Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition (J&A) document prepared by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Acquisition Management for a sole source aircraft maintenance contract.

ICE proposes to award a hybrid firm-fixed-price (FFP) and cost reimbursable (CR) contract to Salus Worldwide Solutions Corp (located at 1616 Fort Myer Drive, Suite 1600, Arlington, VA 22209) for comprehensive Operational Support Aircraft Maintenance (OSAM) services. The contract covers maintenance and operational support for two C-37B (or equivalent) Gulfstream 650ER Government Furnished Aircraft (GFA) to be operated under a Government-Owned, Contractor-Operated (GOCO) construct. The base period of performance runs from May 28, 2026 through June 27, 2026, with one optional one-month extension through July 27, 2026. The estimated total contract value is $14,280,000.00, comprised of $7,140,000.00 for the base period and $7,140,000.00 for the option period. Funding is Operations and Support Funds across multi-year fiscal years 2025 to 2029. The contract was released without a solicitation number.

The justification cites unusual and compelling urgency under 41 U.S.C. §3304(a)(2) and RFO 6.103-2 as the statutory authority for sole source procurement. Key services required include routine and non-routine maintenance, aircraft readiness activities, maintenance coordination, discrepancy resolution, inspection support, limited flight activity, qualified pilot support, personnel staffing, management oversight, safety and airworthiness compliance, and reporting and data management. The urgency stems from the Border Czar's mission-critical requirements for immediate aircraft availability to support emergent border security operations, the specialized nature of aircraft maintenance operations, and the risk of fleet degradation without continuous maintenance. Market research conducted May 14-18, 2026 determined that only Salus Worldwide Solutions Corp possessed the necessary operational readiness infrastructure and demonstrated aircraft operations experience to meet the immediate requirement. The document specifies that a competitive procurement will be pursued for longer-term requirements once the emergency response phase concludes, with capability statements from other vendors solicited within 30 days of emergency conclusion.