NOAA - Brand Name Justification LeoSafe 12.21.23.pdf

BRAND NAME JUSTIFICATION

FOR AN ACTION EXCEEDING THE SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION THRESHOLD

USING SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL ITEMS

(AUTHORITY: FAR 13.501(a), 41 U.S.C. 1901)

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1. Agency and contracting activity. Department of Commerce, NOAA Acquisition and Grants Office (AGO), Satellite and Information Acquisition Division and National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS), and the Office of Satellite and Products Operations

(OSPO).

2. Nature and/or description of the action being approved.

This is a brand name justification for a follow-on requirement. The previous requirement was awarded as a subcontract under a task order under IDIQ contract 1332KP21DNEEB0011. This requirement will be firm fixed-price and the Government intends to solicit the following sources – the vendor who produces the software and its authorized reseller:

LeoLabs Inc; Small Disadvantaged Business 4005 Bohannon Dr Menlo Park, CA 94025 POC: Michael Barnes, Business Development Email: mbarnes@leolabs.space

Advanced Computer Concepts, Inc; Large Business 7927 Jones Branch Drive Suite 600N Mclean, VA 22102 POC: Alberto Donoso, IT Director Email: adonoso@acc.net

3. Description of supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs (including the total estimated value).

As space debris continues to increase in OSPO’s satellite operating environment, the OSPO engineering team requires improved conjunction assessment services in low-earth orbits to protect its space assets against collisions with space debris. LeoLabs LeoSafe shall provide satellite-tracking data using their phased array radars with conjunction services. To receive this data, NOAA will require access to LeoLabs’ Streaming Conjunction Service (SCS) (LeoSafe) which is a hosted application. NOAA requires seven (7) platform dashboard licenses for access. The services shall include, real time conjunction alerts, management dashboard with on-demand radar pass predictions, 2D and 3D global views with real-time visualizations, orbital data predictions, and operational automation with real time alerts and historical data. The anticipated period of performance is 01/01/2024 through 12/31/2024.

mailto:mbarnes@leolabs.space

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4. Statutory authority permitting the sole source (including brand name) acquisition.

☒ 41 U.S.C. 1901, using SAP up to $7.5M as authorized by FAR 13.500(a) and implemented by FAR 13.501(a).

☐ 41 U.S.C. 1903, using SAP up to $13M for contingency operations as authorized by

FAR 13.500(c) and implemented by FAR 13.501(a).

5. Demonstration that the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited. The contracting officer has determined the following circumstances justify the use of a sole source as supported below:

☒ Brand Name

Based on the market research conducted, LeoLabs LeoSafe is the only product capable of providing the services described in section 3. LeoLabs LeoSafe provides satellite-tracking data using phased array radars with conjunction services for satellites in low-earth orbit.

Powered by LeoLabs Inc’s phased-array radar network, which tracks thousands of satellites, rocket bodies, and dangerous debris fragments, the LeoSafe application is the only commercially available service that provides critical conjunction alerts and risk metrics in real-time. The LeoSafe application is built on LeoLabs Vertex™, the world’s first vertically integrated commercial space operations stack tracking LEO at scale. There are no other products or services that exist which have this capability and functionality in low-earth orbit.

As a government agency, NOAA takes advantage of its free use of the services of the Air Force Joint Space Operations Center (JSpOC). The JSpOC service is comprehensive in its inclusion of orbital information of both spacecraft and space debris. However, the JSpOC determination of orbital information through real-time tracking has limitations in terms of its accuracy—it can misidentify satellites—and in providing the future orbit information needed for analysis and planning of spacecraft position maintenance needed for collision avoidance. NOAA also subscribes to an annual membership in the Space Data Association (SDA), a similar service. AGI Commercial Space Operations Center (COMSPOC) and SDA are planning to merge their services in the next 1-2 years. Their capabilities are considered complementary and not competing with the LeoSafe service which is unique as described above and will better serve NOAA Engineering in the collision-free operation of the geostationary satellite fleet with growing populations of satellites and space debris.

No other products or services exist which have this capability and functionality in low-earth orbit.

6. Description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by FAR Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under FAR 5.202 applies.

A notice of intent to sole source this requirement to LeoLabs Inc was publicized on December 7, 2023. No responses were received.

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7. Determination by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable.

The Contracting Officer determines the that the anticipated price will be fair and reasonable based on the use of the procedures outlined in FAR 13.106-3, specifically comparison of the proposed prices with prices found reasonable on previous purchases and current price lists.

8. Description of the market research conducted (see Part 10) and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted.

NOAA conducted market research by using the Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS), using SAM.gov, reviewing previous purchases of similar/identical acquisitions, and interviewing knowledgeable individuals in industry.

The results of the market research conducted found two (2) capable sources that can provide the brand name product described in this document.

For more details, see the attached market research report.

9. Any other facts supporting the use of a sole source (including brand name), such as:

There are no other facts supporting the use of the brand name justification.

10. List of the sources that expressed a written interest in the acquisition.

No sources expressed an interest in writing after the required notice of intent was posted and ended.

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.

NOAA will continue to review the capabilities of industry for satellite-tracking data using phased array radars with conjunction services for satellites in low-earth orbit by conducting continuous market research.