Synopsis_of_J A.pdf

Justification for an Exception to Fair Opportunity

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(1) Contracting Activity:

Air Force Installation Contracting Agency, Offutt AFB Operating Location (AFICA/KD)

(2) Nature and/or description of the action being approved:

This request is for approval to issue an exception to fair opportunity Task Order (TO) under the Cyber Security and Information Systems Technical Area Task (CS TAT) contract (FA8075-16-D-0003) for cyber security and information systems related research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) in support of the United States Pacific Command (USPACOM)/J32, Operations Directorate, Simulation Support Division under the Pacific Warfighting Center (PWC). This new TO will be issued on a cost plus fixed fee price basis.

This request will allow the continuation/completion of an effort that was originally awarded to Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) under TO 0009, of their Software, Network, Information Assurance, Modeling & Simulation (SNIM) contract (FA1500-10-D-0004, TO 0009) which the ordering period of the SNIM contract expired on 30 Nov 2015. Order 0009 was awarded for $23.1M with a base period (26 June 2014 - 25 June 2015) and 2-option periods (26 June 2015 - 25 June 2016 and 26 June 2016 - 25 June 2017 respectively). Unfortunately, one option period falls beyond the end date of the SNIM contracts ordering period, which based upon the recent GAO decision cannot therefore be executed.

The CS TAT order will be for a duration not to exceed 12-months in order to allow a larger follow-on acquisition to be completed in the competitive CS TAT environment. The CS TAT IDIQ contract was awarded Dec 2015.

(3) Description of the supplies/services required to meet the agency's needs:

Work performed under this order will be within the scope of the following CS TAT basic contract focus areas: Cyber Security, Software & Database Analysis, Modeling & Simulation, and Knowledge Management & Information Sharing.

The task order will be unclassified but required work may be accomplished up to the Top Secret // Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) level. Travel to locations within the Pacific Rim Theater of Operations will also be required. During performance of the task order the following will be accomplished by the contractor:

Strategic and Operational Planning and Execution: Assist Government officials in the moderation, observation, and documentation of after action assessments of Government and military joint and combined exercise control groups operations and events. These events will include table top exercises, communication interoperability and strategic policy discussions.

Joint/Combined Training and Joint Exercise Event Life Cycle (JELC) Activities: Development of action plans to operate, maintain, and manage interfaces between Department of Defense joint simulations and training computer models and real world C4I systems to include, but not limited to: Secure Internet Protocol Router Network (SIPRNET), Non-secure Internet Protocol Router Network (NIPRNET), Intelligence Analysis System (IAS), Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communication System (JWICS), and Joint Deployable Intelligence Support Systems (JDISS).

Knowledge Management (KM) and Information Management (IM): Analyze KM and IM requirements and develop recommendations regarding capabilities for incorporating advanced technology into information technology architecture to increase effectiveness of exercises, training, war-games, and simulation exercises.

(4) Identification of the exception to fair opportunity and the supporting rationale:

10 USC 2304(c)(2) as implemented by FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(A), The Agency need for the supplies or services is so urgent that providing a fair opportunity would result in unacceptable delays.

USPACOM/PWC provides key enablers to plan, develop scenarios, and execute the USPACOM Joint Training Program. This order will provide the critical support, analyses, and evaluations of cyber security and information systems related (RDT&E) events in over 21 Joint/Allied exercises yearly. Each exercise has a life-cycle of at least 12 months. At any given time there are numerous exercises in multi-planing phases (4 planning sessions for each exercise) being actively executed and/or results being applied to current operations or the next year's exercises.

The Government fully relies on contractor support in order to execute the critical exercise mission within the USPACOM Area of Responsibility (AOR). USPACOM has no organic support civilian (GS) or military that could be utilized to provide support in replacement of current contract personnel. The Asia-Pacific region is comprised of 36 nations, which are home to more than 50% of the world's population, 3,000 different languages, several of the world's largest military forces. This includes five nations allied with the U.S. through mutual defense treaties. To ensure the continuation, planning, and scheduling of the Joint/Allied exercises, BAH is the only contractor capable of providing this short notice support to USPACOM without any degradation to the USPACOM and allied nations' missions or impacts to those agreements with the Foreign Governments.

(5) Determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable:

The incumbent will provide a proposal that will be evaluated by the Contracting Officer and Requiring Activity with respect to the proposed labor skill sets, labor hours, travel, and ODCs. The government will evaluate the offered cost/price for reasonableness and realism. If needed DCAA and DCMA will be engaged to evaluate the individual cost elements; and cost and pricing data will be obtained from the contractor.

(6) Other facts supporting the justification:

The critical nature of this work to the United States and its allies and treaty partners must continue. The only viable option at this point is to allow a 12-month exception to fair opportunity, while the follow-on order is executed under a competitive environment. The regional geopolitical environment within the USPACOM AOR is such that any degradation by the United States in regards to commitment to the region, including military exercises, would be filled by countries that may not be friendly to the U.S. policy and put U.S. allies in the region in jeopardy.

The Government plans the movement of material, supplies, and people in support of the exercises in advance. Any loss of U.S. participation or reduction in participation could impact allied/host nation relationships in preparation (logistically/ financially) of any exercises this task order will support.

Critical systems supported by the contractor are used for not only exercise execution, but also in support of real world events and systems such as the All Partners Access Network (APAN) that is utilized for humanitarian assistance/disaster relief by Government and Non-Government responders (e.g. Doctors without Borders and Red Cross). Not continuing this effort would jeopardize not only the critical exercise environment for the U.S Government, its allies and associated militaries, but also the responses to disasters that could impact and jeopardize human lives throughout the region.

Examples: Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster, Napal Earthquake, and Fuji Tropical Cyclone Winston Relief. Under the SNIM order BAH has performed satisfactorily as documented by the SNIM Contracting Officer Representative (COR). BAH qualifications and experience were the basis for their award and inclusion in both the SNIM and CS TAT contract pool of qualified contractors. The Government intended to exercise the remaining option absent the GAO ruling in AllWorld Language Consultants, Inc.

(7) Actions the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to increasing fair opportunity before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services:

The agency removed barriers within the initial competitive award. The initial SNIM order was competed amongst all of the SNIM contract holders. The follow-on acquisition, currently in the planning phase, will be solicited amongst the full and open CS TAT contract pool.

This exception to fair opportunity will allow sufficient time to overcome the immediate barrier (exercising the previously planned for option under SNIM 14-0808) and enable the Government to re-compete the acquisition in a competitive environment.

(8) Contracting Officer's certification that the justification is accurate and complete:

The Contracting Officer's signature on the signature page provides evidence that he/she certifies that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of his/her knowledge and belief.

(9) Certification of technical/requirements personnel that supporting data is accurate and complete:

As evidenced by his/her signature on the signature page, the Program Manager certifies that any supporting data contained herein, which is his/her responsibility, is both accurate and complete.

(10) Determination by the approving official that one of the circumstances in FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i) applies to the order

As evidenced by my signature on the signature page, I hereby determine that the fair opportunity exception checked in block 6 (Page 1) applies.