26-SIMACQ-BD3-0063-Under SAT - SS JnA Redacted Final 1.pdf

MEMORANDUM

28 July 2026

From: Code 101 To: Code 027

Subj: RECOMMENDATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Regulatory Authority: The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1: Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

Ref: (a) 26-SIMACQ-PHD-BD3-0063 (Professional Body of Knowledge Training)

1. It is recommended that other than full and open competition (sole source) be used to acquire reference (a), Certified Test & Evaluation Professional (CTEP) Body of Knowledge (BOK) Course. The total estimated cost is $132,729.00. The requested service represents the minimum requirements of the government.

2. The requiring agency is the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD), Workforce Development (Code 1016). The International Test and Evaluation Association (ITEA) is the sole owner, developer, and accrediting body for the Certified Test and Evaluation Professional (CTEP) credential. The government’s minimum need is to prepare the NSWC PHD T&E workforce specifically for the CTEP Foundational exam to establish a standardized, internationally recognized baseline of proficiency within the division.

ITEA is the only organization capable of meeting this requirement for the following detailed reasons:

• Proprietary Intellectual Property: ITEA holds exclusive rights to the CTEP credential, the CTEP Foundational exam, and the specific CTEP Body of Knowledge (BOK) framework outlined in the SOW. No other commercial or academic entity possesses the legal rights or authorization to administer, license, or provide official training explicitly mapped to the proprietary CTEP exam. Attempting to procure a "similar" course from a third-party vendor would result in unverified training that does not legally or practically grant access to the CTEP certification pathway.

• Exacting Alignment with Exam Architecture: The SOW specifically requires training that prepares personnel for the four precise subject domains of the CTEP BOK (Planning, Design, Execution, and Analysis/Reporting). Because ITEA authors and maintains the exam, only their authorized curriculum guarantees one-to-one mapping with the testable material. Third-party T&E training courses, while they may cover general DoW acquisition, cannot guarantee comprehensive alignment with the specific pedagogical requirements, cyber resilience frameworks, and model validation techniques as they are uniquely tested on the CTEP exam.

• Standardization Across DoW and Federal Agencies: The SOW requires training to contextualize T&E within the broader Federal Government and DoW Acquisition Process, specifically referencing DOT&E, FAA, and DHS standards. ITEA is uniquely positioned as the globally recognized consortium that synthesizes these distinct federal guidelines into a single credentialing standard. Earning the CTEP credential through ITEA ensures that NSWC PHD personnel are certified to a standard recognized uniformly across the DoD and interagency partners, mitigating the risk of divergent testing methodologies that could compromise operational readiness or mission tasking execution.

• Unacceptable Risk of Mission Degradation: Procuring generic T&E training from an alternative source would fail to meet the objective of granting the workforce the specific CTEP credential. This would force the Government to incur duplicative costs (paying for generic training, then paying separately for CTEP preparation and credentialing) and result in unacceptable delays in certifying the NSWC PHD workforce. Only direct procurement from ITEA ensures immediate, authoritative, and completely aligned instruction that fulfills the agency's requirement to certify its personnel without assuming the risk of test failure due to misaligned third-party curricula.

There are no authorized resellers. Only ITEA Certified Test and Evaluation Professional (CTEP) can support the current requirement. In other words, if NSWC PHD were to procure another type of certified testing, NSWC PHD would need to totally revamp the testing procedures and requirement. To use another exam, therefore, would be an estimated cost greater than $300,000.00 and causing unacceptable schedule delays of up to 12 months.

3. Market research was conducted and confirmed ITEA is the only vendor that can provide the required recertification and maintenance plans. No other brand or source can meet the Government’s need.

CERTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

Technical Requirements Certification:

I certify that the facts and representations under my cognizance, which are included in this justification and its supporting acquisition planning data, except as noted herein, are complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.

BAIDA.DARRON.

G.1385757863

Digitally signed by

BAIDA.DARRON.G.1385757863

Date: 2026.07.28 08:55:20 -07'00'

Darron Baida, NSWC PHD T&E Competency Lead, Code C40 805-228-7049

Contracting Officer Approval:

Based on the technical certification above, I have determined that only one or limited sources are reasonably available to meet the Government's needs. I hereby approve this justification.

WYNN.ARTHUR.P.J

R.1080480870

Digitally signed by

WYNN.ARTHUR.P.JR.1080480870

Date: 2026.07.29 11:38:34 -07'00'

Contracting Officer Signature:

Arthur P. Wynn, Contracting Officer, Code 027 805-330-0370