3_Sole Source_ Telecommunications Services _Redacted1.pdf

Sole Source (Including Brand Name) Justification - Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items

CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION

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31 Contracting Squadron Aviano/PKB, Aviano Air Base Italy

The 31st Communications Squadron has a requirement for establishing a contract (base + years option) to provide 31st Fighter Wing, GSUs and supported organizations with telecommunications commercial fixed services. This involves transformation/adaptation of "generic" ADSL lines, analog (POTS) and Basic ISDN (BRI) lines and three Primary ISDN (PRI) trunks, which provide commercial calling capability (both incoming and outgoing) to the entire base. The services requested include activation, deactivation, maintenance, relocation and billing for current and future services. is mandated by the Italian Authority to terminate the copper-based technology lines by May 2026 which involves transformation of old Aviano AB lines. The current Aviano AB technical configuration is based on a very old contract/partnership with since the sixties when it was called and was the only public telecommunication provider in Italy.

The contractor is required to provide all appropriate personnel, equipment, tools, materials, supervision, transportation and all other items and services necessary to decommission ISDN PRI trunks and to replace them with a Trunksip solution as well as POT/ISDN lines replacement with Premium Business XDSL and ADSL line replacement with Internet Professional. The contractor will also provide installation, activation, billing and maintainence for the above mentioned services currently operating in Aviano AB, GSUs and supported organizations and for future ones.

FAR Overhaul 12.102 Restricting Competition; 41 U.S.C. 1901 is the current main provider of fixed communications services for Aviano AB. Historically, Aviano AB has shared a mixed telecommunications infrastructure ownership with which dates to the time before the opening of Italian telecommunication market to the other carriers.

Aviano Base's had a partnership with since when it was called and was the only authorized telecommunication provider. Based on this long term relationship has gained over the years a competitive advantage (made of competence and technical knowledge of Aviano AB telecommunication infrastructure) that cannot be equaled by no other competitor in the current telecommunication open market. current infrastructure is also utilized to provide commercial service to other organizations other than 31st Fighter Wing that are not included in our current contract (i.e. AAFES, base contractors, NAF Agencies, Long Haul circuits for Tech Control).

technicians have acquired a deep knowledge of the base structure and infrastructure and specific needs. Customized technical solutions have also been provided over the years. As directed by the ltalian Communications Competition Authority through resolutions 333/20/CONS is terminating copper-based technology lines by May 2026. This is the first set of lines that will be transferred to a newer technology but future ones will be impacted, too. For service continuity purposes and to avoid disruptions, particularly critical are the 3 ISDN PRI trunks which provide the whole base with incoming and outgoing commercial calling capability, it was determined not to be in the best interest of the Government to compete this requirement full and open.

Sole Source (Including Brand Name) Justification - Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items

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The 31 CS conducted a survey/market research which demonstrated that other sources available in the open market do not possess the knowledge and specific capabilities required to ensure professional performance. If other companies competing for this requirement were to be awarded with a contract to execute it, they would be forced to spend time and resources studying the installed technological base and subsequently implementing the most suitable technical solution to ensure the requested transition. Of course, It is unlikely that they would be able to deliver what is required to the 31 CS by May 26, 2026, thereby exposing Aviano Air Base to unacceptable disruptions or installation/ configuration problems, as well as higher costs to the Government. However, the 31 CS is pursuing ongoing research, even by hiring a Telecommunications SME, to prepare a technical-detailed requirement suitable for a full and open competition, if a similar requirement should arise in the near future.

A research was conducted to verify whether the equipment that needs to be upgraded was installed in the past through contracts with a full and open competition. Unfortunately, the research yielded no results, highlighting that such equipment was installed before 1998, the year in which the telecommunications market was liberalized at the Italian and European levels, with the complete opening to competition for fixed telephony services. The research therefore demonstrates that this equipment was installed by , at a time when there was no competition in the telecommunications market. It also shows how has direct knowledge of these systems, having installed and maintained them over the years. Based on the above, is the only entity capable of offering an upgrade (to allow a smooth transition from legacy copper-based technologies to modern fiber optic infrastructure as mandated by the Italian Telecommunication Authority) of Aviano AB telecommunication infrastructure, having direct technical knowledge of it as well as its location, which, unlike other potential competitors, allows to offer a competitive service not only in terms of price and time but, above all, qualified and adequate from a technological standpoint.

Terms and conditions offered to the Government are substantially similar to those used in the commercial market where regulations by Italian Ministry of Economic Development of Communication have to be complied by all Italian commercial companies.

Sole Source (Including Brand Name) Justification - Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items

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Currently no other companies in the Italian market are known possessing the same expertise and the same historical technical background for ensuring a smooth and problem free upgrade of the Aviano AB telecommunication infrastructure. However, should future pre-requisites/conditions change and barriers to open and full competition be removed, they will be actively monitored. Consequently, new available sources will be solicited for competitive quotations.