47QFWA21R0006_NAVAIDS_Brand_Name_Redacted.pdf

Justification and Approval for Other Than Full and Open Competition in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1(c)

1) Identification of the Agency, Contracting Activity, and Document being approved:

Procurement Office: General Services Administration – Federal Acquisition Service (FAS), Region 7, Assisted Acquisition Services (AAS) Agency: 9th Air Force (AFCENT) and Air Force Flight Standards Agency (AFFSA) Solicitation Number/Task ID: 47QFWA21R0006/ID07210011 Description of Requirement (Specified Brand Name): Navigational Aid (NAVAID) Systems for Prince Sultan Air Base (PSAB), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Estimated Dollar Value (brand name items only):

Total Estimated Contract Value:

Procurement Vehicle: Open Market – Unrestricted Type: Hybrid –Firm Fixed Price (FFP) and Time & Materials (T&M)

2) Description of action being approved:

The requirement is being competed on the open market under full and open competition; however, a significant amount of materials that are an integral part of the total solution are bona fide brand name items.

Due to the brand name only requirement, a FAR Part 6 authority to limit competition to the required brand name items is required. The applicable FAR part 6 authority is as follows:

FAR 6.302-1: Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

FAR 6.302-1(c)(1): An acquisition or portion of an acquisition that uses a brand-name description or other purchase description to specify a particular brand-name, product, or feature of a product, peculiar to one manufacturer.

Limiting Competition to Specified “Brand Name” only items including:

• Selex 2238 Remote Control Status Unit (RCSU)

• Selex 2100 Instrument Landing System (ILS)

• Selex 1118A Distance Measuring Equipment (DME)

• Selex 1150A Very High Frequency Omni-directional Range (VOR)

• Selex 1120A Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN)

3) Description of Supplies or Services Required:

Due to the planned expansion of combat air operations at PSAB, it will experience significant increased use by United States (US) and Coalition aircraft requiring effective and reliable NAVAID systems.

Currently, PSAB has (3 each) Instrument Landing Systems w/ Distance Measuring Equipment (ILS/DME) as well as a Very High Frequency Omni-directional Range Tactical Navigation (VORTAC) in place. The systems are deteriorating and no longer economically supportable. It is AFCENT’s intention to replace these systems with modern Selex equivalents as well as add an additional ILS/DME system.

DocuSign Envelope ID: 862145D4-411F-473E-9FA3-D04F6D4E8817

AFCENT requires Selex specific systems:

• Selex 2238 Remote Control Status Unit (RCSU)

• Selex 2100 Instrument Landing System (ILS)

• Selex 1118A Distance Measuring Equipment (DME)

• Selex 1150A Very High Frequency Omni-directional Range (VOR)

• Selex 1120A Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN)

4) Identification of Statutory Authority:

This acquisition is conducted under the authority of FAR 6.302-1(c)(1) for Brand Name and FAR Part 15 Contracting by Negotiation.

5) Demonstration that the Acquisition Requires the Use of the Authority Cited:

In accordance with United States Air Force (USAF) directives to save taxpayer dollars and reduce the number of personnel in harm’s way, AFCENT centrally manages its theater NAVAIDS from a single regional maintenance center using remote maintainable (RM) systems. These systems are connected via the CENTCOM wide area network (WAN) using the Selex 2238 Remote Control Status Unit (RCSU) as the interface device. The 2238 RCSU is the only USAF/CENTCOM accredited device authorized to interface NAVAIDs equipment to the CENTCOM WAN. AFCENT obtained that accreditation via the DoD Risk Management Framework (RMF) process at significant expense. No other interface has been or will be certified/accredited as it will require the following: 1) Software development to allow systems to communicate with the 2238 RCSU which could cost an estimated $1.1M and an estimated five (5) months to develop the initial test version of the software. Success is not guaranteed as its largely dependent on the manufacture’s willingness to provide their Interface Control Documents (ICDs) associated with their system(s). Those documents contain proprietary information that contractors are not readily willing to release. 2) Any system requiring software development in order to communicate with the RCSU must also go through the RMF process at an estimated cost of $600K to $1M. Therefore, in order for AFCENT to continue centrally managing these systems in accordance with directives, any NAVAID systems added to the network must be compatible with Selex 2238 RCSU.

Selex systems are remote maintainable as well as remote flight check capable. They have been thoroughly tested and approved for use by the USAF and currently in use by AFCENT and, with the exception of the Moog Inc. TACAN and DME, are the only systems compatible with the 2238 RCSU. AFCENT currently operates (5) network-centric Selex NAVAID systems and is actively installing (2) additional systems.

While AFCENT has used Moog systems in the past, these systems are no longer considered an option due to their 3-year extended warranty limitation.

Procuring non-Selex systems would force AFCENT to separate those systems from the network and employ 24/7 NAVAIDs technicians (minimum of 3) on PSAB at an estimated cost of $300K per year/per technician. Additionally, non-Selex systems are incompatible with our current inventory of contingency spare parts forcing AFCENT to maintain a larger, more diverse spare parts inventory. Because Selex is common across the USAF, NAVAIDs technicians are trained to maintain Selex systems. Adding different brand systems would add the additional burden and expense of training personnel on the new systems.

Finally, in order to sustain systems throughout their expected lifespan, AFCENT also requires fielded NAVAIDS include a minimum 15-year manufacturer warranty. Because commercial NAVAID systems are proprietary, repair and replacement parts are only available from the manufacturer. The 15-year warranty ensures we have the support necessary to keep the systems operational for their expected lifespan.

Selex supports the 15-year requirement.

6) Description of Efforts to Solicit as Many Offers as Practicable or Exception:

Based on market research, the Contracting Officer has determined the open market to be the best solution for this requirement. The justification for use of the brand name specification will be included with solicitation in accordance with FAR 5.102(a)(6), redacted as necessary.

7) Determination by the Contracting Officer that the Anticipated Cost to the Government will be Fair and Reasonable:

The Contracting Officer shall obtain whatever data are available from Government or other secondary sources and use that data in determining a fair and reasonable price. The requirement will be competed on the open market, and, if two (2) or more proposals are received, a fair and reasonable determination shall be made based on competition. Additionally, the Contracting Officer shall compare the overall costs for the complete solution as identified on the Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) to the proposals received as well historical data to prove the price fair and reasonable. Submission of data other than certified cost and pricing data may also be required from the offeror to the extent necessary to determine a fair and reasonable price.

8) Description of market survey conducted:

The use of the equipment identified above and in the Performance Work Statement (PWS) is essential to the Government's requirements. No other brand of equipment can satisfy the AFCENT NAVAIDs support needs. Systems identified in the PWS are currently what the USAF has in theater. As stated above, NAVAIDs are remotely managed/maintained and are therefore part of a network. Any new system introduced must be remote maintainable and work seamlessly with that network. These systems are critical to flight safety and protection of military troops in battle. Therefore, market research shows that the brand name equipment is essential to the Government’s requirements, and the research indicates other companies’ similar products do not meet, or cannot be modified to meet, the agency’s needs.

9) Other facts supporting other than full and open competition:

Adequate competition for the brand name equipment shall be sought to the maximum extent practicable by soliciting offers on an open market basis under FAR Part 15.

10) List of sources that expressed an interest in the acquisition:

Leidos, Inc. (Other than Small) Thales (Other than Small) Burns Engineering, Inc. (Other than Small) KCM Consulting, LLC (Small) Precision Technologies, Inc. (Women Owned Small Business) Talson Solutions, Inc. (Small)

11) Statement of Actions to overcome barriers of competition:

The Government shall work to ensure that full and open competition is sought whenever possible. In the future, the Government will continue to review like or similar items to fulfill the requirement for

NAVAIDS support systems as identified in this justification and approval for other than full and open competition.

12) Approval Statement:

The Contracting Officer and the responsible technical or requirements representative certifies by signature below that the information contained in this justification is accurate and complete to the best of his/her knowledge and belief.

13) Signatures/Approving Officials: See attached signature/approval routing page.

SIGNATURE/APPROVAL ROUTING

Navigational Aid (NAVAID) Systems for Prince Sultan Air Base (PSAB), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Solicitation Number/Task ID: 47QFWA21R0006/ID07210011

Technical Representative’s Certification: By signatory below, I state that I have read, understand, and agree with the technical information/representation made herein. USAFCENT/AFFSA provided GSA specific information expressed herein, which is current and accurate to the best our knowledge.

MATTHEW GAULKE (Contractor – DigiFlight) Date

ATCALS Program Manager, USAFCENT/A3AO, Technical Representative

By signatory below, I state that I determine the statutory authority as cited herein and expressed in FAR 6.302-1(c)(1) apply to this justification, and the justification is hereby approved on its merits as noted.

Information was presented as being accurate and complete as received from the client and was fully relied upon to document the request for brand name requirement described herein.

Contracting Officer’s Certification/Approval:

ERIN QUINN-NEUENDORF Date Contracting Officer

AAS Branch Chief Review/Coordination/Approval:

PATRICIA RANCIER Date Acting Branch Chief (7QFAB)

Region 7 Legal Counsel Review/Coordination/Approval:

AMY COOK Date Regional 7 Legal Counsel

AAS Director Review/Coordination/Approval:

LATASHA M. GOINES Date Acting Director, Assisted Acquisition Division (7QFA)

Region 7 Competition Advocate Review/Coordination/Approval:

ALAN SEARSY Date Acting Competition Advocate

GAULKE.MATTHEW.D.1043

631914

Digitally signed by

GAULKE.MATTHEW.D.1043631914

Date: 2021.03.17 07:46:22 -04'00'

DocuSign Envelope ID: 862145D4-411F-473E-9FA3-D04F6D4E8817

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