Limited_Source_Justification_Final_redacted_Redacted.pdf

Search And Rescue Optimal Planning System (SAROPS) Support Services

Source Selection Information

See FAR Part 2.101 and 3.104

For Official Use Only

Limited Source Justification

Search And Rescue Optimal Planning System (SAROPS) Support Services

This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Multiple-Award Schedule Program, 41 U.S.C.

152(3), Competitive Procedures, and 40 U.S.C. 501, Services for Executive Agencies the following facts and rationale support this limited sources justification under FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(B):

(1) Agency and Contracting Activity.

The Department of Homeland Security, United States Coast Guard (USCG), Control and

Communications Engineering Center (C3CEN) proposes to enter into a nine (9) month task order on a basis other than full and open competition.

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

It is the intent of the USCG C3CEN to award a limited source task order to Northrop Grumman Systems

Corporation Information Systems (Northrop Grumman), the incumbent, for continued services to support system lifecycle operations and maintenance tasks for all components of the USCG’s SAROPS.

SAROPS is operated in every USCG Sector, District and Area Command Center for Search And Rescue cases in both Domestic and International waters. This includes fast response close in cases within the

Coastal Zone, Western Rivers, and Great Lakes as well as in distant High Seas across the globe. SAROPS is classified as a Mission Essential System (MES) since the USCG is fully dependent upon it to fulfill its

Search Planning requirements. The previously limited source award did not allow enough time for the

Government to generate a Scope of Work (SOW) for the Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) that supports the projected Agile Framework. This nine (9) month sole source task order is necessary to prevent an interruption in the SAROPS support services while the competitive acquisition is finalized and awarded. The complexity of the follow-on award requires multiple documents be provided to potential offerors for their review and understanding of the requirement. The Government intends to issue a draft

Request for Proposal (RFP) No Later Than (NLT) 30 March 2018 to allow for the requested 90 days of access to the documents prior to submission of the proposals. The nine (9) month order (inclusive of the continuation of services clause) will allow adequate time for the Government to solicit, evaluate and award with the provision for a 90 day transition period, if required.

(3) Description of Supplies/Services.

The purpose of this procurement action is for ongoing support services for system lifecycle operations and maintenance tasks for all components of the USCG’s SAROPS. SAROPS is a Command and Control tool used for the direction of military forces. The ultimate SAROPS product is a Search Action Plan with search assignments for Search and Rescue Units (SRUs). These support services include requirements management, project planning, system design and development, system improvements, quality assurance verification, configuration management, and logistics support. As the incumbent, Northrop Grumman will continue to be responsible for continued support of SAROPS.

Period Of Performance Labor Travel Total

Nine Months

(4) Identification of the justification and the rationale.

See FAR Part 2.101 and 3.104

For Official Use Only

This acquisition is being conducted under the authority of FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(B) “Only one source is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services are unique or highly specialized.”

The USCG requires the SAROPS services to support system lifecycle operations and maintenance tasks for all components, a critical system for the USCG. Northrop Grumman currently holds the contract to maintain and sustain this system. At this time, there is no fallback system available if SAROPS should itself become unavailable. This leaves the USCG in the position of being fully dependent upon a system for critical operations and the system itself is fully dependent on a ready staff of experienced and qualified contractors to maintain. SAROPS, like all modern IT solutions, is not a self-contained black box. Rather SAROPS can be considered as a system of systems with bidirectional dependencies for requisite services to provide authentication, security, and a wide array of critical data feeds and interfaces.

Some of these (e.g., COSPAS SARSAT, RESCUE 21, AMVER) are themselves critical systems. It is essential maintenance measures are maintained to ensure SAROPS remains a viable solution that can fulfill its requirements and remain in proper standing for operations, cyber security and uphold a valid

Authority To Operate (ATO) certification.

Due to unanticipated delays during the development of the follow on, the USCG will be unable to maintain the SAROPS system without leveraging the current support workforce. The transition to any other vendor besides the current incumbent would require at least 90 days to review the Bidder’s Library, which contains all the necessary information any potential offeror needs to review in order to propose to this requirement. The Government cannot run two source selections for this requirement, one for continuity of operations and one for the follow on, when a Bidder’s Library is so integral to being able to propose. Thus, entering into a sole source with the incumbent is in the best interests of the USCG to ensure continued operations.

(5) Determination by the ordering activity Contracting Officer that the anticipated order represents the best value consistent with 8.404(d).

The Contracting Officer has determined that the anticipated price for the support services will be fair and reasonable. This order will be placed in accordance with FAR 8.404 – Use of Federal Supply Schedules.

General Services Administration has already negotiated fair and reasonable pricing. Prior to issuance of the task order, the ordering activity will consider the level of effort and the mix of labor proposed to perform the specific task being ordered, and for determining that the total price is reasonable.

(6) A description of the market research conducted among schedule holders and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted.

Results of the Request for Information (RFI) concluded that Offerors would need a minimum of 90-days prior to RFP submission deadline to review the Bidder’s Library. This required timeframe determined that no other vendor is capable of providing these services during the need for continued operations.

(7) Any other facts supporting the justification.

There are no additional facts.

(8) A statement of actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services is made.

See FAR Part 2.101 and 3.104

For Official Use Only

USCG is actively working on the follow on acquisition to ensure full and open competition is pursued.

(9) Contracting Officer’s Certification.

In accordance with FAR 8.405-6(c)(2)(ix), I certify that the data supporting the recommended use of other than full and open competition is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Date

Contracting Officer

(10) Technical/Requirements Personnel Certification.

I certify that this requirement meets the Government’s minimum need and that the supporting data, which forms a basis for the justification, is accurate and complete.

Technical Representative Date

(11) Legal Review and Concurrence:

I have reviewed this justification.

Date

Legal Counsel

(12) APPROVAL:

Date

Command Procuring Activity Competition Advocate, CPACA