jofoc.pdf

Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition

National Nuclear Security Administration

System Engineering and Integration Support and Independent Technical and Programmatic Analysis

89233119CNA000097

August 23, 2019

I. AGENCY IDENTITY AND CONTRACTING OFFICE

The Offices of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation and Defense Programs of the U.S. Department of Energy

(DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) plans to contract for System Engineering and

Integration Support and Independent Technical and Programmatic Analysis by means of other than full and open competition. The contracting activity is the NNSA Office of Acquisition Management.

II. NATURE AND/OR DESCRIPTION OF ACTION BEING APPROVED

This document sets forth the justification and approval for the use of one of the exceptions to full and open competition allowed under the Competition in Contracting Act (CICA) of 1984. This new contract action is for a 5-year, Cost Plus Fixed Fee, sole source acquisition to Aerospace Corporation (Aerospace), 2310 E. El

Segundo Blvd., El Segundo, CA 90245, to provide mission assurance and systems engineering, independent technical analysis and review, and advisory services in support of the Office of Defense Nuclear

Nonproliferation Research and Development (DNN R&D), Space-based Nuclear Detonation Detection

(SNDD) portfolio and Office of Defense Programs (DP), Systems Engineering and Integration (SE&I).

The contractor is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) that specializes in technical guidance and advice for space missions and does a substantial amount of work with the U.S.

Government. Aerospace was established in 1960 and has operated under the cognizance of the United States

Air Force (USAF) Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) and the National Reconnaissance Office

(NRO). Aerospace performs work for United States agencies in providing scientific and engineering support for launch, space, and related ground systems that serve the United States Government’s space activities including: launch certification, system-of-systems engineering, systems development and acquisition, process implementation, and technology application.

III. DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES AND/OR SERVICES

The services to be acquired under this contract will include the following:

Work with the NNSA to define and plan implementation of tailored System Engineering and

Integration (SE&I) functions that meet NNSA specific needs;

Provide SE&I support for interfacing with United States Nuclear Detonation (NUDET) Detection

System (USNDS) satellite, constellation, and ground systems. These functions will include support of cross-organizational technical integration activities, independent programmatic and technical monitoring, and support of key technical and programmatic reviews;

Provide system engineering and mission assurance support to the instrument development activities.

These functions include independent system, programmatic and technical monitoring, support of program and technical reviews, and subject-matter expertise to aid in resolution of technical problems that arise in the development and deployment of systems; and

Provide technical support for verification, validation, and accreditation (VV&A) activities. VV&A activities include mission and product assurance and processes by which new capabilities, and assessment tool quality are investigated, documented, and approved. This includes, but is not limited to, VV&A support of the modeling and simulation performance evaluation capability.

The total estimated value of this acquisition, inclusive of a 1-year base and four 1-year options, is $79M.

The anticipated start date is October 1, 2019 and the anticipated end date is September 30, 2024.

IV. AUTHORITY

The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 41 USC 3304(a)(3), as implemented by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 6.302-3 entitled, “Industrial

Mobilization; Engineering, Developmental, or Research Capability; or Expert Services.”

V. APPLICATION OF AUTHORITY

Per FAR 6.302-3(a)(2)(ii), full and open competition need not be provided for when it is necessary to award the contract to a particular source or sources in order to establish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or development capability to be provided by an educational or other nonprofit institution or a

FFRDC. This authority may be appropriate when it is necessary to (i) establish or maintain an essential capability for theoretical analyses, exploratory studies, or experiments in any field of science or technology;

(ii) establish or maintain an essential capability for engineering or developmental work calling for the practical application of investigative findings and theories of a scientific or technical nature; or (iii) contract for supplies or services as are necessary incident to the aforementioned (i.e. (i) or (ii)). FAR 6.302-3(b)(2).

Aerospace, an FFRDC, has essential, and unique, capabilities consistent with FAR 6.302-3(b)(2). Aerospace is the only contractor who works with SMC in integrating NNSA’s components on satellites under the cognizance of the USAF. Additionally, Aerospace is the only contractor authorized (access to facilities, data, and associated hardware) through SMC, to perform the activities required under the contemplated contract, to SMC’s required specifications on behalf of NNSA and working with other Agencies to ensure proper integration and Do-No-Harm (DNH) protocols. This capability is done at such a large and specialized scale that a non-FFRDC entity could not accomplish this support and integration.

Furthermore, Aerospace has an unmatched depth and breadth of in-house technical expertise in all relevant technical areas, extensive systems engineering, mission assurance, and program integration expertise, over

50 years of DoD experience, and a nationally recognized reputation for providing the highest quality, unbiased, independent and objective technical assessments. Aerospace is unique through its combination of core technical capabilities applicable to nuclear weapons, deep systems-level experience in the development of complex, highly integrated systems, and a freedom from conflict of interest.

Aerospace’s core technical capabilities include, but are not limited to, technical experts in all areas of technology applicable to nuclear weapons including power, energy storage, materials, guidance and control, telecommunications, propulsion, structures, digital and analog electronics, passive and active electro-optical and RF instrumentation, computer and software engineering, data exploitation, explosive ordinance, dynamics, trajectories, modeling and simulation, ground systems, information systems, mission operations, fabrication and manufacturing processes, technology development, system architecture, systems engineering and mission assurance, systems and program integration, risk assessment, cost, schedule and program excitability. Aerospace also maintains an array of physical science laboratories that are used for assessing environmental effects, and material properties, identifying failure mechanisms, diagnostics, development of prototype experimental hardware and technology development.

Aerospace systems engineering and mission assurance knowledge is based on its role in developing each and every launch vehicle and payload flown by the USAF and National Security Space Launch. These systems are critical to the national security of the United States and must be developed and maintained at the highest levels of readiness and reliability achievable, similar to levels expected for nuclear weapons. Aerospace certifies the readiness of every USAF and National Security Space Mission for launch. Aerospace maintains extensive lessons learned databases and analytical capabilities to assess readiness and reliability of hardware and systems similar in technology and make-up to those managed by DP.

Aerospace systems development and acquisition experience spans over 50 years of supporting the highly integrated highly complex system development. In this capacity, Aerospace plays a key role in support to the

Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center in revitalizing acquisition processes for next generation delivery systems, and maintains unique knowledge across the weapon-delivery system interface. This knowledge is directly applicable to similar weapon-delivery system interfaces on current or planned weapons life extension programs. Through this work, Aerospace is knowledgeable with the Nuclear Weapons Council and Project

Officer’s Group structure used to jointly manage NNSA life extension programs in partnership with the

DoD.

Aerospace is chartered to provide the highest quality unbiased technical advice to support government decision makers. Aerospace’s position in the industry is as an independent honest broker and “trusted agent” for the Government, therefore, Aerospace maintains freedom from conflicts of interest. It does not participate with industry in competitive solicitations, and does not produce, market, or sell large scale hardware or systems.

VI. EFFORTS TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL SOURCES

A “Notice of Intent” to sole source was published on the Federal Business Opportunities website. In addition, a sources sought announcement was issued requesting statements of capability from small businesses having interest and specialized capability to provide the services outlined in the PWS.

VII. DETERMINATION OF REASONABLENESS OF COST OR PRICE

It is the determination of the Contracting Officer that the anticipated costs will be fair and reasonable based on a price/cost analysis performed utilizing technical cost analysis, an independent government cost estimate, and previous historical data.

VIII. MARKET RESEARCH

The notices discussed in VI above were published to reach out to the market and ascertain whether other sources of this work were available. No other sources were identified through this effort that had the specialized expertise necessary to meet the mission requirements.

IX. OTHER FACTS

Historically, contractor support for NNSA requirements has been acquired through SMC by interagency agreement. SMC, the FFRDC sponsor, has set in place procedures for a non-DoD agency to contract directly with the Aerospace.

X. INTERESTED SOURCES

As a result of the Notice of Intent, two responses were received. The first provided information that was evaluated and did not meet the specialized capability required for this effort. The second was a simple email which expressed interest in further understanding this acquisition. This response was received after the deadline for the sources sought announcement had expired and did not include the required statement of capabilities per the sources sought announcement. Neither of these responses resulted in identification of a source capable of providing the required services and no other responses were received.

XI. STEPS TO FOSTER COMPETITION

For future requirements, NNSA will perform market research through requests for information and assess whether competition for those requirements is feasible if additional potential sources are identified.

XII. CERTIFICATION

Acquisition Initiator/Technical Representative:

I certify that the facts and representations under my cognizance, which are included in this justification and which form a basis for this justification, are complete and accurate.

Signature Date

Contracting Officer:

I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Senior Procurement Executive:

I have reviewed this Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition and find it to be accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. Since this JOFOC exceeds $68 M, this review serves as approval.

Date_3: 8-23-2019