AMDOTS JA REDACTED.pdf

Department of the Air Force: Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition

CUI

March 2026 Page 1 of 5

Dollar Value of this Acquisition: < $10M > $10M and < $100M > $100M and < $500M > $500M

CERTIFICATIONS: CO certification serves as J&A approval < $10M, See J&A Template Guidance at https://usaf.dps.mil/sites/ AFCC/AQCP/KnowledgeCenter/SitePages/DAF-Contracting-Compass/Part-6---Competition-Requirements.aspx for completing the J&A sections and J&A Approval Guidance

Date Contracting Officer (RFO 6.104-1(12)) Amanda Smith

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

Signature

Date

06 March 2026

Technical and Requirements Personnel (RFO 6.104(b)) Stuart Smith

I certify that the supporting data herein, which is my responsibility, is accurate and complete.

Signature

COORDINATION

APPROVALS ( RFO 6.104-2(a) Table 6-1 & R-DFARS 206.104-72 Table 206.1)

See J&A Template Guidance (https://usaf.dps.mil/sites/AFCC/AQCP/KnowledgeCenter/SitePages/DAF-Contracting-Compass/ Part-6---Competition-Requirements.aspx) - J&A Approval Guidelines

NOTE 1: A signature block will appear here (replacing these notes) based on the "Dollar Value of this Acquisition" selected above. Since most digital signatures that include date/time-stamps are redacted before they are made publicly available, always insert the date in the “Date” cell when affixing a digital signature to this document.

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I. Agency and Contracting Activity (RFO 6.104-1(a)(1)):

Department of Air Force, Air Combat Command, 55th Contracting Squadron, Offutt Air Force Base (AFB), NE is the contracting activity responsible for this sole source justification for other than full and open competition. The organizational activity is NC3 Enterprise Center/NEOC (NEC/NEOC).

II. Nature and/or description of the action being approved (RFO 6.104-1(a)(2)):

This document approves the award of a follow-on, Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract for Air and Missile Defense Operational Test Suite (AMDOTS) Remote Monitoring Units (RMU) Extended Warranty Support for United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) located at Offutt AFB, NE on a sole source basis to Protogate Inc. (Protogate). This equipment allows for the standardization of monitoring Missile Warning, Air Mission, and Space Sensor message collection, allowing stand-alone post-test analysis capability. Protogate engineered the Protogate Freeway data communication server to fulfill the requirements of AMDOTS RMU project. Per the PWS, there are 50 locations that house the AMDOTS RMU equipment. Regular hardware and software maintenance is essential for proper equipment functionality. This justification is made on an Individual basis.

III. Description of supplies/services required to meet agency needs (RFO 6.104-1(a)(3)):

Air and Missile Defense Operational Test Suite (AMDOTS) Remote Monitoring Units (RMU) is specialized military equipment. This equipment allows for the standardization of monitoring Missile Warning, Air Mission, and Space Sensor message collection, allowing stand-alone post-test analysis capability.

Protogate, Inc. (Protogate) engineered the Protogate Freeway data communication server to fulfill the requirements of AMDOTS RMU project. Within the AMDOTS project, the Freeway Monitor product is referred to as a RMU.

Each RMU system is comprised of a Protogate Freeway server box containing one or more ICP2432B Intelligent Communication Processors (ICP) for monitoring serial communication lines. The ICP boards tap into existing serial lines through the use of EIA-232/EIA-530 monitoring cables, also known as Y-cables. The Y-cables prevent the RMU from interacting with any operational system. Some RMU systems also contain additional Network Interface Cards (NIC) for monitoring operational Ethernet connections.

The RMU software consists of the monitor daemon running on the Freeway server. The daemon collects data from the ICP and NIC boards and stores the data on the Freeway hard drive. The daemon also provides a user interface for configuration and control of the serial and Ethernet connections. Each ICP board runs one of Protogate's standard protocol software products (such as ADCCP, Mode I, Milstar, etc). The type of protocol software loaded on the ICP boards vary from site to site.

The RMU system is completely self-contained for data collection. The output data generated by the RMU consists only of data files that contain records of individual messages obtained by monitoring the target communication circuits. Each message record within the files includes the date/time received, the decoded short name of the message recognized, the size of the message, and either a HEX or ASCII representation of the entire message received, including checksum. Stored message data is extracted from the RMU using a dedicated Ethernet connection that can be optionally connected to the SIPRNET or local hub. For sites where network connections are not available, message data may be written on a DVD disc and physically removed from the site.

Protogate supplies all the hardware and software components of the RMU system except for the

March 2026 Page 3 of 5 equipment needed to physically tap into existing lines. These devices are normally patch panels (for serial lines) or Ethernet taps (for IP connections) and are provided by the customer. The remaining components are all proprietary to Protogate. As such, the RMU can only be maintained by Protogate since they are the sole developer/manufacturer of these components. Since the Freeway Monitor product was developed, Protogate has provided the AMDOTS project with hardware and software maintenance support. Hardware support normally includes equipment repair and replacement.

Software support normally includes bug fixes and updates.

There are 50 locations that house the AMDOTS RMU equipment. Regular hardware and software maintenance is essential for proper equipment functionality. Hardware maintenance must be corrected or replaced within 30 days of shipping date. Software maintenance requires any deficiencies to be corrected and/or software to be updated. Software updates must include updated documentation, including change modifications, enhancements, and additions. Vulnerability patching will be provided at a minimum quarterly, or as soon as possible for critical deficiencies.

This requirement is for a Firm-Fixed price contract with one (1) base period and two (2) option periods.

Estimated total annual cost for the base and two option years are with a total estimated cost of .

IV. Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open Competition (RFO 6.104-1(a)(4)):

10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1), Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

V. Rationale for Use of Authority (RFO 6.104-1(a)(5)):

This document provides the formal justification for awarding a sole-source contract to Protogate for the continued support of the AMDOTS RMUs. The basis for this non-competitive procurement is that Protogate is the only vendor possessing the unique qualifications and proprietary rights required to meet the Government's needs.

Protogate is the original and sole manufacturer of the Freeway systems and maintains exclusive ownership of the proprietary source code for the associated software. Due to intellectual property and copyright protections, this software cannot be duplicated, serviced, or maintained by any other vendor.

This status was formally confirmed in a Proprietary Confirmation Letter provided by Protogate on December 16, 2025.

Efforts were undertaken by USSTRATCOM NEC/NEAC to identify alternative sources. Market research concluded that no other vendor possesses the requisite design, manufacturing, production, or process data necessary to fulfill the minimum operational requirements of the AMDOTS RMU systems.

Awarding this contract to any source other than Protogate would result in a substantial duplication of costs for the Government. The estimated financial burden includes over to replace the existing AMDOTS RMUs, in addition to significant, unrecoverable warranty costs.

The long-term sustainment strategy for the AMDOTS system identifies the continuation of the contract with Protogate as the most cost-effective solution for the foreseeable future. Protogate has occupied this niche market within the Government for several decades.

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However, the current intellectual property and data rights approach presents significant hindrances to future competition. Protogate's proprietary control over the software and technical data effectively prevents other vendors from competing for sustainment, system upgrades, or technology insertion, as they lack the necessary knowledge and proprietary information.

For the Government to execute an alternative sustainment strategy, it would require access to the proprietary technical data and software that are currently the exclusive property of Protogate. While a future migration to Internet Protocol (IP) based communications could potentially introduce new vendors and mitigate the risk of vendor lock, such a transition would be a costly and complex undertaking. It would impose a substantial duplication of costs that is not expected to be recovered through subsequent competition.

Based on Protogate's status as the sole manufacturer with proprietary rights to the AMDOTS RMU hardware and software, the unsuccessful search for alternative vendors, and the prohibitive costs associated with transitioning to a new system, it is determined that Protogate is the only source capable of meeting the Government's requirements in a cost-effective manner.

VI. Integrated Market Analysis and Efforts to Solicit Competition (RFO 6.104-1(a)(6), (8), and (10)):

Initial market research and a review of historical acquisitions revealed that while other vendors produce similar products, none possess the proprietary rights necessary to perform services on the AMDOTS RMUs. The primary barrier to competition is that Protogate holds the proprietary source code and data rights for the Freeway systems used in AMDOTS. A letter from Protogate on December 16, 2025, confirmed they are the exclusive manufacturer and the only company that can provide the required warranty and maintenance services.

Analysis by the Senior Systems Engineer supporting USSTRATCOM NEC/NEAC concluded that replacing the Protogate equipment would be a costly and complex undertaking. A new vendor would need to engineer a "form, fit, and function" equivalent, resulting in substantial duplication of cost to the Government that would not be recovered through competition.

In efforts to solicit competition, a Sources Sought (SS) notice was posted to SAM.gov on January 20, 2026, for seven working days, closing on January 29, 2026. To be considered viable, vendors were required to demonstrate the capability to service the AMDOTS RMUs, which implicitly required access to the proprietary software and expert knowledge of Government-mandated security protocols.

Additional research included reviewing the GSA eBuy Multiple Award Schedule (MAS), an inter-agency Contract Directory, and the AAFIC Launchpad, none of which yielded a suitable, mandatory source for this service.

The Sources Sought notice yielded a response from Nexverra Technologies LLC. However, upon review by the Chief of the NC3 Systems Certification Branch, Nexverra was deemed technically unacceptable.

The vendor's capability statement did not demonstrate the required expert knowledge of Government-mandated security protocols, and their unfamiliarity with the proprietary software presented a significant risk of system degradation if modifications were attempted.

Based on the market analysis, it is confirmed that only one source, Protogate, Inc., can meet the Government's minimum requirements for the AMDOTS RMU warranty and support without incurring unacceptable cost or schedule impacts associated with developing a new system and deploying it to

March 2026 Page 5 of 5 over 48 locations worldwide.

VII. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost (RFO 6.104-1(a)(7)):

The Contracting Officer is responsible for evaluating, determining, and documenting the anticipated contract cost/price is fair and reasonable in accordance with RFO Subpart 15.4, Contract Pricing.

VIII. Any Other Facts Supporting the Justification (RFO 6.104-1(a)(9)):

In accordance with RFO 6.103-1(c)(2), a follow-on, sole-source acquisition is justified due to the substantial duplication of costs the Government would incur if it were to switch to a new contractor.

Based on historical pricing for the 50 unique AMDOTS RMU system configurations, the estimated cost to replace all existing units is upwards of . This figure is derived from the total equipment value of before the application of special government discounts. Furthermore, procuring entirely new systems would introduce additional warranty coverage costs, which typically range from 15% to 20% of the total equipment value annually. Retaining the current contractor, Protogate Inc., eliminates these significant duplicated costs and avoids the substantial lead time and labor associated with upgrading the hardware and software components across all 50 locations.

IX. Actions to Overcome Barriers to Competition (RFO 6.104-1(a)(11):

The Government does not intend to replace the current system within the next three years. However, if the Government does upgrade or replace the system, market research will be conducted to find potential alternative systems that do not require proprietary access.