Att.3 Redacted Justification Restricting Competition - Dark Fiber USNA.pdf

This is a Justification Restricting Competition (J&A) document for a sole source procurement action by the United States Naval Academy (USNA) through NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk.

The procurement establishes a firm fixed-price (FFP) purchase order with Maryland Broadband Corp. (MDbroadband) for the provision of fiber optic cables and related installation services. The action is classified as a new requirement valued at an undisclosed amount (pricing details redacted) and will be funded with anticipated FY26 OPN appropriations. The required supplies include 2" roll duct (7,786 units), dark fiber maintenance with 3% annual increase (1 unit), dark fiber IRU infrastructure (1 unit), directional bore (7,200 units), fiber 96-count (8,200 units), flagger services (12 units), large handholes (7 units), handholes installation (7 units), permitting and engineering (1 unit), pull fiber (7,850 units), TMA crash truck (3 units), and tracer wire (7,500 units). The work encompasses all required permitting, utility coordination, trenching, directional boring, conduit installation, fiber placement, splicing, testing, labeling, documentation, and site restoration necessary to deliver a fully operational redundant fiber connection.

The justification for sole source procurement cites 41 U.S.C. 1901 and FAR 12.102(b) as the statutory authority. MDbroadband is identified as the only viable source capable of providing the dark fiber due to existing infrastructure exclusively available in Maryland. A Sources Sought Notice posted to SAM.gov on 09 July 2026 (closing 23 July 2026) yielded three responses, but none were deemed capable of providing maintenance and extensions to preexisting infrastructure rights. The procurement objective is to establish a secondary fiber path to eliminate single points of failure in USNA's enterprise enclave network, ensuring continuity of service for academic and research initiatives in accordance with Department of Defense and Navy requirements.