B1 - JA 21-0212 - MCS BLOCK 2 SIGNED Redacted.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY

NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER TRAINING SYSTEMS DIVISION

12211 SCIENCE DRIVE

ORLANDO FLORIDA 32826-3224

J&A 21-0212

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1. Contracting Activity.

Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD)

2. Description of the Action Being Approved.

This Justification and Approval (J&A) authorizes and approves the authority to negotiate and award a contract to CAE USA, Inc. (CAE) to modify and upgrade the Undergraduate Military Flight Officer (UMFO) Multi-Crew Simulator (MCS) 2B51 device Block 2 via hardware upgrades, software development/integration and the delivery of associated technical documentation and spares to Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, FL.

3. Description of Supplies/Services.

The MCS is an unclassified classroom-type training device and is considered two devices having three student stations each. The devices can be configured to represent multiple types of aircraft (E-2, E-6, EP-3, P-3, and P-8 aircraft platforms) with multiple sensor configurations, but always based on generic sensor characteristics. The devices enable Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA) to provide training to Naval Flight Officers (NFOs) to acquire military aviation skills in airways and radar navigations, weapons systems operations, sensor utilization and electronic warfare operations, communication effectiveness, situational awareness and in-flight decision-making. These training devices support the UMFO Advance Maritime Command and Control syllabus.

The Block 2 modification will elevate the MCS device to operate within current cybersecurity requirements, add communications capabilities to the trainer, address existing obsolescence issues, and reduce training systems life cycle costs. The planned upgrades include - Upgrade all computational systems software to the latest cybersecurity compliant Operation System (OS);

Upgrade all computational systems hardware to increase life-cycle supportability; Upgrade all application software and drivers to the latest version; Upgrade all Servers to the latest Windows servers to meet cybersecurity requirements; Upgrade the Communications System functionality to enhance student training; Upgrade the current Image Generator (IG) System to the latest version available to meet cybersecurity requirements; Upgrade the Offline Development System / Virtual Simulator (OLDS/VS) to a fully functioning Standalone Offline Development Station;

Upgrade the two interconnected/dependent MCS trainers to be two fully independent trainers;

and Increase fidelity by correction of existing discrepancies in the system.

In January 2021, the Government queried CAE about purchasing TMT source code and additional data rights to modify, reproduce, release, perform, display and/or disclose the MCS software, or if a third party contractor could purchase these data rights from CAE. CAE stated that neither the source code, nor the technical data rights for use/modification of the data are available for purchase by the Government or by a third party. The TMT software makes up the baseline code for all MCS functionality, to include all strands of the Maritime Naval Flight Officer training curriculum for E-2, E-6, EP-3, P-3 and P-8 aircraft, thus modification of a portion of the TMT software code will be imperative in order to facilitate the communications and software functionality upgrades that will make up a significant portion of MCS Block 2.

Working with the existing TMT software construct will allow the MCS trainer to maintain and in some areas increase functionality while allowing the program to stay within the defined budget parameters for MCS Block 2 due to leveraging the existing software baseline. Any other Contractor would be forced to develop all new system software from scratch, resulting in unacceptable duplication of costs.

The engineering cost estimate for CAE to complete the Block 2 upgrades is as depicted in the table above. The engineering cost estimate for another contractor to deliver the Block 2 upgrades, which would require them to replace much of the software already delivered by CAE as well as the technical data, is . Therefore, in comparison with the engineering estimate for CAE to complete the Block 2 effort ( ), the duplication of cost for another contractor to complete the effort is estimated to be about ( - ) which would not be expected to be recovered through competition of the MCS Block 2 effort.

6. Description of Efforts Made to Solicit Offers from as Many Offerors as Practicable.

In compliance with PGI 206.302-1, the Procuring Contracting Officer (PCO) issued a sources sought notice to the Contract Opportunities via BetaSAM.gov on 19 January 2021. The intent of the notice was to seek information on the availability of potential comparable sources to provide MCS Block 2 modification to CNATRA. The intent of the notice was to ensure full consideration is given to all potential sources. No responses were received.

In accordance with FAR 5.201, the PCO issued a pre-solicitation notice to Contract Opportunities via Beta.SAM.gov on 22 February 2021. The intent of the notice was to ensure full consideration is given to all potential sources. No responses were received.

The lack of any response to these outreach efforts confirms the assertion that no source other than CAE is capable of producing and delivering the requirements in a timely manner. The PCO will address any responses received prior to contract award. No additional market research was conducted because it is not practicable, for the reasons discussed in paragraph 5, for any company other than CAE to provide these requirements.

7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost.

The Contracting Officer has determined the anticipated cost to the Government of the supplies/services covered by this J&A will be fair and reasonable.

8. Actions to Remove Barriers to Future Competition.

Competitive acquisition strategies will be pursued to the greatest possible extent (provided the necessary data are available) for future MCS Block upgrades if training requirements arise beyond the scope set forth in this document. For the reasons described in paragraph 5, NAWCTSD has determined competing this requirement to be impractical and has no plans at this time to compete future contracts for the types of supplies/services covered by this document.

If another potential source emerges, NAWCTSD will assess whether competition for future requirements is feasible.