CJA for FY26-31 GA BOA (Approved 6 May 2026) 1_Redacted.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND

RADM WILLIAM A MOFFETT BUILDING

47123 BUSE ROAD BLDG 2272

PATUXENT RIVER MARYLAND 20670-1547

CJ&A 26-0098

CLASS JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1. Contracting Activity.

Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Headquarters

2. Description of the Action Being Approved.

This Class Justification and Approval (CJ&A) authorizes and approves the issuance of orders on a sole-source basis to General Atomics (GA) under the establishment of a follow-on basic ordering agreement (BOA). The BOA orders are anticipated to provide supplies and services required to support the U.S. Navy (USN) Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) and Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) requirements on the GERALD R. FORD-class (Ford-class) aircraft carriers. The authority to act under this CJ&A expires on June 23, 2031.

3. Description of Supplies/Services.

NAVAIR will execute orders to procure the following supplies and services to support the sustainment requirements, which are not covered under other program contractual vehicles:

Engineering, Logistics, and Technical Support: Provide non-recurring engineering (NRE) to develop retrofit hardware and software; manage obsolescence; execute redesigns; and implement improvements to operational performance, safety, reliability, maintainability, life, and operational readiness. Resolve defects of assemblies, components, and parts. Develop installation, removal, and maintenance procedures including technical publications and directives to include the validation/verification of the procedures.

Retrofit Kit Procurement and Installation: Supplies and services including but not limited to:

manufacture, modification, installation, calibration, and repair of ancillary, government-furnished equipment, spare/repair parts, special tooling, subsystems, training devices, and support equipment (including peculiar support equipment).

Technical Data: Development and delivery of associated technical, administrative, and financial data.

Depot Standup Activities: Design test benches, procurement of tooling to support depot standup activity, multi-site laboratory setup and major lab procurements.

Spares: Manufacture of initial and lay-in rotable pool spare, insurance spare, and battle spare parts (FY26 only)

CJ&A 26-0098

Specifically, individual orders are anticipated to include, but are not limited to:

• AAG Depot Standup

• Phase 2: Development of Depot Test Bench requirements, including Support Equipment

(SE) Requirements Documentation, Detailed Functional Description Documentation Packages, Depot level repair and overhaul instructions, and Logistics Products Database gap closure

• Phase 3: Depot Test Bench requirements refinement, SE procurement, and Depot level repair and overhaul instructions, and Logistics Products Database gap closure

• AAG ECP for Flash Capacitor kit and installation

• AAG obsolescence NRE, kits, and installation

• AAG Purchase Cable Drum and Cable-Based Arresting System Purchase Cable Slack

• AAG primary software development

• AAG Thrust Bearing Adaptor and installation

• EMALS Electrical Isolation kits and installation

• EMALS Aft Bogey redesign and kits

• EMALS/AAG battle spares, rotable pool spares, and insurance spares (FY26 only)

The total estimated dollar value of the anticipated actions for execution under the five-year ordering period is

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open Competition.

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

5. Rationale Justifying Use of Cited Statutory Authority.

In accordance with FAR § 6.103-1(c)(2)(ii), the Government has deemed the AAG and EMALS supplies and services listed above to be available only through the original source in the case of a follow-on contract and award to another source would result in unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency’s requirements.

GA is the original designer, developer, and manufacturer of the EMALS and AAG system. After the Program Definition and Risk Reduction phase, NAVAIR conducted a limited competition and selected GA’s single design. NAVAIR awarded cost-type contracts to GA Electromagnetics Systems (EMS) Division for further development during the EMALS and AAG System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase. NAVAIR awarded the AAG SDD contract to GA-EMS in 2003 and awarded the EMALS SDD contract to GA-EMS in 2004. Additionally, NAVAIR awarded three production contracts to GA for CVN 78, CVN 79/80, and CVN 81. Two previous BOAs were awarded to GA for USN AAG and EMALS support and supplies similar in nature to this follow-on

BOA.

GA is the only company with the technical expertise, technical data, and in-depth knowledge of both systems to provide the supplies and services identified in paragraph 3 that will satisfy the USN’s requirements. Furthermore, only GA has the established supplier base as well as the engineering and manufacturing processes that are critical for the continued support of these requirements. The Government possesses limited technical and sustainment data for AAG and EMALS, however, this data is not sufficient to enable an alternate source to perform the required support for system-level engineering, major system or subsystem development, testing, kit manufacturing, integration, and sustainment (including spares procurement) within required schedule constraints.

Only GA can provide the NRE, engineering changes, and required support to AAG and EMALS, to include subsystems and components, while maintaining the baseline configurations during the concurrent production and sustainment phases. Supplies and services procured through an alternate source would require the Government to deliver the equipment to GA for additional integration/testing and qualification prior to being placed in ready-for-issue status, or additional on-site testing and recertification of repairs. In addition, procuring through an alternate source would require movement of the labs to a new contractor facility and the standup of a new depot facility (to include development and test capability). Awarding to a new source would result in unacceptable delays in fulfilling the current Ford-class requirements by up to 10 years. This delay is based on a program office estimate from a prior major reliability redesign effort that spanned five years for NRE, two years for prototype manufacturing, and three years for integration testing and ship installation. This type of delay would severely impact Ford-class availability, reliability and maintainability for mission readiness.

Based on the unacceptable delays that would result from possible awards to another source, the Government has determined GA is the only responsible source capable of meeting the Government's needs.

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

On July 3, 2025, the NAVAIR Procurement Group posted a sources-sought notice on SAM.gov for eligible firms that could meet the engineering and technical support, life cycle logistics, technical data management, and depot standup activities requirements. Three sources, GA, BHPE LLC, and Neometrix Defense Limited responded. GA and Neometrix Defense Limited provided capability statements that were reviewed by the Government. Based on NAVAIR’s requirements, it was determined that BHPE LLC and Neometrix Defense Limited are incapable of meeting the requirements because both companies do not possess or have authorized access to the technical data necessary to complete all of the tasking described in the sources-sought notice and, further, they do not have a viable plan to obtain, generate, or otherwise secure authorized access to such technical data. NAVAIR sent a letter to BHPE LLC via email on August 12, 2025, and a letter to Neometrix Defense Limited via email on September 24, 2025, informing both companies that they do not meet the requirement.

On August 13, 2025, NAVAIR posted a presolicitation notice on SAM.gov, documenting NAVAIR’s intent to negotiate and award a sole-source contract to GA for the engineering and technical support, life cycle logistics, technical data management, and depot standup activities requirements. This posting included a recommendation for companies interested in subcontracting opportunities to contact the GA small business liaison. No responses have been received to date. The Contracting Officer will review any responses prior to contract award.

Additionally, the Contracting Officer will refer parties interested in subcontracting opportunities to GA to maximize competition of subcontracted efforts.

The Government will continue to conduct market research, and, in accordance with FAR 5.1, a presolicitation notice will be posted on the SAM.gov website as applicable.

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 CJ&A will be fair and reasonable.

8. Actions Taken to Remove Barriers to Competition.

For the reasons set forth in paragraph five, NAVAIR 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, NAVAIR will assess whether competition for future requirements is feasible.

As this is a follow-on effort for supplies and services previously awarded on a non-competitive basis, in accordance with DFARS PGI § 206.104-72(a), the prior CJ&A was provided to the approval authority for review. Approval of this CJ&A signifies the approval authority has made the determination required by DFARS PGI § 206.104-72(b).