CTS-Sole Source Justification Signed PM_CO_Redacted.pdf

SOURCE SELECTION SENSITIVE

Sole Source (Including Brand Name) Justification - Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items

SOURCE SELECTION SENSITIVE March 2023 Page 3 of 6

IV. Statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition.

FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii)

V. Demonstration that the contractor's unique qualifications or nature of the acquisition requires the use of the authority cited above (applicability of authority).

The use of the authority cited in FAR 6.302-1(a)(ii)(A) is justified due to the unique qualifications and nature of the acquisition. has developed and is currently providing 100% of the current Commercial Telecommunications Services (CTS) infrastructure, including PRI legacy equipment, which is essential for maintaining zero downtime for Command and Control (C2) operations and Tinker AFB customers. The vendor's extensive expertise in providing CTS and proven track record of delivering high-quality telecommunications results make them the only suitable source for this acquisition.

Awarding the contract to any other source would result in substantial duplication of cost to the government that is not expected to be recovered through competition. Specifically, it is estimated that transitioning to a new vendor would require significant investment in new infrastructure, training, and testing, resulting in an estimated additional cost of . This estimate is based on industry benchmarks and historical data from similar transitions.

Furthermore, awarding the contract to any other source would also result in unacceptable delays in fulfilling the Air Force's requirement. It is estimated that another source would require a minimum of

5.75 months to obtain the requisite capability, including designing, testing, and implementing the new infrastructure. This delay would have a significant impact on the Air Force's mission-critical communications and circuits, potentially disrupting Command and Control operations and impacting national security.

Total Estimated Time: 23 weeks (approximately 5.75 months) Please note that this is a best effort estimate and actual timeline would likely experience unexpected delays

Week 1-2: Planning and Site Survey

· Day 1-2: Initial assessment of network complexity and physical infrastructure needs

· Day 3-5: Schedule site surveys at each location

· Day 6-10: Conduct site surveys and gather information on existing infrastructure and equipment needs

· Day 11-14: Review site survey results and create a detailed plan for equipment installation, wiring, and cabling Week 3-4: Equipment Procurement and Delivery

· Day 15-35: Order equipment and wait for delivery (21 days) Week 5-8: Equipment Installation and Wiring

· Day 36-42: Install ISDN PRI cards, routers, and other necessary hardware at each location

· Day 43-49: Run cables to connect equipment to the network and telephone lines

· Day 50-56: Complete any additional wiring or cabling work

Week 9-12: Configuration and Testing

· Day 57-63: Set up network settings and configure equipment

· Day 64-70: Thoroughly test the lines for functionality and troubleshoot any issues

SOURCE SELECTION SENSITIVE

Sole Source (Including Brand Name) Justification - Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items

SOURCE SELECTION SENSITIVE March 2023 Page 4 of 6

· Day 71-77: Complete any additional testing or configuration work Week 13-14: Carrier Activation and Final Testing

· Day 78-84: Coordinate with the service provider to activate the ISDN PRI lines at each location

· Day 85-91: Conduct final testing to ensure lines are functional and meet requirements Week 15-16: Cybersecurity Authority to Operate (ATO)

· Day 92-121: Obtain ATO approval for cybersecurity compliance (30 days) Week 17-18: Authorized Service Interruption (ASI)

· Day 122-151: Obtain ASI approval for planned service interruption (30 days) Week 19: Final Cutover and Deployment

· Day 152-161: Complete final cutover to new carrier and deploy new services Timeline Assumptions:

· Technician availability: 2-3 technicians dedicated to the project with necessary expertise

· Network complexity: Moderate complexity with some custom routing and configurations required

· Physical infrastructure: Some wiring and cabling work required at each location

· Carrier coordination: Standard coordination time with the service provider

· Equipment delivery time: 21 days

· ATO and ASI processing time: 30 days each

Accordingly, is the only firm capable of providing the Commercial Telecommunications Services (CTS) described in this acquisition without the U.S. Air Force experiencing substantial duplication of cost that could not be expected to be recovered through competition and unacceptable delays in fulfilling its requirements. The use of the authority cited in FAR 6.302-1(a)(ii)(A) is necessary to ensure the continuity of critical telecommunications services and to avoid unnecessary costs and delays.

VI. Description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable.

During market research, an enterprise contract was discovered through the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). Upon further investigation and coordination with DISA and USAF ACC HQ CCC/SRUE, it was determined that the enterprise services contractor, would cost approximately five times the amount compared services contracted from a local vendor.

Conducted a thorough market research and sought three sources for the acquisition of Local Telecommunication Services. The following findings support the anticipated cost to the government as fair and reasonable:

1. The with Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) / Scott Air Force Base (AFB) Regional Center's has been deemed unacceptable due to its high cost and inability to meet all the required services. The total budgetary contract cost for this option is is a viable alternative, as the vendor currently has a robust infrastructure at Tinker AFB to complete 100% of the required requirements. A budgetary quote has been received, and the total budgetary contract cost for this option is

Government/Defense and Intelligence Community (IC) was contacted directly for a separate contract. However, they did not respond to the Request for Information (RFI).

Based on the available information, the anticipated cost to the government for awarding the contract to is fair and reasonable.