200472 J A 16 Feb 12.pdf

Attachment 10 ENCORE II Task Order Guidelines

March 2009

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

TO PROCURE USING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

ATTACHMENT 10

Upon the basis of the following justification, I, as Contracting Officer, hereby approve the use of an exception to the fair opportunity process for the proposed contractual action pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S.C. 2304c(b), Task and Delivery Order Contracts: Orders – Fair Opportunity Exceptions.

JUSTIFICATION

1. Agency and Contracting Activity. The Operationally Responsive Space Office located at Kirtland Air Force Base would like to contract directly with SRA, International through the Encore II IDIQ.

Requiring Agency:

Operationally Responsive Space Office 2351 Carlisle Blvd Kirtland AFB NM 87117

Contracting Office:

Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization (DITCO) Scott Field Office (PL8) 2300 East Drive, Bldg 3600 Scott AFB, IL 62225-5406

2. Nature and Description of Action Being Approved.

This is a logical follow-on task order to be issued to Systems Research and Applications (SRA) Corporation under the Encore II HC1028-08-D-2026 multiple-award, Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract. A Cost Plus Fixed Fee task order is being sought due to the risk associated with a research and development type effort. The Operationally Responsive Space Office plans to fund the task order with remaining FY2012 funds estimated to be around $600,000 based on the current requirement. This task order will provide for the operational demonstration of the Automated Targeting and Checkout System (ATACS).

ATACS provides an automated process to quickly generate, optimize, and verify the launch vehicle Mission Data Load (MDL) in order to achieve responsive spacelift on the order of days from call-up to launch. Typically this process requires about 3-6 months to complete. SRA is uniquely qualified to accomplish this task having developed the ATACS system to date. This effort would cost our office significantly more to find another contractor who has the qualifications and capabilities to continue the program. Time is critical since we need to have the ATACS demonstration operational and available to shadow the upcoming ORS Enabler launch which is scheduled for second quarter FY13.

3. Description of the Supplies or Services.

March 2009

Over the last 5 years, SRA developed the framework for ATACS. SRA has worked closely with Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC) to automate the trajectory analysis process for the Minotaur I launch vehicle using the ATACS framework. SRA demonstrated that ATACS is a viable solution to achieve responsive spacelift. Initially, this effort started as part through an Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and a follow-on task order, SRA (formerly Interface and Control Systems, Inc.) completed 95% of the system development and 95% of the system integration for ATACS for a Minotaur I. This task order will provide the additional funding; allowing SRA to complete system development and integration of ATACS for both Minotaur I and IV to support an operational demonstration of ATACS on the FY13 enabler launch. Given the level of effort that has already been completed and the experience required to finish the ATAC System, SRA is the only efficient choice to complete ATACS on schedule in time to support the FY13 demonstration.

SRA shall demonstrate that ATACS can generate and validate the MDL for a Minotaur I & IV launch vehicle to support the launch of a responsive space mission. The generation and initial validation of the MDL is a software process. This software process provides the MDL files required by the flight software to control and sequence the activities enabling the launch vehicle to deliver the spacecraft payload to the desired orbit. Full validation of the MDL includes execution of hardware-in-the-loop simulation using a flight computer running flight software configured with the generated MDL. The initial operational demonstration was to produce the MDL for the launch of the ORS-1 satellite mission and a followon demonstration on the ORS Enabler Mission. The data products produced during these demonstration will be verified against the actual mission data products produced by OSC. Other notional mission scenarios will be used to demonstrate the flexibility and responsiveness of ATACS.

4. Identification of the Statutory Authority. 10 U.S.C. 2304c(b) Task and Delivery Order Contracts: Orders – Fair Opportunity Exceptions.

The order must be issued on a sole-source basis in the interest of economy and efficiency because it is a logical follow-on to an order already issued under the contract, provided that all awardees were given a fair opportunity to be considered for the original order. (FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(C)

5. Demonstration of the Contractor’s Unique Qualifications/Nature of the Acquisition

Requiring Use of Authority Cited.

a. Systems Research and Applications (SRA) Corporation is uniquely qualified to provide these services to Operationally Responsive Space Office based upon the following. SRA has the experience required to automate launch processing. SRA gained this experience when they acquired Interface and Control Systems (ICS), Inc. ICS developed a framework and a prototype system through a Phase I and Phase II SBIR. SRA works closely with Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC) and has intimate knowledge of OSC’s proprietary process and software to implement the OSC process. OSC’s proprietary information is protected by Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA) between the companies. SRA has used the NDA to conduct long-term technical discussion with Subject Matter Experts at Orbital. The SMEs are often working on

March 2009 active space launch missions and it is difficult to schedule technical interchange time with them.

The ATACS system relies heavily on closely coupled interactions between SRA’s framework and Orbital’s proprietary tools. These interactions were designed over the course of four years via discussion and integration activities covered by an NDA. SRA’s work with OSC resulted in changes that helped optimize OSC’s internal process. These optimizations are a result of SRA’s experience with parallel processing of complex MATLAB and Simulink algorithms.

b. In accordance with FAR 16.505(b)(2)(ii), exceptions to the fair opportunity process, only SRA is capable of providing the services required at the high level of quality required the ATAC System that is being developed under this task order is unique and is highly specialized system that uses government hardware with SRA/ICS proprietarty command software (S/W) and Orbital Sciences (OSC) proprietary rocket S/W to calculate very complex rocket trajectories for small launch vehicles. The effort initially started with a Phase I/II SBIR about 5 years ago held by ICS; then continued on an AFRL SBIR Phase III; then continued onto HC1028-08-D-2026- 0010.SRA acquired ICS including the ICS SBIR data rights. The original ICS personnel became SRA personnel.

The system is composed of government hardware populated with SRA/ICS proprietary command S/W (we have SBIR rights) that commands OSC proprietary S/W that calculates the rocket trajectory. The output is the actual S/W that flies the Minotaur rocket. The quality of that S/W has both mission success and range safety criticality.

It has taken the government 5 years to build the system to this validated level. Switching contractors now would not be beneficial for the following reasons:

1. Loss of SRA/ICS corporate knowledge and proprietary S/W.

2. A steep learning curve including getting OSC (rocket contractor) comfortable with a new vendor, that will not support our requirement to demo this capability in Summer 2013.

3. Disruption of the teaming arrangements (NDAs, shared S/W architecture, etc.) that would have to be rebuilt.

c. Unique Capabilities. The follow-on effort is to provide an operational demonstration of automated generation and validation of the Operationally Responsive Space 1 Satellite (ORS-1) Mission Data Load (MDL) for OSC’s Minotaur I launch vehicle and the ORS Enabler mission.

SRA’s development of the ATACS prototype, beginning with the Topic MDA04-103 and continuing with the Automation Tools For Responsive Space And Space Superiority contract, provides SRA the unique capabilities to complete ATACS. SRA’s unique capabilities include proprietary techniques for workflow process automation, parallel execution of processor intensive algorithms, error identification, and data visualization. The knowledge acquired and the expertise developed by SRA over the last 5 years cannot be easily acquired and developed by another contractor. The working relationship and trust between SRA and OSC is vital to the success of the ATACS program.

d. Procurement History:

W9113M-05-C-0047, SBIR Phase I, awarded to Interface and Control Systems, Inc, in June 2005. The Firm Fixed Price contract had a value of $100,000 with a period of performance July 1, 2005 to February 28, 2006

March 2009

FA9453-06-C-0022, SBIR Phase II, awarded to Interface and Control Systems, Inc. on February 2006. SBIR Phase II amount of $697,112. This Cost Plus Fixed Fee contract had Period of Performance March 1, 2006 through May 31, 2009.

FA9453-05-D-0175, T.O. 0005 awarded to Interface and Control Systems, Inc. on February 26, 2008. Task Order amount of $4,053,914. Period of Performance 4 March 2008 to 4 March 2011. This task order contract contained several subtasks unrelated to ATACS leading to the task order contract reaching the contract ceiling prior to the end of the period of performance.

HC1028-08-D-2026, T.O. 0010 awarded to SRA Internationial on January 05, 2011. The Task Order amount of $526,038. Period of Performance of 1 January 2011 to 24 February 2012.

6. FedBizOpps Announcement for Potential Sources. In accordance with FAR 16.505(a)(1), the Contracting Officer does not synopsize orders under indefinite-delivery contracts. Also, since this action is made under the terms of an existing contract that was previously synopsized in sufficient detail, a synopsis is not required in accordance with FAR 5.202(a)(11).

7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost.

Rates have been established within the basic Encore II contract. All rates set forth in the contract, and used on individual orders, were based on full and open competition and a price analysis was accomplished. Proposed task order rates and loadings will be compared with the basic contract rates and loadings and verified as fair and reasonable. The total estimated value for this requirement is $600,000.00.

8. Description of the Market Research Conducted.

The initial market research for an automated launch vehicle control process was conducted by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA). MDA inability to identify a solution to this problem led to the creation of SBIR topic MDA04-103 Flexible, Rapid Launch Vehicle Control Software Generation and Checkout.

This SBIR topic was openly competed and awarded to Interface and Control Systems (ICS), Inc.

This SBIR topic was later turned over to the Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) Office.

ORS worked with SRA (formerly ICS) in defining the requirements that drove the development of ATACS. At this time ATACS is approximately 95% complete in supporting the Minotaur I launch vehicle. Mr. Steven Buckley, the ORS launch systems expert, identified the completion of ATACS by SRA as the most cost effective solution for the automating the launch vehicle trajectory analysis process to generate the control data and sequencing required to deliver a spacecraft payload to a desired orbit.

Predominantly the market research was performed at the onset of the original SBIR effort, but the ORS Office has continued to do market research through annual Space Symposiums and working group discussions at Small Satellite Conference and Responsive Space Conference.

At the present time no other contractor is presueing this type of software solution as it is not required for other rocket systems, this software is specific to the Minotaur Rocket system.

March 2009

The original request for this effort was a full and open solicitation competed among all the small businesses wishing to participate in the Governments SBIR/STTR program. This task is a logical continuation of the services provided on the original task and so is proposed as a logical follow-on.

9. Any Other Supporting Facts.

Not applicable.

10. Actions Taken to Remove Barriers to Competition.

No action is necessary as all the contractors were given a fair opportunity to be considered for the original order.

11. Statement of Period of Performance and/or Delivery Schedule.

The period of performance is 365 days after TO award.

12. Reference to the Approved Acquisition Plan (AP)/Program Plan (PP).

Not applicable.