Atch 2 BNJ DWDM Phase 4 Redacted.pdf

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

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30th Contracting Squadron, Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB), California.

The 30th Space Communications Squadron has a requirement to add a third channel, or Lambda, to the current Ciena Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) Optical Transport Network (OTN) architecture of two (2) channels.

This is the 4th phase of the DWDM effort at VSFB. The 30th Contracting Squadron intends to competitively solicit and award a new-stand-alone contract for equipment with incidental services for installation.

The requirement to be purchased is available in the commercial marketplace. Firm Fixed Price is the preferred contract type for commercial items. The current and previous DWDM contracts were solicited utilizing FAR Part 12 Commercial Items procedures.

This brand name justification is only for a portion of the requirement in accordance with FAR 13.501(a)(2).

The Government requires the following Brand Name items:

Sageon Rectifiers (8) Ciena 6500 Packet Optical Platforms (8) Ciena 40G and 100G Switched Interfaces (34) Ciena 6500 Software Licenses (46) Ciena Manage Control Plan (MCP network management) Software Licenses (14) C&D or East Penn Batteries (16)

Total Estimated Cost of Brand Name Items -

The Government anticipates utilizing FY24 3022 Procurement Funding for acquiring the brand name components mentioned above. This contract will be executed in FY24, Delivery is estimated to be 15 months from time of award.

DAFFARS 5313.501 - 10 U.S.C. 3572, Implementation of Simplified Acquisition Procedures (41 U.S.C. 1901)

DWDM is an optical transport. Ciena manufactures and provides optical transport, data back haul and delivers the network/transport edge to the end user. Their current software and equipment is approved for use in the DoD, secure environments and is on the Department of Defense Information network (DoDIN Approved Products List (APL) found at https://aplits.disa.mil/processAPList.action

Inclusion on the APL is a Cyber Security requirement for use on many Federal Government installations.

Name brand items are required in accordance with the statement of work and to ensure compatibility with existing communication network equipment. Without the use of Ciena network equipment there would be very high risk in regards to interoperability of the system. DWDM Phase 1 mixed Ciena and equipment from another manufacturer. Within the first year

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

March 2023 CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION Page 3 of 6March 2023 CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION Page 3 of 6 of operation, as circuits were migrated to or otherwise added to DWDM, the equipment from a different manufacturer resulted in 11 separate T1 circuit failures. T1 circuits are 71% of what must be migrated from VSFB's end of life, end of support Synchronous Optical Network (SONET). A potential 71% failure rate due to a mixed brand configuration is an unacceptable risk. In addition, the manufacturer of other equipment was non-responsive to support requests. Due to the failure rate and lack of support, the other equipment was replaced with Ciena 3926 switches at a cost of each including software. The reliability of the Ciena only configuration has been excellent. Ciena's responsiveness to support requests has been excellent.

The current Ciena based DWDM network has involved a total investment of $15.74M. Utilization of mixed brands risks the network failure of this investment. In three (3) years of a Ciena only configuration, there have only been four (4) service disruptions. In each of those events, Ciena responded timely and resolved the disruption issue.

- Equipment from multiple manufacturers eliminates the ability to use a single network management system to identify potential problems for outage prevention thereby increasing the time required to identify a problem and return the network to service. Monitoring a single network management system to determine network health and operation is the most efficient and effective approach for ensuring functionality of the DWDM network infrastructure.

- Using equipment from multiple manufacturers requires that VSFB operations and maintenance personnel be trained in the installation, configuration, use and maintenance of all equipment providers.

As the network grows, the amount of equipment to be maintained grows. As the network has grown over the past three (3) years, the maintenance costs (which cover labor and parts) have risen from $160K in 2021 to approximately $357K in 2024. Trained and skilled Government technicians with an appropriate inventory of spare hardware will reduce the annual cost to approximately $37K. Using a single brand has reduced the required training, increased technician skills and reduced the quantity of spares necessary to be available in the event of a power or network failure.

If a second brand was deployed within the VSFB transport, the following would result

· Technicians would have to be trained and also become experts in that series of products

· Transport health could not be viewed and potential failures resolved through a single network management application

· Carrying two sets of spares would effectively double the required spares and increasing costs accordingly

· Realizing the maintenance reduction from $357k to $37k will be prevented

Other brands will not integrate with the existing system properly. While the technology is similar, the design and implementation of the products is not. Other brands will connect to the existing system but will not communicate properly. A major benefit of the DWDM network is the ability to transport up to 88 channels in a single strand of fiber. These channels are differentiated by the color of light. In-the-box data is transformed for transport to bits being sent over a color at 100 billion bits per second (100G). At the receiving end, the transformed data must be identically received in color and format. If the boxes and equipment are not compatible, the data transport will not succeed. Any variation of color prevents successful communication, resulting in system failure.

DC Power Plant

1. Sageon Rectifiers are a switched-mode module designed to provide up to 50A of output current into a 48VDC system. The direct current power they deliver ensures a continuous level of power that is not possible using alternating current. Sageon rectifiers are used for all installed DWDM components. They

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

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2. C&D or East Penn Batteries are required to ensure consistent performance for each DWDM network node in place at 55 VSFB sites.

Ciena Components

1. Ciena 6500 Packet Optical Platforms - customizable to support all to-be-migrated SONET circuits and allows larger volumes of data to be transported through a single circuit. This addition of a 3rd channel requires expansion of existing nodes to house the cards that will add that additional channel. Using other than Ciena for this purpose is not an acceptable option. A different manufacturer's equipment will not integrate in this way.

2. Ciena 40G and 100G Switched Interfaces - these interface cards are placed in a 6500 Platform to allow a third channel to be transported through a single fiber at up to 100G per second. Using other than Ciena for this purpose is not an acceptable option. A different manufacturer's equipment will not integrate in this way.

3. Ciena 6500 Software - The 6500 Packet Optical Platform is similar to a computer system. As such, it requires software to function as designed. Using other than Ciena software for this system is not an acceptable option. A different manufacturer's software will not integrate properly.

4. Ciena Manage Control Plan (MCP network management) Software - This is the network management software that monitors system performance, provides warnings when that performance has degraded and sends alarms when a failure has occurred. This software delivers the ability to predict and prevent failure or immediately respond and return the system to service in a timely manner. As the system grows by adding hardware, the required number of licenses also increases. Utilization of other than Ciena software is not an acceptable option. A different manufacturer's software will not operate in this configuration.

The DWDM communication network is critical to the launch mission at Vandenberg SFB. Utilization of equipment other than those identified within this justification would cause unnecessary risk of failure within that network.

A review of the results of recent market research undertaken to meet similar or identical requirements was conducted.

Previous DWDM acquisitions were fulfilled using the NETCENTS 2- Operations and Infrastructure Solutions (NetOps) vehicle, which is currently obsolete. Additionally, a search was conducted via GSA/2GIT, UNICOR, AbilityOne, and NASA SEWP. The search resulted in one finding on NASA SEWP for . A Sources Sought Notice (SSN) was posted to SAM.gov on 10 June 2022 with five (5) responses received. Further, the solicitation for resulting contract FA461022P0093 was posted to SAM.GOV with two (2) quotes received in response. One of the received quotes was determined non-responsive due to not providing a complete technical proposal.

A new Sources Sought was posted to SAM.Gov on 16 May 2024 with a closing date of 22 May 2024. One response was received from , a large business. The response stated that would partner with American Power Supply to fulfill the requirement. , , I and have been involved with previous DWDM efforts at Vandenberg SFB as subcontractors. The response to the Sources Sought recommends that the solicitation be posted for Full and Open competition but does not offer any recommendations or information regarding other brands of products that can fulfill the requirement.

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

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There is a class waiver for NAICS 334118 to the Non-Manufacturer rule, allowing for small businesses to fulfill this requirement. Small business vendors are eligible for award of this contract and utilize a large business like or to fulfill the required incidental services. As a result, suggestion to open the solicitation up for Full and Open competition is unnecessary and not appropriate. The Contracting Officer anticipates quotes to be received from two or more qualified small businesses. This requirement should be solicited as a 100% small business set-aside and posted on SAM.gov.

The effort will be competed under the authority of FAR 13.106 - Soliciting Competition, Evaluation of Quotations or Offers, Award and Documentation. The Contracting Officer anticipates responsive quotes from two or more qualified small businesses in response to a Request for Quote for this requirement. Technical Evaluations will be conducted in accordance with the procedures identified in the Request for Quote. In accordance with FAR 13.106-3(a)(1), the Contracting Officer anticipates that price reasonableness will be based on competitive quotations.

Market research identified previous orders/contracts, FA4610-19-F-0001 DWDM, FA4610-21-F-0017 DWDM Phase 2 (BNJ dated 20200911), and FA4610-22-P-0093 DWDM Expansion (BNJ dated 20220811) and concluded that they were substantially similar and applicable to to the current requirement. Orders FA461019F0001 & FA461021F0017 were fulfilled using the NETCENTS 2- Operations and Infrastructure Solutions (NetOps) vehicle, which is currently obsolete.

Contract FA461022P0093 was competitively solicited and awarded as a Small Business Set-Aside via Sam.Gov. Current Market Research has identified at least three Small Business concerns capable of fulfilling the Government's requirements.

Market Research has concluded that this requirement should be competitively solicited via SAM.Gov as a Small Business Set-Aside.

N/A

For the prior acquisition, a Sources Sought Notice (SSN) was posted to SAM.gov on 10 June 2022. Five (5) responses were received from interested vendors in industry. All vendors were registered in SAM.Gov under the applicable NAICS.

A new Sources Sought was posted to SAM.Gov on 16 May 2024 with a closing date of 22 May 2024. One response was received from , a large business. recommended the acquisition be solicited for full and open competition but did not recommend alternative brands of products to those in this Brand Name Justification. As explained in Section 5, utilization of equipment other than those identified in this brand name justification is likely to lead to inconsistent network performance and challenges restoring service. Market Research has identified three small business vendors, located in California or have been awarded contracts in California performing similar types of requirements. The Government is unaware of any reason why any Small Business would be unable to provide the necessary brand name equipment. It is likely that two (2) or more responsive quotes will be received from SB concerns for this effort.

It is likely that future phases of the DWDM network at Vandenberg SFB will require the use of Brand Name components.

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

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However, the Contracting Officer will seek competition wherever possible and only limit competition via Brand Name justification when required to ensure compatibility within the existing communication network. Requirements supporting the DWDM Infrastructure at Vandenberg SFB, other than the initial acquisition, have required the use of Brand Name products. The Government stated in the Brand Name Justification dated 11 August 2022 for contract FA461022P0093, the third phase of the DWDM effort at Vandenberg, that it was "likely that future phases will require the use of Brand Name components. However, the Contracting Officer will seek competition wherever possible and only limit competition via a Brand Name Justification when required to ensure compatibility within the existing communication network." The Contracting Officer has worked closely with the Mission Partner to verify that Brand Name products are in fact required to ensure compatibility with the communication network. Further, the Mission Partner confirmed that East Penn or C&D Batteries are still necessary for the power system. See attachment 1 BNJ DWDM Expansion Approved 20220811 (FA461022P0093). A Brand Name Justification was also necessary during the second phase of the DWDM effort at Vandenberg. See attachment 2 BNJ DWDM Phase 2 20200911 (FA461021F0017).