JA_MPST_Final.pdf

Justification and Approval (J&A) for Other Than Full and Open Competition

I. Contracting Activity.

Department of the Air Force 509th Contracting Squadron 660 Tenth Street, Suite 222 Whiteman Air Force Base, MO 65305-5316

II. Nature and/or description of the action being processed.

This Justification and Approval (J&A) authorizes the use of other than full and open competition procedures to acquire Mission Planning Support Tools (MPST) support services. The service will provide timely remote and periodic on-site support to the B-2 Test Team for MPST. The service includes maintaining compatibility with upgrades to the B-2 Mission Planning System (MPS) software, hardware, and databases by utilizing improved and/or expanded intelligence products. It will also ensure the software accurately represent new and/or improved aircraft capabilities, correct errors and address limitations encountered during operational use. The period of performance for this acquisition is one year with an estimated start date of 23 September 2015.

III. Description of supplies/services required to meet agency needs.

This requirement is for procurement of services including providing personnel, services, and management support for MPST software.

IV. Statutory authority permitting Other than Full and Open Competition.

IAW 10 USC 2304(c)(1) the head of an agency may use procedures other than competitive procedures only when --

The property or services needed by the agency are available from only one responsible source or only from a limited number of responsible sources and no other type of property or services will satisfy the needs of the agency;

IAW FAR 6.303-2(b)(4), the statutory authority permitting other than full is identified below:

6.302-1 -- Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.

6.302-1(a)(2)(iii) For DoD, NASA, and the Coast Guard, services may be deemed to be available only from the original source in the case of follow-on contracts for the continued provision of highly specialized services when it is likely that award to any other source would result in--

(A) Substantial duplication of cost to the Government that is not expected to be recovered through competition, or

(B) Unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency's requirements.

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

MPST is government owned software that has been developed and is maintained by Applied Research Associates (ARA), Inc. Personnel employed by ARA, Inc., will be providing the database configuration, software support, and training. They are uniquely qualified to do so based on their experience with both the legacy Route Refinement Tool (RRT) software and the development of the current MPST software. Sources other than ARA, Inc. would have to be trained on the operation and maintenance of the MPST and Spirit View programs to perform the effort. The 509 BW believes that award to any other source would result in substantial duplication of cost to the government that is not expected to be recovered through competition.

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

This requirement was reviewed by the Contracting Officer and the user to ensure that all possibilities for competition were considered for this procurement (see Para VII and IX for further explanation). Based on the specialized software and engineering required, a decision was reached to proceed with a sole source contract to ARA, Inc., who is the original developer of MPST.

VII. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable.

MPST support services from ARA, Inc. will be determined fair and reasonable based on their direct labor rates in an approved Forward Pricing Rate Agreement.

VIII. Description of the market research conducted and the results, or a statement of the reasons market research was not conducted.

Previous acquisitions for support services for the legacy system, Route Refinement Tool (later upgraded to MPST), ultimately resulted with ARA, Inc. being subcontracted to provide the service. Two separate contractors, one large and one 8(a), experienced this result as their inability to maintain the software cause significant delays to the Government.

IX. Any other facts supporting the use of Other Than Full and Open Competition.

The B-2 Program Office, 72nd Flight Test, and 509th Bomb Wing have invested significant amounts of time and money into the MPST software. If the government procures support services from sources other than ARA, Inc., it would cause substantial duplication costs and unacceptable delays in B-2 operational requirements. Any delays in maintaining the software would severely limit the B-2 flexibility and effectiveness as the service will provide timely remote and periodic on-site support to the B-2 Test Team by maintaining compatibility with upgrades to the B-2 Mission Planning System (MPS) software, hardware, and databases. The service will also ensure the software accurately represent new and/or improved aircraft capabilities, correct errors and address limitations encountered during operational use.

X. List of sources, if any, that expressed interest in the acquisition.

Market research performed indicates no other sources will be able to fulfill this requirement. It has been determined that ARA, Inc. is the only source of service.

XI. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before making subsequent acquisitions for the supplies or services required.

All requirements, including the subject requirement, are thoroughly reviewed to ensure that competition is not unnecessarily restricted. It will be difficult to remove barriers to competition on future acquisitions for this equipment since ARA, Inc. is the original developer of the MPST software. For the foreseeable future ARA, Inc. will be the sole source until the MPST software is replaced.

XII. Certification by the Contracting Officer.

As evidenced by my signature above, I have determined this document to be both accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

XIII. Certification by the technical/requirements personnel.

As evidenced by my (our) signature(s) above, I (we) certify that any supporting data contained herein, which is my (our) responsibility, is both accurate and complete.