JA_-_Redacted1.pdf

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

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

10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(l) as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency 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).

The agency's minimum needs can only be satisfied by the services available from the above cited source which possesses unique/highly specialized capabilities demonstrated with the AN/ALQ-184 Electronic Attack Pod systems, subsystems, and support equipment. Northrop Grumman provides IV&V services on sole source contract FA8523-12-C-0007 awarded 14 Sep 2012 which expires 19 Sep 2016. The services provided by Northrop Grumman are highly specialized due to the complexity of the AN/ ALQ-184 system. The aging system has been updated numerous times and Northrop Grumman has provided IV&V support for the system garnering familiarity and experience for 30+ years.

Northrop Grumman possesses detailed system knowledge of the AN/ALQ-184 OFP and the associated support software required to perform IV&V. Northrop Grumman is capable of testing concurrent changes to Computer System Configuration Items (CSCIs) performed during non-block cycle changes and emergency reprogramming efforts. Northrop Grumman has special tooling and system hardware experience necessary to perform IV&V software capability upgrades driven by operational change requests and software deficiency corrections for the AN/ALQ-184 OFP software, which includes Pod System Processor Program (PSPP), Technique Generator Program (TGP), Radar Warning Receiver Interface Processor Program (RWRIPP), and Low Band Processor Program (LBPP).

AFLCMC/WNYCD 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 and would also create unacceptable delays in fulfilling the Air Force's requirements.

Substantial duplication of cost will be realized through qualification of a new source and development of new tools. The cost of an award to another source, contractor or organic, would be similar in comparison to the cost of the first AN/ALQ-184 contract to Northrop Grumman in 1982. I

An additional duplication of cost would be realized through creation of new tools that perform the same function as the RePLACE tools developed by Northrop Grumman. They have been unwilling to sell/ license to the Government this special tooling. Northrop Grumman reaffirmed their position on the special tooling on 20 Jan 2016 in electronic communication to the Government. The RePLACE proprietary detailed design and engineering data was not available. Northrop Grumman responded to WR-ALC/GRWEAA 14 January 2010 stating, “Northrop Grumman has received and reviewed your request, but the rights…are not for sale.” On 6 July 2015 Northrop Grumman confirmed their position on data had not changed.

Accordingly, Northrop Grumman is the only firm capable of providing the services described in Section III above without the U.S. Air Force experiencing substantial duplication of cost that could not expected to be recovered through competition and would also create unacceptable delays in fulfilling the Air Force's requirements.

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

A Request For Information (solicitation number FA852315R90997) was posted on 7 April 2016 on Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps). The RFI was issued to seek experienced contract engineering support for IV&V for the OFP software on the AN/ALQ-184. Only response received was from Northrup Grumman Technical Services.

This requirement will be synopsized on FedBizOpps web page as required by FAR 5.201. It is anticipated that sources having an interest in subcontracting may be identified through synopsis. Any sources who respond to the Government as a result of this synopsis will be identified to the prime contractor as a potential for subcontracting possibilities.

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

The cost of this acquisition will be fair and reasonable to the Government. In accordance with FAR 15.403-4, the contractor will be required to provide certified cost or pricing data to be used to support the Government's evaluation of the proposed costs. The proposed skill mix of labor, labor hours, and other direct and indirect cost will be negotiated by the Government based on recommendations from Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) and expert technical personnel supporting the program. Contract pricing will be negotiated in accordance with the procedures in FAR Part 15 to ensure that the ultimate cost to the government is fair and reasonable.

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

Market research was conducted 26 April 2016 pursuant to FAR Part 10.001 and 10.002. Techniques used were General Search by Resident Experts (GSRE) (market surveillance), Internet Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) and issuance of RFI.

A general search for systems and engineering services was initially conducted, but it did not yield any results related to our need. The team re-focused the market research efforts on critical specialized experience with Legacy Pod systems, sustaining engineering services, engineering laboratory test support and deficiency analysis. Search terms ALQ-131, ALQ-184, ALM-256 (Intermediate Level Test Station for AN/ALQ-131), ALM-233 (Intermediate Level Test Station for AN/ALQ-184) and Electronic Attack were utilized.

The first 100 hits from each search site were reviewed for potential vendors. For all three web search tools utilized results were noted from at least one search term. The search resulted in 11 potential vendor results. All 11 of these vendors were reviewed and assessed for their capabilities based on the above review and elimination criteria. The search sites included the following:

Search Site http://www.gsaadvantage.gov http://www.gsaadvantage.gov http://www.gsaadvantage.gov https://www.fbo.gov/ https://www.fbo.gov/ https://www.fbo.gov/ https://www.fbo.gov/ https://www.fbo.gov/ http://www.google.com http://www.google.com http://www.google.com http://www.google.com http://www.google.com

The webpage http://www.gsaadvantage.gov identified three service based companies for the search term "Electronic Attack". All three of the vendors listed were for training services only; therefore none were appropriate for the required services.

The webpage http://www.fbo.gov (Federal Business Opportunities) identified 13 solicitations/pre-solicitations/contracts for the search term “ALQ-131” and “ALQ-184”, but all were related to parts buys for sub components of the system. In addition, 14 solicitations/pre-solicitations/contracts for the search term "Electronic Attack" were identified.

Google identified thousands of hits related to the four search terms utilized above. Of those, 11 companies were found to provide potential sources of supply/service requiring further investigation.

The two vendors identified in the www. fbo. gov search identified above are included in these 11.

Each identified potential vendor webpage was examined for their service capabilities and for services they are currently providing or have provided in the past. Vendors that do not provide system engineering services were deemed not capable and were eliminated from the potential vendors list.

Next, a Dynamic Small Business Search was used to identify possible small businesses for this requirement. The small business search was focused using keywords along with the NAICS code for Engineering Services: 541330. The NAICS code was used in conjunction with "electronic attack", "ALQ-131", and “ALQ-184” to ensure a sufficient and accurate small business search was performed.

There were no small businesses identified as capable of performing this requirement.

Lastly, a RFI was synopsized 7 April 2016 on FedBizOpps to aid in the assessment of the market place.

With the exception of Northrop Grumman, no other vendors responded to the RFI.

Commercial Opportunities: These services are not available in the commercial marketplace because the system has a military application only. All technical data related to the AN/ALQ-184 is, at minimum, restricted Distribution D data and not available to the public (for official use only). No commercial provider has the necessary familiarity with the system and engineering laboratory test processes to provide the required engineering services.

The market research concluded no other vendors possess expert knowledge of the AN/ALQ-184, OFP diagnostic emulator tools, RePLACE technology (PSPR and 1553R), and the current IV&V testing methodology.

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

None

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

See Section VI above.

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.

The AN/ALQ-184 has far surpassed its original projected 20-year life cycle. The AN/ALQ-184 has an identified partial replacement (AN/ALQ-131A) currently in developmental testing with expected fielding scheduled to begin in FY 17/18. The previous J&A stated a goal to establish organic sustainment by FY18.

As part of the Acquisition Strategy Panel (ASP) process for determination of our sustainment Course of Action (COA), a proposal was solicited to set up an organic IV&V shop at Warner Robins AFB. The proposal was reviewed Feb 2016. Based on evaluation of the proposal, it was determined to be too costly to implement organic capability at this late stage in the sustainment phase of the AN/ALQ-184 lifecycle.

Limited and outdated data requiring significant reverse engineering cost cannot be recovered with the remaining system life expectancy. With the replacement AN/ALQ-131A scheduled to be fielded in FY17/18, no actions will be taken to overcome barriers to competition for the AN/ALQ-184 system.

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.