For_FBO_Upload_STEC_Bridge_II_J_and_A.pdf

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN

FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

I. CONTRACTING ACTIVITY

Acquisition Office: Air Force Space Command (AFSPC)

Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) Space Development and Test Directorate Contracting Office (ADK) 3548 Aberdeen Ave SE Kirtland AFB, NM 87117-5778

Authority: 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(l) as implemented by FAR 6.302-l(a)(2)(iii)(B)

Solicitation/Contract: FA8818-16-C-0001, Space Test and Engineering (STEC) Bridge II Contract

Contractor: LinQuest Corporation 5140 W. Goldleaf Circle, Suite #400 Los Angeles, CA 90056

II. NATURE AND/OR DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION BEING PROCESSED

This Justification and Approval is for authority to award a second sole source bridge contract (henceforth referred to as STEC Bridge II) to LinQuest Corporation. This award will ensure that mission essential satellite operations and support services are obtained by the Advanced Systems and Development Directorate's Ground Systems and Development Division at Kirtland Air Force Base, NM. STEC Bridge II will be awarded on a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee basis and is required due to delays in the award of the follow-on Space Test and Engineering Contract 2014

(STEC14).

III. DESCRIPTION OF THE SUPPLIES/SERVICES REQUIRED TO MEET THE

AGENCY’S NEEDS

Satellite operations at the Research Development Test and Evaluation Support Complex (RSC) are 100% contractor-supported under the STEC contract. STEC Bridge II will ensure uninterrupted support to five on-orbit satellite missions; support for seven satellite programs in various stages of pre-launch design and readiness; operations expertise for upgrades and modifications to the Multi-Mission Satellite Operations Center (MMSOC) ground system including operations acceptance testing; and mission automation efforts in support of the Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) Enterprise Ground Initiative.

The following tasks will be performed on STEC Bridge II:

• Core Support Services (essential manpower, tools, etc. it takes to perform the contract.)

• SMC/Ground Systems and Space Operations Division (ADGD) Support

• Operations Acceptance Testing (OAT)

• On-Orbit Mission Support o Cloudsat (Cloud Satellite) o STPSat-2 (Space Test Program Satellite 2) o STPSat-3 (Space Test Program Satellite 3) o ANGELS (Autonomous Nanosatellite Guardian for Evaluating Local Space)

• Pre-Launch Readiness o DSX (Demonstration and Science Experiments) o GPIM (Green propellant Infusion Mission) o ORS-5 (Operationally Responsive Space 5) o ORS-X (Operationally Responsive Space X) o EAGLE (Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) Secondary Adapter

(ESPA) Augmented Geostationary Laboratory Experiment) o Mycroft

• Automation (Implementing automated capability of operations of satellites) o ORS-1 Automation (Phase IV and sustainment) o Cloudsat Automation

• Phase-out (wrapping up support of a particular mission)

The Period of Performance of STEC Bridge II is as follows:

• Base: 01 Feb 16 – 30 Apr 16

• Option #1: 01 May 16 – 31 May 16

• Option #2: 01 Jun 16 – 30 Jun 16

• Option #3: 01 Jul 16 – 31 Jul 16

The estimated cost for the STEC Bridge II is $5,038,585.

IV. STATUTORY AUTHORITY PERMITTING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN

COMPETITION

10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(l) as implemented by FAR 6.302-l(a)(2)(iii)(B).

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 Government has determined there exists only one responsible source for this STEC Bridge II contract. The incumbent is currently in-place, familiar with the RSC and its unique satellite missions, and provides highly qualified and cleared personnel to support current and future RSC satellite operations. Since there is insufficient time to transition RSC operations from the STEC Bridge incumbent to a new contractor, competing the STEC Bridge II contract would result in an unacceptable delay to award. A delay would pose significant risk to on-orbit satellite missions and ground system development activities.

At the time the current STEC Bridge contract was awarded in May 2015, the Government had anticipated awarding the STEC14 contract in November 2015. Work on the STEC14 contract was scheduled to begin in January 2016, following a 60-day period to transition tasks from the outgoing STEC Bridge contractor to the incoming STEC14 contractor. The award of the STEC14 contract has been delayed to February 2016 due to the fact that the proposal evaluation process has required more time than was originally planned.

Work on STEC14 is now scheduled to begin in April 2016 following the 60-day transition period upon award.

All options to extend the STEC Bridge contract have been exhausted and its period of performance end-date is 31 Jan 16. A new contract is required to be in place no later than this date to avoid a shutdown of satellite operations at the RSC, which would put on-orbit satellite missions and pre-launch activities valued at $488M at risk of degradation or total loss because the Government lacks in-house resources to perform satellite operations. Unsupported satellites would result in: (1) loss of payload data to satellite customers, adversely impacting military operations; (2) degraded space vehicle or payload performance due to delayed anomaly response; and (3) premature termination of satellite missions.

The Government intends to award STEC Bridge II to the current STEC Bridge contract incumbent because there is insufficient time to perform a competitive source selection and transition work between the STEC Bridge incumbent and a new contractor.

Below is the STEC14 Award Schedule:

Event Date Final Proposal Revision (FPR) 30 Nov 15 Evaluate FPR 04 Jan 16 Contract Decision Briefing 25 Jan 16 Contract Award 15 Feb 16

VI. DESCRIPTION OF EFFORTS MADE TO ENSURE THAT OFFERS ARE

SOLICITED FROM AS MANY POTENTIAL SOURCES AS DEEMED PRACTICABLE

See Paragraph V., above.

VII. DETERMINATION BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER THAT THE

ANTICIPATED COST TO THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE FAIR AND REASONABLE

The Contracting Officer's signature on the Coordination and Approval Document is evidence that this document was determined to be both accurate and complete to the best of their knowledge and belief (FAR 6.303-2(b)(12)). The Contracting Officer will use the proposal analysis techniques outlined in FAR 15.404-1 in making price reasonableness determination as part of the best value determination. A technical evaluation of the proposed level of effort, skill mix, and other direct costs/travel will be conducted. For these reasons, the Contracting Officer anticipates that the Government will receive a fair and reasonable price for this sole-source STEC Bridge II contract.

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 in accordance with FAR Part 10 by issuing a synopsis of the proposed STEC14 acquisition, advising industry of the pending acquisition and soliciting inquiries from interested parties. While industry interest in the STEC14 effort indicates that there are other companies that may be capable of performing the requirements, none have the ability to perform in the time-frame needed for this STEC Bridge II effort apart from the incumbent. Based on the program office’s estimate of up to nine months to conduct a competition, and up to two months of transition to familiarize the new contractor with the requirements, there are no other companies that have the capability to provide the required services without causing an unacceptable delay.

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

Not applicable.

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

In accordance with Air Force Federal Regulations Supplement (AFFARS) 5306.304(a), the approval authority for this STEC Bridge II Justification and Approval (J&A) document remains unchanged from the approval authority previously utilized for the current STEC Bridge contract’s J&A and continues to be the Competition Advocate based on the dollar threshold of the estimated contract value.

However, tremendous effort is being made to finalizing the follow-on contract source selection process and awarding STEC14. This is a substantial action the agency may take to overcome any future barriers to competition before making subsequent acquisitions for the services required. Furthermore, a Notice of Contract Action advertising the Government’s Notice of Intent to Award Sole Source is to be accomplished wherein interested companies can express their interest in being considered as an alternate competitive source. This is yet another action undertaken to overcome competition barriers for subsequent acquisitions.

XII. CONTRACTING OFFICER’S CERTIFICATION

The Contracting Officer's signature on the Coordination and Approval Document is evidence that this document was determined to be both accurate and complete to the best of their knowledge and belief (FAR 6.303-2(b)(12)).

XIII. TECHNICAL/REQUIREMENTS PERSONNEL’S CERTIFICATION

As evidenced by their signatures on the Coordination and Approval Document, the technical and/or requirements personnel have certified that any supporting data contained herein, which is their responsibility, is both accurate and complete (FAR 6.303-2(c)).