Final Gordon JA 2020_96_Redacted.pdf

Control No.: 2020-96 Contractor: Ad HOC Research Associates, LLC

Program: Cyber Battle Lab Experimentation Support

Version – March 2017 FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

b. Alternatives:

1) Suspension of Services. Without CBL Experimentation Support, the Army Experimentation will fail and funds that have been invested will be lost. A loss of services would severely hamper the efforts of the CBL to provide required mission essential services.

2) Use of In-House Resources. There are no in-house resources capable of providing the required services.

3) Re-compete the effort. Since this effort is a stop-gap measure to ensure vital services continue during a stay period due to protest, there is no benefit to the Government to re-compete the effort at this time. There is currently no other source that can provide the immediate capabilities necessary to meet the total requirements provided by the incumbent contractor.

c. Impact if not approved: Failure to award a bridge contract will result in cancellation of the Cyber Quest 2020 event and the Army losing of sunk costs invested in the event. Also the network operations support and the Risk Management Framework requirement for the BLCSE and supported battle labs for the environment that connects sites across the United States Department of Defense will impact all sites due to the lack of required RMF certification.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: A Sources Sought Notice was not issued IAW FAR 5.202(a)(2). This proposed contract action is of an unusual and compelling urgency and therefore precludes competition to the maximum extent practicable as the Government would be seriously injured if the agency complies with the time periods specified in FAR 5.203. It is not feasible nor expeditious to engage with additional new contractors for this short term bridge. Additionally, a new contract already has been competed but is under post award protest at GAO.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: As indicated above, this is an interim action to allow for continued performance pending a decision from GAO on the protest submitted by Summit Technologies Inc. Due to the urgent need for continuous services, effective competition is not feasible.

8. Market Research: Market research was conducted on 13 June 2019 for the competitively awarded acquisition and is still valid.

9. Interested Sources: Market research was conducted on 13 June 2019 for the competitively awarded acquisition. The Contracting Officer's additional market research efforts, conducted on 10 August 2020, involved validating that the previously approved market research was still current and that award of the follow on action will be made on a competitive basis to a capable contractor at a fair and reasonable cost/price.