Sole_Source_Justification.pdf

SOLE SOURCE OR LIMITED SOURCES JUSTIFICATION

(APPLICABLE TO PURCHASES $3,000 - $150,000)

1. Contracting Activity:

Field Delegate: U. S. Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA)/National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service (NESDIS)/Chief Financial Officer/Chief Administrative Officer/Budget Execution Branch and

Program Office: U. S. Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA)/National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service (NESDIS)/Office of Satellite and Product Operations

(OSPO)

2. Purchase Request Number: NEEB1000-16-00275

3. Authority for Action:

FAR 8.405-6(a), Restricting Consideration under GSA Federal Supply Schedules

FAR 13.106-1(b), Soliciting from a Single Source

4. Describe the supply or service to be acquired and the total estimated dollar value:

The purpose of the acquisition is to award a Firm-Fixed Price Purchase Order for web-based Subscription to SpaceNav Conjunction Analysis Services. This procurement will consist of a twelve (12) month performance period.

5. List the proposed contractor (name, contact, and phone number) and describe the unique knowledge or capabilities of the proposed contractor:

The Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service (DOC/NOAA/NESDIS), intends to award a sole source intends to award, on a sole source basis, under the authority of FAR 13.106- 1(b)(1) The Government intends to enter into a sole source requirement with the SpaceNav for essential and complete space situational awareness, the MOD Engineering Branch refers to several sources including the Joint Space Operations Center (JSpOC) of the U.S. Air Force and web-based Space Data Association services.

The web-based SpaceNav conjunction assessment suite of this procurement enhances Engineering ability to conduct conjunction analysis in several ways: (1) Suitability for analysis of Low-Earth Orbiting (LEO) spacecraft events – in contrast, SDA services are more favorable for geostationary satellites; (2) Numerous graphical tools for analysis visualization; (3) Realistic covariance determination allows for greater resolution of risk assessment by providing probabilities of events based on positional uncertainties; (4) Recommendations for design of collision-avoidance maneuvers. Given the growing numbers of geostationary, low-earth orbiting satellites and space debris, the enhanced capabilities realized by subscription to SpaceNav services is considered an effective return on investment in protection of this critical meteorological infrastructure.

SpaceNav 1630A 30th Street Boulder CO 80301 719-433-1692 Attn: Matthew Duncan, matt@space-nav.com

6. Describe your market research efforts and efforts to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable:

NOAA Engineering actively participates in the professional community of satellite engineers. As a consequence of involvement in the specialty, NOAA is well aware of useful services offered by the community. As a government agency, NOAA takes advantage of its free use of the services of the Air Force Joint Space Operations Center (JSpOC). The JSpOC service is comprehensive in its inclusion of orbital information of both spacecraft and space debris. However, the JSpOC determination of orbital information through real-time tracking has limitations in terms of its accuracy—it can misidentify satellites—and in providing the future orbit information needed for analysis and planning of spacecraft position maintenance needed for collision avoidance.

NOAA also subscribes to an annual membership in the Space Data Association (SDA), a similar service. Comparison of SDA and SpaceNav capabilities is described above. The two packages are considered complementary not competing, and will better serve NOAA Engineering in the collision-free operation of the complete low-earth orbiting and geostationary satellite fleet in orbits with growing populations of satellites and space debris.

Searches through the GSA Federal Acquisition Service eLibrary rendered no vendors of conjunction analysis services, when using searches for “conjunction analysis,” “conjunction services,” “collision avoidance services,” “satellite services.”

7. State why you feel that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable:

The only other cost point for comparison is the OSPO’s $11,000 annual subscription to Satellite Data Association (SDA). However, that rate is a special rate offered to “civil satellite operators.”

SDA rates for private enterprises can be as large as $44,000, depending on the size of its fleet.

Considering, then, that SpaceNav offers capability unavailable through SDA, and is more applicable to the low-earth orbiting satellites than SDA, the $xxxxx annual subscription is considered reasonable. Further, since the SpaceNav service enhances improved collision protection of a fleet valued in excess of $1B, whose capabilities cannot be readily restored or replaced; $xxxxx is judged to be an effective return on the Government space asset investment.

8. Other:

In several years of using the SDA conjunction services for the geostationary fleet, OSPO Engineering has experienced several situations requiring close attention or active intervention that would NOT have been identified by the JSpOC service alone. The Government incurs costs each time the S-NPP engineering and operations teams needs to assemble (day or night) for collision-avoidance maneuvers. Often, last-minute orbit predictions show that a maneuver is not required. Improving collision prediction will save the Government time and cost by avoiding staging for maneuvers needlessly. Cost savings resulting from this improved capability will in itself pay for the cost of the service.

9. Certifications:

I hereby certify that the data provided above is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Typed/Printed Name and Signature Date of Technical Representative

I hereby determine that the circumstances of this contract action deem only one source reasonably available.

Contracting Officer Date