ITS Extension FOE 08Apr2025 Signed For Redaction Final.pdf

United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM)

Fair Opportunity Exception (FOE) for Intelligence Technical Services (ITS)

08 April 2025

Fair Opportunity Exception (FOE)

Limited Source Justification and Approval (J&A) (For use when limiting sources IAW FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(c))

Authority: (FAR 8.405-6) Project/Program Name: Intelligence Technical Services (ITS) Component/PEO/Other: PEO SOF Digital Applications (SDA) � PM Intel Estimated Extension Cost (including options): $2,600,000 J&A Basic Value: $2,600,000 Variance up to $2,800,000 is requested for negotiations.

Type J&A: (Individual or Class )

J&A No.

25-3994

Generated when entered in log (J&A

Log - New Item (sharepoint-mil.us))

1. Agency and Contracting Activity: FAR 8.405-6(c)(2)(i)

(U) HQ USSOCOM/SOF AT&L-SOF DIGITAL APPLICATIONS � PM Intel

7701 TAMPA POINT BLVD

MACDILL AFB, FL 33621

(U)HQ USSOCOM/SOF AT&L-KD

7701 TAMPA POINT BLVD

MACDILL AFB, FL 33621

2. Description of Action: FAR 8.405-6(c)(2)(ii) Bridge Action (Yes or No ) This Justification and Approval (J&A) approves the issuance of a 6-month extension to the Intelligence Technical Support (ITS) order H92415-23-F-0190 based on other than full and open competition to IronEagleX Inc (IEX), Cage Code 7U0Z1. The order type will remain Firm Fixed Price (FFP). PM- Intel requires continued support from the 21 FTEs that currently support the Intelligence Data Science Team (IDST). The current effort was awarded on 19 September 2023 by SOF AT&L KD with a Period of Performance (PoP) end date of 29 September 2024. The award was protested and ultimately resulted in a performance start date of 16 November 2023. The PoP end date was adjusted to 15 November 2024 as a result of the protest. The 52.217-8 extension was exercised by SOF AT&L on 29 October 2024 and extended the PoP end date to the current end date of 15 May 2025. Extending this effort 6 months will allow for a competition to be conducted to address PM Intel�s revised, comprehensive data science and technical support requirements. The total estimated value of this extension is $2,600,000 in Operations and Maintenance FY25/FY26 O&M funding.

This estimate was based on the historical pricing of the current ITS effort.

3. Description of Supplies/Services: FAR 8.405-6(c)(2)(iii) The purpose of this effort is to provide Intelligence Technical Support (ITS) to the Intelligence Data Science Team (IDST) via 21 FTE employees. These FTEs vary in skill sets ranging from Data Scientists to Data Integrators and will provide support to IDST leadership during recurring planning events, customer requirement discussions, and capability development in line with their respective positional technical requirements. The IDST will primarily focus on supporting ongoing data analytics efforts within the USSOCOM J2 and subordinate J2 intelligence lines of effort. In addition, IDST members will also engage with the USSOCOM Chief Digital and

Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO), Knowledge Management (KM), and other HQ entities as determined by leadership. IDST contractors will operate and conduct analysis on SOFNET-U, SOFNET-S, JIANT, SOIS, SOCRATES, NSAnet, and in some cases on the commercial internet. The team, at a minimum will be comprised of Data Integrators, Data Engineers, Data Analysts, Data Scientists, System Architects, Data Engineers, and Front-End Developers.

4. Authority Cited: FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(c) IAW FAR 8.405-6(c)(2)(iv) FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(c), In the interest of economy and efficiency, the new work is a logical follow-on to an original Federal Supply Schedule order provided that the original order was placed in accordance with the applicable Federal Supply Schedule ordering procedures. The original order or BPA must not have been previously issued under sole-source or limited-sources procedures.

5. Rationale for Authority Cited: FAR 8.405-6(c)(2)(iv)

USSOCOM has a continuing need for the 21 FTEs that have and will continue to provide support to IDST leadership during recurring planning events, customer requirement discussions, and capability development in line with their respective positional technical requirements. The current ITS task order was issued under GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) 47QTCA20D00DM to IronEagleX, Inc (IEX) after they successfully won a competition in which 13 small businesses proposed to meet the effort. IEX was determined to be the best value to the Government given the requirements of the effort and was awarded the order.

The requirements for this extension are identical to those of the original ITS award, and all offerors were given a fair opportunity to compete on the original task order.

IEX has substantial and successful past performance in supporting multiple similar USSOCOM requirements. Furthermore, awarding the extension to another company would likely result in significant duplication of cost to the Government due to requiring a transition period and rapidly training any other vendor�s employees to seamlessly support USSOCOM Operations.

Recompeting the extension would also result in an unacceptable delay as a competition would require approximately 6 months to conduct which would cause at least a 3-month gap in mission support. By continuing to have IEX perform this requirement, the Government will realize stabilized performance while the Government prepares and conducts a comprehensive competition for PM Intel�s updated and revised data science and technical support requirements.

6. Efforts/Actions to Increase Competition: FAR 8.405-6(c)(2)(viii)

As previously described, the Government competed the original ITS requirement via GSA MAS 47QTCA20D00DM and awarded the ITS order to IEX. The Government intends to conduct a competition in the next 7 months to address PM Intel�s updated and revised IDST requirements. The planned future effort is to utilize the PEO SDA Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) to solicit whitepapers for meeting IDST requirements based on capability offerings vice an FTE/Services model. The team will evaluate whitepapers, award 1-5 prototype OTA projects, and select a successful prototype project (or multiple) for follow a follow-on production effort IAW 10 USC 4022(f) authorities. This method will optimize the IDST workforce to meet PM Intel requirements while simultaneously increasing the use of non-traditional defense contractors in the USSOCOM ecosystem. This strategy provides the flexibility and scalability needed to fit the dynamic needs of the IDST mission and aligns with recent SECDEF guidance to leverage CSOs to accelerate the procurement of capability for warfighters.

7. Market Research: FAR 8.405-6(c)(2)(vi) Market research suggests that while other vendors may be able to provide similar services, none can do so without a transition period that would negatively impact agency operations in the timeframe required or without resulting in significant duplication of cost to the Government. The original ITS solicitation received 13 proposals from industry, and IEX was found to provide the best value to the Government. The Contracting Officer also reviewed offers from similar requirements over the last year but again, none are believed to be capable of performing in the required time frame or avoid substantial duplication of costs to the Government.

Ultimately, award of this extension to a vendor other than the incumbent would undeniably result in a loss to efficiencies gained over the last year of the task order (and multiple years of the GAP effort) and would require substantial learning and re-work by a new vendor in order to properly perform the requirement.

8. Interested Sources: FAR 8.405-6(c)(2)(vi) The Government team reviewed the following vendors that proposed on similar requirements over the last year:

1. Bitrelish CIRP

2. C Focus Software Incorporated

3. Castalia Systems LLC

4. Elder Research

5. IEX

6. Indigo UT KKC

7. Lucayan Technology Solutions

8. OCCAM

9. One Zero

10. People Tech and Processes

11. Plateau Software

12. PT78 LLC

13. Quiet Professionals

14. Rolston Information Systems Assurance LLC

15. Sancorp Consulting

16. Shivan Technologies

17. SimIS Inc

18. Steerbridge

NOTICE 1

Prior to approval, J&As will be screened to identify proprietary data and information exempted from disclosure by 5 U.S.C. 552, Freedom of Information Act, so that the final J&A may be prepared for required posting to SAM.gov Contract Opportunites. J&As shall be posted within 14 days unless 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(2), Unusual and Compelling Urgency is cited. In that particular case the J&A will be posted within 30 days. Information selected for removal will be highlighted in yellow much like this statement so that signature authorities will know what information will be removed after approval, before posting.

9. Other Facts Supporting the Justification FAR 8.405-6(c)(2)(vii) N/A

10. Technical and Requirements Certification: FAR 8.405-6(c)(2)(x) I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance which are included in the justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief:

NAME: Mr. Robert Mcclintock TITLE: Program Manager, Intel

SIGNATURE/DATE: _______________________________

11. Best Value Determination: FAR 8.405-6(c)(2)(v)

I hereby determine that the anticipated price to the Government for this action will be fair and reasonable and of best value to the Government consistent with FAR 8.404(d).

CONTRACTING OFFICER SIGNATURE IN SECTION 12 BELOW ALSO SERVES AS

THE PRICE FAIR AND REASONABLENESS DETERMINATION IN THIS SECTION.

8 April 2025

12. Contracting Officer Certification: FAR 8.405-6(c)(2)(ix) I hereby certify that this J&A/FOE is complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.

NAME: Ms. Christie Orlando TITLE: SOF AT&-KD, Contracting Officer

SIGNATURE/DATE: _______________________________

13. Legal: (SOFARS 5601-1)

NAME: Mr. Jorge Martinez TITLE: Attorney-Advisor (Acquisition)

SIGNATURE/DATE: _______________________________

14. Procuring Activity Advocate for Competition: (SOFARS 5601-1)

I have reviewed this document and find the FOE adequate to support other than full and open competition IAW FAR 8.405-6(c)(2)(xi) :

NAME: James �Trey� Goodwin TITLE: Procuring Activity Advocate for Competition

SIGNATURE/DATE: _______________________________