Sole_Source_Justification_Black_Rhino_Redacted_Final.pdf

DDEFENSE THREAT REDUCTION AGENCY

8725 John J. Kingman Road, Stop 6201

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6201

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND

OPEN COMPETITION

FOR INFORMATION OPERATIONS

COMPUTER NETWORK

DEFENSE/EXPLOITATION (IO CND/E)

OPERATOR CONTRACT

1. Nature and/or Description of Action

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) contracting activity proposes to procure without using full and open competition for the Information Operations Computer Network Defense and Exploitation (IO CND/E), Operators (hereafter referred to as Black Rhino Operators) for the Nuclear Enterprise (NE) Support Directorate, Mission Assurance (MA) Department (NE-MA). NE-MA seeks to award this contract using limited competition as identified in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements. This potential contract action will have a base year plus four option year periods. The Period of Performance (PoP) for the base year of the contract will be from 29 January 2019 through 28 January 2020. The total estimated cost of this proposed 5 year contract for the base and option years will be $15,396,679.00.

2. Description of Services Required

NE-MAB requires contract services to perform Information Operations Computer Network Defense and Exploitation assessments of critical strategic communications networks and enterprises. The operators would perform assessments using an IO Toolkit known as the Black Rhino. The IO/CND Tool provides a capability to inspect a customer's data network traffic to identify any potential vulnerabilities or exploitations from malicious actors. In operation, the Black Rhino makes a copy of the customer's network traffic and then routes it through a number of "sensors" (software tools) that scan the traffic for indicators of malicious activity or vulnerabilities. Critical to this operation operator/tool interface. The superior results of previous assessments are a direct result of the expertise operating the Black Rhino and evaluation of the output of data by our operators. DTRA IO CND/E assessments are considered to be State-of-the-Art and superior to those of other organizations.

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), National Defense Strategy (NDS), Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), and world events have increased Department of Defense (DoD) demands for DTRA assessment support with special emphasis on cyber security. To meet these demands, DTRA has both increased and requested additional resources for cyber assessment capabilities. The Black Rhino is a unique and technologically trustworthy method for performing this assessment capability and has proven its value time and again.

DTRA has accepted funding, entered into formal agreements, and has been directed by Vice

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (VCJS) and Deputy Secretary of Defense (DepSecDef) to perform IO CND/E assessments of critical DoD networks using the Black Rhino toolkit.

3. Statutory Authority

The statutory authority for this non-competitive action is 10 United States Code (U.S.C.) 2304(c) (1) or 41 U.S.C. 253(c) (1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services will Satisfy Agency Requirements.

4. Applicability of Authority

JFL designed, built the original Black Rhino, and has been the sole service provider to this capability since 2010. There is only one operational Black Rhino Toolkit owned and operated by DTRA. To date, the only operators performing IO CND/E Toolkit assessments have been employees of JFL Consulting. No other providers for this unique capability exist with the both the operational and technical expertise to immediately perform assessments at the level required in accordance with (IAW), Balanced Survivability Assessment (BSA) Standard Operating Procedures, customer requirements, or the BSA reputation.

The ability of DTRA to obtain comparable support from another source is not feasible. Extensive training on toolkit set-up and operation would be required and no training program exists.

Conservative estimates to obtain functional capability to operate the toolkit in all its required configurations would require a minimum of six months of training. To obtain the technical expertise to analyze the integrated tool suite results would require, at a minimum, an additional four months of training provided the candidate already possessed expertise on using the individual tools.

DTRA has accepted funding, entered into formal agreements, and has been directed by VCJS and DepSecDef to perform IO CND/E assessments of critical DoD networks using the Black Rhino toolkit. As previously discussed, selection of another provider would result in a minimum of 10 months before the capability is Initial Operational Capability (IOC). DTRA would still be required to honor our commitments, as scheduled, during this time.

5. Effort to Solicit Potential Sources

A notice of intent to execute a sole source contract with JFL Consulting will be posted on Federal Business Opportunities. While DTRA has determined that the subject requirement is from a unique source, JFL Consulting, respondents to the synopsis will be evaluated for their capabilities to fulfill the requirement.

6. Fair and Reasonable Costs

The anticipated cost/price of this contract action to the Government will be determined to be fair and reasonable based on technical input from the project office field pricing reports from Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) and/or Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA), and comparison with historical pricing

7. Market Research

A Request for Information (RFI), DTRA1-RFI-18-0001, for the NE-MA, IO CND/E Operators requirement was posted on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) on 14 May 2018. The RFI recommended that Small Disadvantaged Veteran Owned Businesses (SDVOSB) submit their company’s capability statements based on the RFI as required with a closing date of 28 May 2018.

DTRA received 11 capability statements and the capability statements were reviewed by NE-MA. At least 3 of the capability statements out of the other 11 respondents indicated some level of knowledge and expertise with cybersecurity tools. However, none of the other respondents had demonstrated the capability to operate the unique Black Rhino tool set. JFL Consulting was the only respondent out of the 11 respondents that demonstrated the capability to operate the unique Black Rhino tool set

8. Other Facts

None

9. Interested Sources

There were 11 respondents for the above referenced Request for Information from the SDVOSB community. However, JFL Consulting is the only source capable of meeting DTRA’s requirement for Black Rhino Operator support services.

10. Subsequent Actions

NE-MA will continue to conduct market research activities to search for qualified candidates for the IO CND/E Operators toolkit in the future.

Technical Certification

I certify that the data and information forming the basis for this justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Contracting Officer Certification and Approval

I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

David E. Miller Contracting Officer

MILLER.DAVID

.E.1229162850

Digitally signed by

MILLER.DAVID.E.1229162850

Date: 2018.08.02 15:25:47 -04'00'