JA_HSCG4417R170001.pdf

Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition 10 U.S.C. 2304 (c)(1)

Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements

Solicitation Number: HSCG44-17-R-170001

SOURCE SELECTION INFORMATION – SEE FAR 2.101 and 3.104 Page 1 of 6

Pursuant to the requirements of the Competition in Contracting Act (CICA) as implemented by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 6.3 and in accordance with the requirements of FAR 6.303-1, the justification for the use of the statutory authority under FAR Subpart 6.3 is justified by the following facts and rationale required under FAR 6.303-2 as follows:

1. Agency and Contracting Activity.

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), United States Coast Guard (USCG), Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Information Technology Service Center (C4ITSC), Contracts and Procurement Division (CPD), at the Command, Control and Communications Engineering Center (C3CEN) in Portsmouth, VA proposes to solicit and enter into a contract on a basis other than full and open competition to acquire sustainment support services for L3 proprietary systems/equipment onboard Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence Surveillance & Reconnaissance (C4ISR) assets.

2. Nature and/or Description of the Action being Approved.

C3CEN Core Technology Radio (CT-R) has a requirement for sustainment support for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence Surveillance & Reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems/equipment installed on National Security Cutters (NSC), Fast Response Cutters (FRC), District Seven Command Centers (IVCS and KITE Terminals only), Training Center (TRACEN) Petaluma, C3CEN Radio Frequency (RF) Communications (COMM) Laboratory, and the Integration and Test Facility (LITF) in Camden, NJ. The requirement will include necessary support, engineering tasks, and related training activities to maintain C4ISR assets functioning as designed to ensure maximized availability of these systems.

The proposed procurement will be a five year Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract awarded on a sole source basis to L-3 Communications Corporation with an estimated total cost of $32,000,000.00 for five years.

Proposed Contractor: L-3 Communications Corporation Address: 1 Federal Street, Camden, NJ 08103-1004 DUNS Number: 618019632

3. Description of Supplies/Services.

Sustainment support is required for the following L3 proprietary C4ISR systems/equipment installed on National Security Cutters (NSC), Fast Response Cutters (FRC), District Seven Command Centers (IVCS and KITE Terminals only), Training Center (TRACEN) Petaluma, C3CEN Radio Frequency (RF) Communications (COMM) Laboratory, and the Integration and Test Facility (LITF) in Camden, NJ:

SOURCE SELECTION INFORMATION – SEE FAR 2.101 and 3.104 Page 2 of 6

• L3 MarCom® Integrated Voice Communication Systems (IVCS)

• L3 KITE Integrated Terminal

• L3 Radio Base Band Switch (BBS)

• L3 SYMPHONY® radio control program and infrastructure

• L3 Henschel Alarm and Announcing System

Below are the support services needed for the L3 proprietary C4ISR systems/equipment:

a. Provide Subject Matter Expert knowledge for the L3 proprietary C4ISR systems/equipment.

Subject Matter Expert support is defined as having in depth knowledge of the equipment so as to assist the Coast Guard as needed in resolving casualties to the above listed equipment and having the capability to repair any software and hardware issue which may arise during normal operations. Support is required both remotely and onsite.

b. Provide logistical support as required for L3 proprietary C4ISR systems/equipment. Logistical support is defined as assisting the Coast Guard in updating existing logistical manuals and job aids, due to dealing with obsolescence and non-availability of parts referred to as Diminished Mission System (DMS).

c. Provide Information Assurance (IA) support for NSC and FRC L3 proprietary C4ISR systems/equipment. IA support is defined as all efforts required to keep the network infrastructure and computer/server images current with the latest security patches and protocols.

d. Assist in modifying the SYMPHONY and MarCom networks to interface new radios and peripherals as required.

While the goal of the program office is to transition as much support as possible to organic sources and/or competitive contracts, the proprietary nature of the equipment and the associated support requires that L-3 perform the work. The USCG has continuously gained knowledge of the L3 proprietary C4ISR systems over the past several years. This knowledge has enabled the USCG to transition Tier One support outside of the L3 Contract.

Non-recurring support include activities such as: modifying SYMPHONY code to integrate a new radio, integrating a new radio into the SYMPHONY/IVCS physical architecture, and rewriting SYMPHONY code to conform to new cyber directives. Nonrecurring activities will be issued as separate task orders and negotiated at the task order level.

4. Identification of the Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open Competition.

SOURCE SELECTION INFORMATION – SEE FAR 2.101 and 3.104 Page 3 of 6

The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1) as implemented by FAR Subpart 6.302-1 entitled “Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.”

5. Demonstration that the Nature of the Acquisition Requires Use of the Authority Cited.

The L3 proprietary C4ISR equipment/systems were originally procured by the Coast Guard’s Major Acquisitions Directorate (CG-93) under an Integrated Coast Guard Systems (ICGS) competitive contract. A significant portion of the C4ISR equipment/systems are based onL-3 proprietary software and technology; there are no other contractors that can provide the support services required for the proprietary components and the software.

Sustainment support services for L3 proprietary C4ISR equipment/systems are currently being fulfilled by L-3 Communications Corporation (L-3) under a five year $35 million dollar sole source Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract, HSCG79-11-D-PDW012, which expired in September 2016. When contract HSCG79-11-D-PDW012 was initially awarded in September 2011, the USCG was just exiting from the total contractor support model that DEEPWATER had setup for the National Security Cutters (NSC) and Fast Response Cutters (FRC), USCG was completely dependent on L3 for all services related to the communications suite onboard the NSC and FRC's to include configuration management, logistics documentation, troubleshooting and repair of the IVCS and SYMPHONY systems, and spares support. Over the past five years the government has assumed configuration management of the Communications Suite, obtained all logistics documentation required to maintain the non-proprietary components and software of the system, perform initial troubleshooting and repair where possible utilizing organic or Small Business contractor assets, and established its own spares pool utilizing Surface Forces Logistics Center (SFLC).

The sustainment support services required from L3 includes Tier 2 troubleshooting of the L3 Proprietary pieces in the NSC and FRC Communications Suite, Information Assurance hardening of the SYMPHONY server images, Depot level onsite technical support where required to assist local assets, repair of the L3 proprietary components related to the NSC Communications Suite, and providing assistance in modifying the proprietary pieces of the Communications Suite architecture to accommodate the installation of new GFE provided equipment. Without the continued support services provided by L-3, it would be extremely difficult to meet communication performance standards and would have an adverse operational readiness impact on deployed USCG Cutters.

The integrated communications infrastructure being delivered on National Security Cutters (NSC) and the Fast Response Cutters (FRC) are designed and installed by L-3. This infrastructure utilizes both L-3 equipment and other manufacturers’ equipment with L-3 designing proprietary hardware and software interfaces as needed to complete the system. The equipment and software specifically provided by L-3 is proprietary to their company, no other sources are capable of servicing this equipment except L-3.

The SYMPHONY radio control network is an L-3 designed system tailored to the Coast Guard’s needs on NSC and FRC platforms. The actual software integration program (SYMPHONY) is an L-3 product, while the Coast Guard owns limited data rights, only L-3 has the capability to create the radio driver files needed to control new radios or troubleshoot problems to existing

SOURCE SELECTION INFORMATION – SEE FAR 2.101 and 3.104 Page 4 of 6 radios. Additionally, Information Assurance (IA) hardening of the SYMPHONY is required to be performed on a yearly basis. Only L-3 has the knowledge of the SYMPHONY to troubleshoot any issues that might arise from new IA requirements.

The MarCom Audio switch is designed and manufactured by L-3. The Chassis and Cards of this system are L-3 proprietary equipment, only L-3 has the knowledge to repair and service this equipment should repairs become necessary. Additionally, the Radio Interface cards for this system have specialized jumper settings depending on the equipment. While the government has jumper settings for existing radios, any new radios would require different settings of which only L-3 has the knowledge to modify the cards.

The audio switching backbone, of which MarCom is the center of, contains L-3 proprietary equipment to include Audio Interface Modules (AIM), Base Band Switches (BBS) and dual Bus Audio taps. Only L-3 has the drawings and knowledge to troubleshoot and repair this equipment. There are also connections to the SYMPHONY server to allow the MarCom switch to properly communicate to the edge KITE PHONES that a radio is either in encrypted or unencrypted mode, only L-3 possesses this is programming knowledge.

6. Description of Efforts Made to Ensure that Offers are Solicited from as Many Potential Sources as is Practicable.

Acquisition Planning Forecast System (APFS) Record F2015030277 for this requirement was published on the DHS APFS website on 4 February 2016. Sources Sought Notice HSCG79-16- I-SUST01 was posted on the Government-wide Point of Entry (www. fbo.gov) on February 2, 2016 by the USCG Telecommunication Information Systems Command (TISCOM) with a response date of March 4, 2016. A FedBizOpps notice will be publicized as required by FAR

5.2. In accordance with FAR 6.305(a), the justification will be publicly available within 14 days after contract award at the Government-wide Point of Entry (www. fbo.gov).

7. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the Anticipated Cost to the Government will be Fair and Reasonable.

The Contracting Officer will determine the anticipated prices fair and reasonable based on comparison with historical prices paid by the Government and comparison with the Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE). The Contracting Officer will request certified cost and pricing data in accordance with FAR 15.403-4 to ensure that all prices are deemed fair and reasonable.

8. Description of Market Research.

Acquisition Planning Forecast System (APFS) Record F2015030277 for this requirement was published on the DHS APFS website on 4 February 2016. Sources Sought Notice (SSN) HSCG79-16-I-SUST01 was posted on the Government-wide Point of Entry (www. FBO.gov) on February 2, 2016 by USCG, Telecommunication Information Systems Command (TISCOM) with a response date of March 4, 2016. L-3 Communications Corporation responded to SSN HSCG79-16-I-SUST01 on March 3, 2016. No additional sources were identified as a result of these two efforts. L3 has no authorized distributors of their products and due to the proprietary nature of the software and hardware; there are no other known sources capable of providing equipment/system support services.

SOURCE SELECTION INFORMATION – SEE FAR 2.101 and 3.104 Page 5 of 6

9. Any Other Facts Supporting the Use of Other Than Full and Open Competition.

None

10. A Listing of the Sources, if Any That Expressed, in Writing, an Interest in the Acquisition.

Other than the incumbent, L3 Communications Corporation, no other sources have expressed an interest in the proposed acquisition in response to the efforts made while conducting market research.

11. A Statement of the Actions, if Any, the Agency May Take to Remove or Overcome Any Barriers to Competition Before Any Subsequent Acquisition for Supplies or Services Required.

The life expectancy of C4ISR equipment/systems based on L-3 proprietary software and technology is projected to have a minimum service life of 15 more years. As components become obsolete, every effort will be made to competitively procure replacements. It is anticipated that future requirements to replace the current C4ISR equipment/systems will be procured competitively. The USCG plans to take steps to transition training away from the new contract to third party vendors over the next 1-3 years.