JUSTIFICATION_FOR_OTHER_THAN_FULL_&_OPEN_COMPETITION_Redacted.pdf

ID05190041

AF SBIR/STTR Tech Warrior Enterprise - Bridge

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL & OPEN COMPETITION

I. Agency and Contracting Activity

Agency: Air Force SBIR/STTR Program Management Office

(AF SBIR/STTR PMO)

Wright-Patterson AFB, OH

Contracting Activity: General Services Administration (GSA) Region 5 Federal Acquisition Services Contracting Division

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

This justification is for an open market firm fixed price (FFP) bridge contract supporting AF SBIR/STTR PMO’s continuing need for high-end Contractor Support Services (CSS) and transition services and analysis to the Air Force Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR), Operational Demonstration and Evaluation Capability (termed the “Tech Warrior Enterprise”) critical to the AF SBIR/STTR Commercialization Readiness Program (CRP). The bridge contract will result in continued, critical support, to provide accelerated SBIR technology transition through the Tech Warrior Enterprise providing small businesses (in particular SBIR/STTR businesses) with the support, expertise, facilities, and feedback to test, experiment, conduct data collection, insert, and/or otherwise showcase and demonstrate state-of-the-art warfighting technologies in a realistic operational environment. In addition, the Tech Warrior Enterprise provides focused efforts to accelerate small business technology delivery through demonstration of technology that addresses urgent specific warfighter needs. Currently, Wright State Applied Research Corporation (WSARC) at the National Center for Medical Readiness (NCMR) is performing this work under the 711th Human Performance Wing, Cooperative Agreement (CA) FA8650-17-2- 6885 awarded on 19 July 2017 as a sole source procurement. At the time of award, the Period of Performance (PoP) was for 18 months (19 July 2017 through 19 September 2018) consisting of 15 months for technical efforts and 3 months to deliver the final report. On 14 May 2018, modification P00002 to CA number FA8650-17-2-6885 changed the agreement to a 24 month PoP ending on 19 July 2019 with 21 months for the technical effort and 3 months to deliver a final report. The technical effort (Services) will end on 19 April 2019. Only services from the current source for this bridge contract will satisfy agency requirements in order to prevent a break in services. The bridge contract will be awarded to WSARC. The follow-on will be a competitive procurement; however, it cannot be completed in time to meet the required start date of 20 April 2019. The bridge contract will be for a six (6) month base period plus two (2) three

(3) month options in anticipation of a follow-on competitive award which is currently being worked with an anticipated for award no later than April 2020.

6-Month Base Period: 20 April 2019 through 30 September 2019 3-Month Option Period: 1 October 2019 through 31 December 2019 3-Month Option Period: 1 January 2020 through 19 April 2020

III. Description of the Supplies/Services Required to Meet the Agency’s Need

1. The bridge contract provides highly specialized services for the AF SBIR/STTR Tech Warrior Enterprise in direct support of the AF SBIR/STTR CRP. All work proposed on the bridge contract is a continuation of work being performed under 711HPW CA FA8650-17-2- 6885. WSARC provides an experimental and developmental research integrated testbed that provides high-fidelity realistic scenarios and technical infrastructure for the demonstration and evaluation of AF SBIR/STTR products. The contractor has been providing SBIR/STTR baseline technical and operational subject matter experts, technology development laboratory and demonstration capabilities, execution (hosting) of Tech Warrior Enterprise exercise and technology integration events, and technology and commercialization support. These specific skill sets and physical operational demonstration environment capabilities are enabling the AF SBIR/STTR (CRP) to accelerate technology transition planning, development, and management efforts to provide critical advanced, affordable, and integrated technologies to the Air Force warfighter resulting in new warfighter capabilities, improved system performance, greater system reliability, and cost savings.

2. The short term strategy is to award a bridge contract for continuity of AF SBIR/STTR Tech Warrior Enterprise services while a new competitive task order is put into place. The government would have to spend considerable resources catching up other providers on the efforts completed under 711HPW CA FA8650-17-2-6885, without recovering the additional costs during the bridge contract period of performance. The initial award of CA FA8650-17-2-6885 was for

. The initial award cost encompassed the initial startup cost and a bridge contract will prevent duplicate spending that will not be recovered.

3. The total estimated price is approximately . The type of funds supporting the task order are 3600 Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) funds (2 year).

IV. Statutory Authority Permitting Other than Full and Open Competition

Per Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1, “Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements,” the authority is 10 U.S.C.2304(c)(1).

V. Demonstration of Contractor’s Unique Qualifications

1. The WSARC contractor team possesses knowledge of the AF SBIR/STTR Program and has relevant experience in Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition and Science and Technology activities including advanced management, engineering, analytical, technical and communication skills. WSARC has worked with Air Force Program Executive Offices and Operational and Combat Commands in the maturation, communication, and transition of Air Force SBIR/STTR program high potential technologies to the Air Force, DoD acquisition programs, and commercial markets. SBIR/STTR commercialization requirements are mandated by Congress under section 252 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006, Public Law 109-163 (NDAA) and section 5001 of NDAA of the STTR Reauthorization Act of 2012, (Public Law 112-81, Section 5001). Senior level support and contractor automated tools are vital to prevent delays that would result in not meeting statutory and regulatory requirements. Change in personnel or development of new automated tools at this point would result in significant delays that would result in key SBIR/STTR technologies not being transitioned.

3. This effort is for continuation of services in AF SBIR/STTR Tech Warrior Enterprise CRP support. The SBIR/STTR CRP statutory and regulatory mandates can only be met through the unique experience and capabilities of WSARC. WSARC has directly supported the AF SBIR/STTR Tech Warrior Enterprise over the last 24 months since the mission was initiated in 2017. WSARC is the only source available to implement the program in the time required without having a lapse in service. Without a sole source bridge contract the following may occur:

Estimated 6-12 month delay to in new AF SBIR CRP transition and integration efforts which would miss critical schedules at PEO Agile Combat Support, Armament, Battle Management, Business and Enterprise Systems, C3I & Networks, Fighter/Bomber, ISR & SOF, Tanker, Mobility, Space, Strategic Systems, and Joint Strike Fighter.

Loss of subject matter expert (SME) personnel with experience and access to physical operational demonstration capabilities to deliver rapid SBIR/STTR solutions in support of Air Force Special Operation Command (AFSOC), including Para rescue (PJ) special forces, tactical air controllers, and special tactics operators; Air Force Combat Command (ACC), including security forces, explosive ordinance disposal, and combat search and rescue; Air Force Mobility Command (AMC) including rapid aircraft repair; Norther Command (NORTHCOM) / Defense Support to Civil Authorities (DSCA) / National Emergency and Security Preparedness (NESP) including prevention deterrence, infrastructure protection, preparedness, emergency diagnosis, emergency management/response, hazard mitigation, evacuation/shelter, victim care, investigation/apprehension, and recovery/remediation; and United States Secret Service (USSS) including high value personal protection.

Loss of continuity in all disciplines and unnecessary rework and delays.

WSARC is the only company capable of providing the service without the AF SBIR/STTR Tech Warrior Enterprise CRP experiencing unacceptable delays in fulfilling its mission requirements.

VI. Description of Efforts to Ensure Competition

On 05 March 2019, GSA’s Contracting Activity posted an RFI including the draft SOW on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website. The FBO posting resulted in three contractors registering on FBO as being an “Interested Vendor”; however, no formal response was received.

The same RFI was posted on GSA eBuy on 05 March 2019. Only “no bid” responses were received. The response date for both RFIs was 12 March 2019. The notice of intent to award a sole source bridge contract was synopsized in the posted RFI.

VII. Determination by the Activity Contracting Officer that Anticipated Cost is Fair and Reasonable

WSARC was awarded the 711HPW CA FA8650-17-2-6885 on July 19, 2017 and modified on

May 14, 2018. The CA was awarded and modified to a twenty four (24) month performance period. The CA ends 19 April 2019 (with 3 months to deliver a final report, 19 July 2019). The CA labor rates are based on WSARC contract rates which were determined to be fair and reasonable prior to awarding the CA. The Contracting Officer will determine the bridge task order total price as fair and reasonable. The Contracting officer will compare the open market hourly rates to the current hourly rates under the CA and with the independent Government cost estimate (IGCE) prior to award. The 6 month bridge contract with two 3 month optional periods will include the appropriate labor rates.

VIII. Description of the Market Research Conducted and the Results or a Statement of the Reason Market Research was not Conducted

The requiring agency conducted market research to determine if the experience, skill set, and physical demonstration capabilities required were available on the timeline required. The research determined the experience, skill set, and physical demonstration capabilities required were available from only WSARC in the required timeframe.

When citing FAR 6.302-1, “Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements,” The Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) and Procedures, Guidance, and Information (PGI) 206.302-1 directs that a request for information (RFI) or a sources sought notice be posted. On 05 March 2019, GSA’s Contracting Activity posted an RFI on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website and GSA’s eBuy with responses due back on 12 March 2019. The FBO posting resulted in three contractors indicating interest in the project. The contractors did not submit capability statements but indicated interest through the FBO platform by posting their contact information, website, business types and NAICS codes. One of the contractors only submitted contact information and website. This contractor (US Federal Government Proposal Writing Group) was determined not to be an interested party because their website indicated that their business consisted of assisting other companies “Find, Win, and Successfully Perform U.S. Federal Government Contracts.”

The other two contractors where determined to be interested parties because their System for Awards Management (SAM) profiles indicated that their offeror representation and certifications for commercial items included the applicable NAICS code (541611 - Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services) and represented themselves as a Small Business Concern.

Even though two interested parties were identified, it is determined that due to the required need by date (20 April 2019) and the duplication of to ramp-up performance, competing this requirement among the two contractors would not be in the best interest of the Government. Based on the market research, WSARC is the only company that can provide the senior experience, SME skillset, and physical demonstration capabilities within the timeline required without duplicating cost.

2. The AF SBIR/STTR PMO is anticipating awarding a long term contract for this requirement.

GSA was notified on or about 27 January 2019 by the AF SBIR/STTR PMO that they would like GSA Region 5 to handle the procurement for the follow-on contract. The government expects to transition this work to a new competitive contract by the second quarter in FY 2020. GSA Region 5 AAS/Contracting Division on behalf of the AF SBIR/STTR PMO is developing a long term competitive acquisition strategy for a five (5) year contract with the intentions to use a GSA contract vehicle.

IX. Other Facts Supporting the Justification

Not Applicable.

X. List of Sources that Expressed an Interest in the Acquisition

None. When market research was conducted, no sources expressed interest in this bridge contract requirement due to the timeframe required. Sources that responded with an interest in the competitive requirement will be provided to the Contracting Officer for that procurement. As stated in Para. 6 above, a synopsis was published prior to issuance of solicitation.

XI. Actions the Agency may take to Remove or Overcome any Barriers to Competition before any Subsequent Acquisition for the Supplies or Services

A competitive procurement will begin in April 2019 with award targeted for March 2020.

XII. Technical Requirements Personnel Certification. I certify that the data supporting the recommended use of the Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge.

________________________________ 11 April 2019 DAVID E. SHAHADY, DR-IV (GS-15), DAF Date Director, Air Force SBIR/STTR Program

AF SBIR/STTR PMO

XIII. Contracting Officer’s Certification. I certify that the Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Clifton L. Kendrick Sr.

Contracting Officer

CONCURRENCE:

Yjuania Still Date Supervisory Contracting Officer Contracting Division

Rodney Couick Date Director, Assisted Acquisition Services, R5 FAS

Assistant Regional Counsel Date General Services Administration, 5L

Micky Mayes Date Director, Contracting Division, R5 FAS

APPROVAL:

Anne Mesch Date Deputy Regional Commissioner, R5 FAS Competition Advocate