JA Extron FY22_FINAL_Redacted.pdf

IN REPLY REFER TO

JA Number: 22-GAD-021 Code: 76

Requisition No: 1300989100

BRAND NAME JUSTIFICATION

1. Contracting Activity

Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division (NSWCCD), Contracting & Acquisition Department

(Code 02).

2. Description of the Action Being Approved

This is a Brand Name Only requirement in support of NSWCCD’s need to procure spare training system hardware components from the following Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM):

Extron USA

2500N Raleigh Boulevard

Raleigh, NC 27604

Sound Tech

4855 Ward Rd. Suite 400

Wheat Ridge, CO 80033

Hanwha Techwin America

500 Frank W Burr Blvd. Suite 43

Teaneck, NJ 07666

SCM Microsystem (Indentiv)

2201 Walnut Ave, Suite 100

Fremont, CA 94538

The requisite brand name only training system hardware components identified in Section 3 of this Brand Name Justification are necessary for NSWCCD to maintain operation capabilities of the fielded onboard/ship submarine training systems, as well as to maintain their interaction with NSWCCD’s Engineering Development

Model (EDM). It is critical for NSWCCD to have hardware spare components for these systems available, in case the Government encounters a malfunction or damage to the hardware installed in the fielded onboard/ship submarine training systems.

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY

NAVAL SURFACE WARFARE CENTER

CARDEROCK DIVISION

9500 MACARTHUR BOULEVARD

WEST BETHESDA, MD 20817-5700

interfaces with various hardware components. Many of these hardware components require use of their manufacturer’s proprietary software to operate and provide the functionality needed. The EDM was designed and configured to operate with those brand name training system hardware components sought with this

Justification.

The anticipated value of this acquisition is and the

Government will utilize Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 OPN funding.

The Government requires delivery of the brand name training system hardware components in May 2022.

The Government’s minimum needs have been verified by the certifying technical and requirements personnel.

4. Authority Permitting Brand Name Justification

This brand name justification is pursued in accordance with FAR

16.505(a)(4), which provides that an Agency may procure items peculiar to one manufacturer, provided that the particular brand-name, product, or feature is essential to the Government’s requirements, and market research indicates other companies’ similar products, or products lacking the particular feature, do not meet, or cannot be modified to meet, the Agency’s need.

5. Rationale for Brand Name Justification

The requisite brand name only training system hardware components are required to maintain operation capabilities for the

Government’s fielded onboard/ship submarine training systems.

Moreover, these components are necessary to continue those systems interaction with the EDM. The Government’s current EDM for the fielded onboard ship/submarines training systems, which was procured under Contract No. N00167-19-D-0004, was designed and developed as a simulation cluster, and is configured to operate with the requisite brand name training system hardware components sought with this Justification. The Government has already tested, approved, and installed each brand name component at multiple schoolhouse and fleet locations, making these brand name components the standard used with these training systems.

Additionally, the EDM was designed and configured with interfaces that are compatible with each brand name hardware components’ proprietary software. These brand name hardware components are not interchangeable. Using a different brand name of the hardware components identified in this Justification may undermine the operability of the fielded onboard/ship submarine training systems, to include these systems’ capability to interface with the EDM. The following provides greater detail to support the

Government’s need to maintain commonality with its need for each

OEM’s brand name hardware component:

Extron: Extron hardware components identified in this

Justification includes digital image transmitters, receivers, and extenders, which are used to display software and simulate the onboard ship system. Although there may be other brand name hardware components that offer similar capabilities, those other brand name hardware components do not use Extron’s proprietary software that is currently compatible and integrated into the existing infrastructure of the EDM. Further, there is a high risk that other brand name hardware components will lack the capability to transmit/process the data, which will ultimately result in a total failure of the fielded onboard/ship submarine training system.

Sound Tech: The Sound Tech branded conference microphone required with this Justification has already undergone vetting and approval under the final build specifications in Contract No. N00167-19-D-

0004. The Government has integrated the software required to operate the Sound Tech VEC CM-1000 into all training systems.

Other brand name conference microphones may offer similar capabilities; however, different software will be required to operate these different brand name conference microphones, in order to make these different brand name components compatible with the existing EDM infrastructure.

Hanwha: The Hanwha branded dome camera required with this

Justification has already undergone vetting and approval under the final build specification in Contract No. N00167-19-D-0004. The

Government has integrated this particular brand name camera, including the associated software for its operation, into all training systems. Other brand name cameras may offer similar capabilities; however, different software will be required to operate these different brand name cameras, in order to make these different brand name components compatible with the existing EDM infrastructure.

SMC: The SMC branded smart card reader required with this

Justification has already undergone vetting and approval under the final build specification in Contract No. N00167-19-D-0004. The

Government has integrated the software required to operate the smart card reader into all training systems. Other brand name smart card readers may offer similar capabilities; however, different software will be required to operate these different brand name card readers, in order to make these different brand name components compatible with the existing EDM infrastructure.

Eaton: The power distribution implemented in the training systems is uniquely configured to ensure sufficient power is maintained to run the servers. Deviating from the brand name power distribution unit required with this Justification will result in a loss of calibration of power to the training systems, which will ultimately cause the system to fail, and/or go into safe mode to avoid damage to the EDM.

Furthermore, it is imperative for NSWCCD to maintain the standardization and commonality that is established with the brand name hardware components used in the initial design of each existing onboard/ship submarine training system.

The use of other brand name components than those identified in this Justification may also result in the following:

a) A redesign of the acoustic stimulation subsystem to use the different brand name hardware components will require reverse engineering, implementation of network redundancy and cluster management functions provided with the existing hardware solution, and reintegration and testing into the trainer EDM, to integrate with the other training subsystems for simulation, scenario control and trainer management components. The Government estimates that the duration of this unplanned work may take a minimum of six months, and require estimated labor hours from five engineers, costing the Government approximately

b) Because a uniform, standardized system is used to ensure consistency in training, substantial time would be required to modify each deployed Training System across the Navy. The

Government will require the creation of a new logistics effort.

The EDM would be incapable of providing maintenance updates and repairs to the current fielded systems due to the fact different brand name hardware components are in use. This may result in an additional cost to the Government, in order to procure additional hardware to enable the EDM to operation with the different brand name hardware components.

c) Long-term logistics costs for maintaining systems at the fleet sites would increase due to the fact that there will be multiple configurations of the same systems across the fleet.

Procurement of hardware components from a different manufacturer other than those used in the EDM for onboard/ship submarine training systems will result in a need to redesign, integrate, and test the new hardware prior to using the different brand of hardware components in the training systems. Additionally, maintenance at fleet sites will require an additional six to eight months of time, in order to fully execute a new hardware set for real-time situations. As a result of this delay, the Government will not meet the fleet’s installation schedules. Additionally, submarine crews will not meet Pre-Deployment Training and certification requirements.

6. Description of Efforts Made to Solicit Offers from as Many

Offerors as Practicable

On or about 15 February 2022, the Government issued a Request for

Information (RFI) on the NASA SEWP V GWAC. This is a mandatory source for IT-related hardware. The results of this market research effort yielded pricing information from those NASA SEWP-holders approved to sell the requisite branded hardware products.

The table below summarizes the RFQ responses the Government received:

Company Outcome

Responded with Quote

Responded with Quote

7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Costs

The Procuring Contracting Officer (PCO) determined that the anticipated costs to the Government for the hardware described in this Brand Name Justification will be fair and reasonable because pricing offered through NASA SEWP V GWACS have been previously determined to be fair and reasonable. The PCO will also use the proposal analysis techniques found at FAR 15.404-1(b), to establish a fair and reasonable price.

8. Actions to Remove Barriers to Competition

NSWCCD will likely have reason to solicit similar supplies/services in the future. If other vendors are identified by Extron, Sound Tech, Hanwha and SCM as authorized resellers of supplies, these vendors may be considered in future solicitations.

If barriers to compatibility among non- Extron, Sound Tech, Hanwha and SCM hardware manufacturers can be eliminated at little or no additional cost, non- Extron, Sound Tech, Hanwha and SCM supplies may be considered for acquisition in future solicitations. The circumstances surrounding the need to obtain the required supplies/services without providing full and open competition will be reviewed annually by the PCO.

CERTIFICATIONS AND APPROVALS

TECHNICAL AND REQUIREMENTS CERTIFICATION - (FAR 16.505(b)(2)(ii)(B)(9))

I certify that the facts and representations under my cognizance, which are included in this justification, except as noted herein, are complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.

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