JA FAR Part 13.5_RT00257-24_EXata-JCF_Redacted.pdf

CUI//SP-SSEL

J&A Control Number: MZB-B-J&A24-1790

Sole Source Justification and Approval Under FAR 13.501

1. Contracting Activity: The U.S. Army Contracting Command-Redstone, Attention:

CCAM- MZB-B, Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898-5000

2. Description of Action: The Technology Development Directorate (TDD) of the Combat Capabilities Development Command, Aviation and Missile Center, (DEVCOM AvMC), Redstone Arsenal, Alabama requests a new firm-fixed price contract for the acquisition of the software license key that supports the updates and maintenance for existing EXata Software supporting the Tactical Engagement Network Simulator (TENS). The Government projects award for August, Fiscal Year 2024. Fiscal Year 2024, Army Research Development Test and Engineering funds will be used for this acquisition.

3. Description of Supplies/Services: The contractor shall provide one (1) software maintenance license renewal for the existing EXata+Cyber software, to be licensed for the period of one (1) year. The license shall include any software updates, improvements, maintenance and customer support for the existing licensed software.

The below Node-locked KeysightCare software support requirements shall be met.

Period of Performance: 30 Oct 2024 to 29 Oct 2025 Desired Award Date: 30 Oct 2024 Total Value:

Authority Cited: 10.U.S.C 2304(c)(1) as implemented by FAR 13.106-(b)(1)(ii): For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold (SAT), only one source reasonably available, urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand name, or industrial mobilization.

4. Reason for Authority Cited:

a. EXata software is the only software that meets the Government technical requirement. Alternate software packages do not provide the same capabilities and would be incompatible with currently owned government software products and network performance support equipment. This requirement is for the maintenance license of existing EXata software currently running in the TENS environment. The EXata software license key is a unique product only produced by Keysight Technologies Inc.

b. There is a unique software license key required under this license agreement that provides the Government with the updates, maintenance, and technical support necessary. There are no other companies in industry able to generate this software license key.

c. The performance assessment of AvMC customer network solutions requires the modeling and high-fidelity emulation of various waveforms and network scenarios. The waveform library currently used by AvMC is a Government Owned Product library referred to as the Joint Network Emulator (JNE) waveform library. JNE runs on the

J&A Control Number: MZB-B-J&A24-1790 commercially provided simulation environment EXata. The Aviation & Missile Centers (AvMC), the Army, Industry, and other military services, have invested tens of millions of dollars to provide high fidelity legacy and emerging waveform emulation support to its developer and S&T communities. The AvMC uses this technology within the Tactical Engagement Network Simulator (TENS) environment to support numerous PEO, PM, and S&T programs. Adequately addressing the technical requirements associated with the AvMC customers would not be possible if this capability were lost. The loss of this capability would be seriously detrimental to the progress made to date regarding critical PEO, PM, and S&T acquisition decisions.

Efforts to Obtain Competition: Riverbed Technology, www.riverbed.com, previously known as OPNET Technologies, has been surveyed and doesn’t provide the capabilities and/or the software maintenance key to operate the EXata product. Cisco, www.cisco.com, has been surveyed and also doesn’t provide the capabilities and/or the software maintenance key necessary to operate the EXata product. Also, based on the Section 233 Waiver from Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Research & Technology) dated 6 March 2022 and amended 27 March 2023 Army Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratories (STRLs) are waived from the use current information technology (IT) procurement processes. Paragraph 5 of the Section 233 waiver specifically waives the use of Computer Hardware, Enterprise Software and Solutions (CHESS) and ITAS.

5. Actions to Increase Competition: In the future, any new developments in this technology area will be evaluated to determine whether the requirement can be procured under full and open competition.

6. Market Research: Market research has been conducted for this acquisition by John Fleischman in TDD. GSA, DoD ESI, and A Computer Hardware Enterprise Software and Solutions (CHESS) Information Technology Enterprise Solutions – Software 2 (ITES-SW2) were all searched. RFQ #486821 was issued in CHESS from 26 MAR 2024 to 09 APR 2024 and the software was not available on contract through this vehicle. SONA 216806845 was issued from CHESS. The following market research techniques were used: Personal knowledge in procuring supplies/services of this type along with internet searches have been completed and no other companies produce this specific software key. The EXata software license key is a unique product generated only by Keysight Technologies who has provided a sole source letter supporting this. It has been determined that Keysight Technologies is the only vendor capable of generating the EXata Software License Key required to maintain compatibility and interoperability requirements.

7. Interested Sources: none

8. Other Facts:

a. Procurement history. This software has been used by other organizations last few decades. The Technology Development Directorate has maintained its license for this software for the past several years and intends to continue the license. The