JA - LBIR Service Contract_v3.2_24FEB2021_Redacted.pdf

Justification and Approval (J&A) for Other Than Full and Open Competition

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

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APPROVAL (AFFARS 5306.304(a) )

Date

11 Mar 2021

Signature

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I. Contracting Activity.

The contracting agency proposing this Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition is the Department of the Air Force, AFLCMC/WNMK, Contracting, 813 Irving-Wick Dr W, Horton Bldg., Heath, OH 43056-6116.

II. Nature and/or description of the action being processed.

The Air Force Metrology and Calibration (AFMETCAL) established the Low Background Infrared (LBIR) facility at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and serves as the Department of Defense (DOD) Missile Defense Agency (MDA) executing agent for the facility. The LBIR Facility located at the NIST Sensor Science Division in Gaithersburg, MD provides the infrared user community with a calibration base that includes both spectral and broadband measurements in a 20 Kelvin (K) background environment. The spectral calibration capability is currently developed in three areas: spectral calibration of low-background infrared detectors, characterization of optical components, and three cryogenic transfer radiometers. The three cryogenic transfer radiometers are the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) Transfer Radiometer (BXR), the Missile Defense Transfer Radiometer (MDXR), and the User Transfer Radiometer (UXR). These are used to evaluate highly collimated infrared sources (e.g. Test Chambers) such as those located at Raytheon Missile & Defense (RMD), John Hopkins University - Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU-APL), and Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC). The broadband measurements are performed for the calibration of blackbodies in radiance mode.

The Ground based Mid-Course Defense (GMD) and Aegis Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) interceptor systems use Kill Vehicle (KV) sensor-seekers to discriminate and intercept lethal objects launched via intermediate range and intercontinental ballistic missiles. Effective discrimination and targeting requires KV onboard sensors to accurately measure the radiometric characteristics of potential targets.

To ensure accurate performance, KV sensors are characterized during production with RMD Low-background Scanning Point Source (LSPS) test chambers. Also, KV mission scenario testing is performed by JHU-APL Infrared Seeker Space Calibration and Test (ISSCAT) chambers, AEDC test chambers, and Next Generation Intercept (NGI) test chamber.

These laboratories use blackbodies and also infrared emitter arrays to test and evaluate the KVs.

These sources provide the stimuli to the KV that simulates the infrared signatures of objects in the threat scene. The emitter arrays provide the KV with complex real-time scene generation. This enables the testing and evaluation of the KV guidance algorithms and the KV discrimination between reentry vehicle, debris, and countermeasures.

To ensure these test chambers provide consistently repeatable and accurate measurements, thus ensuring consistent KV sensor measurement results from year to year, periodic calibration using measurement/calibration standards is required. These calibration standards must be traceable to the System International (SI) units of radiometric power and wavelength as maintained by the NIST.

In support of MDA's GMD and the SM-3 interceptor systems for National Defense, AFMETCAL has a requirement for a contractor that can provide maintenance, research, engineering support, and calibration service support utilizing Government furnished laboratory equipment and facilities at

NIST.

Estimates for services to be purchased are as followed utilizing 3400 O&M and 3600 RTD&E funds:

Est. Labor Est. Travel Est Materials NIST Service

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Year Cost Cost Cost Cost Total Description FY21 Base FY22 Option 1 FY23 Option 2 FY24 Option 3 Total

Our strategy is to award a FFP contract.

Although this is a new contract for AFMETCAL, this acquisition will provide continued important calibration service and development of the highly specialized LBIR calibration support, measurement parameters improvements, and upgrade development projects, which have been ongoing with Jung Research and Development Corp (JRAD), the current contractor supporting this effort as the subcontractor under the Air Force Primary Standards Laboratory (AFPSL) contract.

Market Research results concluded there is not a reasonable expectation that two or more responsible offerers competing independently would submit priced offers in response to the solicitation expressed requirement. Therefore, the Government will pursue a sole source acquisition utilizing FAR 6.302-1:

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

III. Description of supplies/services required to meet agency needs.

Effective support of the LBIR facilities will require a team of personnel with experience in large cryogenic refrigerator systems; storage and handling of cryogenic liquids; design, maintenance, and use of thermal infrared optical equipment; maintenance and use of visible and infrared laser systems;

maintenance and use of cryogenic (20 K) vacuum Fourier transform infrared radiometers; hardware and software design and implementation for effective data acquisition and automation; data reduction, error analysis, and report writing; design, assembly, and operation of cryogenic imaging, spectroscopic and radiometric instrumentation and associated test and calibration procedures;

mechanical skills for routine maintenance of vacuum pumps, clean room facilities, and other simple hardware that needs routine maintenance; and computer operating systems, hardware, security, and networking skills for compliance with NIST Internet technology security requirements.

The contractor should have a mix of personnel with a minimum of 10 years of experience in building and maintaining high vacuum cryogenic systems for infrared instrumentation and making measurements of infrared irradiance and radiance using cryogenic Fourier transform spectrometers, cryogenic filter radiometers, cryogenic blackbodies, and cryogenic electrical substitution radiometers.

This type and length of experience is needed to support US Missile Defense System and is based on the typical development time of Transfer Radiometers such as the MDXR and UXR. From conception to initial deployment, the MDXR took approximately 10 years (2000-2010) to complete. Currently, the development of the UXR is on a similar trajectory. This type of work is extremely challenging and every small detail is critical to the LBIR Facility's ability to successfully support the mission critical calibrations for MDA. The existing Transfer Radiometers and the one currently being developed for the LBIR Facility are unique, one of a kind, irreplaceable standards. Due to the nature of how these standards operate, any mistakes made in the use or development of these standards will result in substantial costs and significant delays. These potential mistakes can be avoided by forethought that is only gained through experience of developing these standards from the beginning stages through initial deployment.

Contractor tasks will include the following: provide support for the calibration, operation and maintenance of the LBIR facility; improve LBIR radiometric calibration, characterization, and

March 2018 FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Page 5 of 10 operation both at NIST and off-site facilities through research, development, design, assembly, and test of LBIR hardware, software, and metrology infrastructure; operation and use of the LBIR chambers/standards to provide for the on-site calibration of customer test chambers; and assist with the NIST calibrations of test chamber blackbody sources and ancillary standards.

Under the contemplated contract, JRAD, will provide these services and perform these tasks in support of MDA's GMD and the SM-3 interceptor systems for National Defense:

(1) Approximately 1 full-time employee (FTE) will be acquired each year to provide support for calibrations. The period of performance of this effort will be from the date of contract award through 30 September 2024, and 3400 and/or 3600 appropriations will fund this effort.

(2) Approximately 3 FTEs will be acquired each year to provide support for the routine operation and maintenance of the LBIR facility. The period of performance of this effort will be from the date of contract award through 30 September 2024, and 3400 and/or 3600 appropriations will fund this effort.

(3) Approximately 0.7 FTE will be acquired each year to provide research, development, design and assembly of LBIR hardware, software and metrology infrastructure to support measurement improvements and development projects. The period of performance for this effort will be from the date of contract award through 30 September 2024, and 3400 and/or 3600 appropriations will fund this effort.

(4) Approximately is the estimated travel costs for the base year. Approximately is the estimated travel costs for Option years 1. Approximately is estimated travel costs for Option year 2. Approximately is estimated travel costs for Option year 3. The period of performance of this effort will be from the date of contract award through 30 September 2024, and 3400 and/or 3600 appropriations will fund this effort.

(5) Approximately is the estimated materials cost for each year, beginning in FY22, to support research and development projects. The period of performance for these fund will be from the date of contract award through 30 September 2024, and 3400 and/or 3600 appropriations will fund this effort.

(6) Approximately is the estimated NIST Service Cost for the base year. Approximately are the estimated NIST Service costs for option year 2, option year 3, and option year 4, respectively. The period of performance of this effort will be from the date of contract award through 30 September 2024 and 3400 and/or 3600 appropriations will fund this effort.

IV. Statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition.

10 USC 2304 (c)(1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, required by FAR 6.303-2(b)(4).

V. Demonstration that the contractor's unique qualifications or nature of the acquisition requires the use of the authority cited above (applicability of authority).

A LBIR service contractor is required to assist NIST in the support of MDA's GMD and the SM-3 interceptor systems for National Defense. As the DOD executing agent for the LBIR Facility, March 2018 FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Page 6 of 10

AFMETCAL has continuously monitored the LBIR Facility through program management and development of requirements based on the measurement and calibration needs of the MDA and MDA KV Test Sites. As part of the market research process, JRAD was the only company identified as capable of meeting this requirement without substantial duplication of cost that could not be expected to be recovered through competition. Further, there would be unacceptable delays in fulfilling its requirements to the MDA and its mission if another contractor other than JRAD was used.

JRAD is a small business that specializes in the maintenance, research, engineering, and service support of large cryogenic refrigerator systems; storage and handling of cryogenic liquids; design, maintenance and use of thermal infrared optical equipment; maintenance and use of visible and infrared laser systems; maintenance and use of cryogenic vacuum Fourier transform infrared radiometers; hardware and software design and implementation for effective data acquisition and automation; data reduction, error analysis and report writing; design, assembly, and operation of cryogenic imaging, spectroscopic and radiometric instrumentation, and associated test and calibration procedures; mechanical skills for routine maintenance of vacuum pumps, clean room facilities, and other simple hardware that needs routine maintenance.

JRAD was previously the NIST Contractor for the LBIR facility in 2015 when AFMETCAL sought to eliminate the cost associated with NIST administrative overhead. Due to unforeseen issues with the contracting method chosen at the time, the effort was canceled, and the Bionetics Corporation was tasked to support the LBIR facility as part of its AFPSL contract with AFMETCAL. JRAD was then subcontracted by Bionetics to perform this work. Over the years, JRAD designed, developed, and built most of the major LBIR components including the BXR and MDXR radiometers that are used to provide SI traceability to the MDA Test Chambers, which are used to test MDA KV interceptor systems. JRAD is also working LBIR Calibration Support and Measurement Parameters Improvements and Upgrade Development projects such as the UXR Transfer Radiometer, the Blocked-Impurity-Band (BIB) Trap detector and Pico-watt Absolute Cryogenic Radiometer (pW- ACR), and the 30 Centimeter Collimator Chamber (30CC) Development. JRAD has also provided maintenance, research, engineering, and service support to the LBIR facility and assisted NIST with the on-site calibration of customer test chambers.

Award to any other source would result in substantial duplication of cost that could not be expected to be recovered through competition and unacceptable delays in fulfilling its requirements to the MDA and its mission. All the services and equipment JRAD has provided and is developing are part of a major system consisting of highly specialized equipment and services. Although this is a new contract for AFMETCAL, this acquisition will continue the work JRAD currently does as the subcontractor under the AFPSL contract to provide important calibration services and continued development of the highly specialized LBIR calibration support and measurement parameters improvements and upgrade development projects.

The UXR development project has been in work since 2016 and nearly has been spent by the Government on its development using funds provided to AFMETCAL by the MDA. The Government has unlimited data rights; however, the UXR is still under development, and several of its related components are still being designed and built. Some of the design work that needs to be completed will require other designs to be finalized. Although the Government has unlimited data rights, a portion of the data has yet to be developed. It would likely cost an estimated additional

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, approximately 40% of the total estimated value of the contract, if a new contractor were to fulfill this requirement as the UXR would likely have to be started over. This particular industry requires contractors to be able to perform through the whole development cycle: research, conceive, propose, design, procure, develop, test, re-design, re-test, deploy, and document and report throughout. Contractors cannot change out during the course of the development cycle because a single person (or small team of people) need to be a "jack of all trades" since every small detail is critical to success or failure. Making motors and associated delicate mechanisms move precisely and reliably in a vacuum at very cold temperatures, near absolute zero, and making extremely accurate measurement of tiny amounts of invisible light, all locked away in a chamber, in which one cannot see what is happening, is extremely challenging. It would take days to warm back up and open the chamber if a contractor needs to do something as simple as tweak a screw setting within the chamber.

This is why it is critical to the requirement the same contractor be used throughout the development cycle. They have the ability to recall small, potentially unrecorded details throughout the development cycle that a new contractor may not be able to determine if it were to take over the project midway through its development cycle.

Award to a different contractor in the middle of the development would be impractical at this point as it would cost an additional estimated for a new contractor to fulfill the requirement and cause approximately a 4-5 year delay in the development of the UXR project since a new contractor would likely have to start from the beginning of the development cycle. However, the unlimited data rights allow for future competition once the development is complete.

Accordingly, JRAD is the only firm capable of providing the supplies and services described in Section III above without the AFMETCAL experiencing substantial duplication of cost that could not be expected to be recovered through competition and unacceptable delays in fulfilling its requirements.

VI. Description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable.

In an effort to save the cost of NIST Overhead, which is approximately 50% of the cost of the LBIR service contract, AFMETCAL sought a LBIR Service Contracting effort in 2015. A Sources Sought Synopsis (SSS) was conducted during this effort and two potential sources responded. Another source was identified through market research, but it did not respond to the SSS. This effort was canceled and the AFPSL was tasked to provide service to the LBIR facility.

Since the 2015 SSS, the Government has continuously monitored the market place via internet search, trade journals, LBIR weekly teleconferences, LBIR quarterly technical and financial reviews, Combined Calibration Group (CCG) meetings (Joint Army, Navy, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology), CALCON meeting on Characterization and Radiometric Calibration for Remote Sensing, advisory group meetings, and the National Conference of Standards Laboratories International (NCSLI) seminars and have not found a company, other than JRAD, that can currently meet the Government's requirement.

With the AFPSL contract ending soon and in order to maintain a continuity of service for the work required by the LBIR facility, another SSS with a draft Statement of Work was posted on Beta.SAM.gov on 12 June 20 under #FA2263-20-R-0004. AFMETCAL received one response from JRAD. In November of 2020, emails were sent to each of the companies identified in the Market

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Research Report to determine whether they were interested in this effort. AFMETCAL received one additional response from one of these companies.

As required by FAR 5.2, the proposed contract action will be synopsized on Beta.SAM.gov Contract Opportunities. We intend on posting this proposed contract action on, or around, 10 March 2021.

VII. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable.

A cost analysis will be performed to determine if the proposed amount is fair and reasonable. Price analysis will be used to verify the overall price offered is fair and reasonable.

VIII. Description of the market research conducted and the results, or a statement of the reasons market research was not conducted.

AFMETCAL began an LBIR Service Contracting effort in 2015. A Sources Sought Synopsis (SSS) was conducted during this effort and two potential sources responded. Another source was identified in the Market Research; however, they did not respond to the SSS. This effort was canceled and the AFPSL was tasked to provide service to the LBIR facility.

Since the 2015 sources sought, the Government has continuously monitored the market place via internet search, trade journals, LBIR weekly teleconferences, LBIR quarterly technical and financial reviews, Combined Calibration Group (CCG) meetings (Joint Army, Navy, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology), CALCON meeting on Characterization and Radiometric Calibration for Remote Sensing, advisory group meetings, and the National Conference of Standards Laboratories International (NCSLI) seminars and have not found a company, other than JRAD, that can currently meet the Government's requirement.

With the AFPSL contract ending soon and in order to maintain a continuity of service for the the work required by the LBIR facility, another SSS with a draft Statement of Work was posted on Beta.SAM.gov on 12 June 20 under #FA2263-20-R-0004. AFMETCAL received one response from JRAD. In November of 2020, emails were sent to each of the companies identified in the Market Research Report to determine whether they were interested in this effort. AFMETCAL received one additional response to the SSS from one of these companies.

JRAD was the NIST contractor for the LBIR in 2015 when AFMETCAL sought to eliminate the cost associated with NIST administrative overhead. Since that time, JRAD has continued to work in the LBIR as a collaborator with the AFPSL contractor. Funded using funds provided to AFMETCAL by the MDA, JRAD designed, developed, and built most of the major LBIR components including the BXR and MDXR radiometers that are used to provide SI traceability to the MDA Test Chambers, which are used to test MDA KV interceptor systems. JRAD is also in the middle of working government-funded efforts for the LBIR Calibration Support and Measurement Parameters Improvements and Upgrade Development projects, such as the User Transfer Radiometer (UXR), the Blocked-Impurity-Band (BIB) Trap detector and Pico-watt Absolute cyrogenic Radiometer (pW- ACR), and the 30 Centimeter Collimator Chamber (30CC) Development. All LBIR components come with unlimited data rights. However, it would be impractical for anyone other than JRAD to take over at this point. The unlimited data rights allow for future competition once the projects are complete.

JRAD has also provided maintenance, research, engineering and service support to the LBIR facility

March 2018 FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Page 9 of 10 and has assisted NIST with the on-site calibration of customer test chambers.

All the services and equipment JRAD has provided and is developing are part of a major system consisting of highly specialized equipment and services. Although this is a new contract for AFMETCAL, this acquisition will continue the work JRAD did as a subcontractor under the AFPSL contract to provide important calibration services and continued development of the highly specialized LBIR calibration support and measurement parameters improvements and upgrade development projects.

It is recommended that this contract be sole source to JRAD, as an award to any other source would result in approximately in additional cost that could not be expected to be recovered through competition and a delay of approximately 4-5 years in fulfilling its requirements to the BMD community and its mission.

Other companies had been identified in the market research conducted, but none responded to the SSS in June. AFMETCAL followed up via email with these companies in November 2020 to verify whether or not they were interested. The incumbent contractor, Bionetics, initially responded to this email with possible interest; however, they ended up not submitting a reply to the SSS. One of the other companies, Space Dynamics Laboratory, did respond to the SSS as a result of these emails. It was determined that this company was knowledgeable, but they would not be able to successfully carry out the work required without hiring the current LBIR contractors. It is unrealistic for these employees to be hired in sufficient numbers by a competing contractor since JRAD has other ongoing government contracts and offer relatively stable future employment opportunities for the current employees. These contracts include Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts with AEDC and a service contract with NIST. The SBIR contracts with AEDC are for equipment development of the 10V Space Chamber, which is used to support MDA workload and is directly related to the work being accomplished for the LBIR facility. In the ongoing contract with NIST, JRAD provides maintenance, research, and engineering support to the NIST Sensor Science Division for the Ambient Infrared Radiometry and Imaging facility, Hyperspectral Imaging Projector and Spectral Comparator projects, the STAR II facility, the SIRCUS facility, and the Optical Properties and Materials facility. Further, relying on a competing contractor to hire a sufficient amount of incumbent employees poses unacceptable risk of unsuccessful contract performance for this particular effort, which would result in significant delays in meeting the mission requirements.

Market research results concluded that there is not a reasonable expectation that two or more responsible offerors competing independently would submit priced offers in response to the solicitation's expressed requirement. Therefore, the Government will pursue a sole source acquisition utilizing FAR 6.302-1: Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.

IX. Any other facts supporting the use of Other Than Full and Open Competition.

NIST is a government agency within the Department of Commerce and part of its mission is to advance measurement science and technology as well as to maintain calibration standards for the United States. 15 U.S.C. § 272 (b)(8), (b)(11) and (c)(2), which provide NIST with the programmatic authority to develop a fundamental basis and methods for testing materials, mechanisms, structures, equipment, and systems, including those used by the Federal Government; to advise government and industry on scientific and technical problems; and to test, calibrate, and certify standards and standard measuring apparatus. The LBIR Facility at NIST provides the infrared user community with the

March 2018 FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Page 10 of 10 highest echelon calibration standards for both spectral and broadband measurements in a 20 K background environment in support of the MDA national defense strategy. NIST sets the industry standards for this measurement area.

This area of the metrology spectrum is narrowly focused. The LBIR facility provides the highest echelon calibration services for the MDA in support of National Defense. The equipment developed for this calibration service uses highly unique one of a kind items designed specifically for this application.

X. List of any sources that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition.

Jung Research and Development Corp. (JRAD) Space Dynamics Laboratory Utah State University Research Foundation (SDL)

XI. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before making subsequent acquisitions for the supplies or services required.

A one-year base contract with 3 option years is anticipated to allow for competition for any follow-on contracts. Prior to exercising option years, a simplified Market Research Report will be conducted to take in account any significant changes in the market. The Government will continue to monitor the market place throughout the acquisition life cycle.

XII. Certification by the Contracting Officer.

As evidenced by my signature above, I have determined this document to be both accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

XIII. Certification by the technical/requirements personnel.

As evidenced by my (our) signature(s) above, I (we) certify that any supporting data contained herein, which is my (our) responsibility, is both accurate and complete.