JA_Redacted.pdf

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

CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION

August 2023 CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION Page 2 of 4

I. Agency and Contracting Activity.

United States Air Force

AFMC AFSC OL:H/PZIEB

6038 Aspen Ave. Bldg. 1289 Hill AFB, UT 84056 PCO: Ashlee Hawkins, - -

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

This J&A will be an individual type justification, and will be a new sole source contracting action to purchase an SRC Inc., Unmanned Threat Emitter (UMTE), Common Electronic Attack Receiver (CEAR).

This contract will be issued under a Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) contracting agreement.

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

Acquisition of an Unmanned Threat Emitter (UMTE), Common Electronic Attack Receiver (CEAR), which is the receiver and data processing portion of the overall threat emitter system and is a multi-channel receiver/signal processor capable of detecting and parameterizing radiated Radio Frequency (RF) countermeasures from North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) operated aircraft.

CLIN: 0001

Description: SRC, Inc. UMTE CEAR Part Number: SRC4700C Quantity: 1 Each Unit Estimated Price: $

Total Estimated Price: $

Appropriation Type:

Estimated Delivery: 1 Calendar Year After Receipt of Order (ARO)

IV. Demonstration that the contractor's unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited above.

This is a new requirement for an SRC, Inc., Unmanned Threat Emitter (UMTE), Common Electronic Attack Receiver (CEAR). The CEAR is the receiver and data processing portion of the overall threat emitter system, and is a multi-channel receiver/signal processor capable of detecting and parameterizing radiated Radio Frequency (RF) countermeasures from North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) operated aircraft. The SWES is on track to receive the UMTE Engineering Software Support Station (ESSS) and final testing is being completed. To complete the ESSS Final Acceptance Test, a CEAR is required as stated in the Statement of Work (SOW) between the System Program Office (SPO) and the contractor.

The CEAR being procured is a very specialized part associated with higher assembly end item, which is a sophisticated and complex system that was developed and designed between SRC Inc., and their government partners, that includes proprietary information from the Original Equipment Manufacturer. It's intended purpose is to provide mission planning support and threat simulator receivers to support airborne training and operations to keep pilots safe from surface to air missiles (SAM) attacks. Given the importance of it's use for the warfighter, SRC Inc., has a responsibility to ensure that all restorers asking for bids be validated. SRC Inc., has stated that, unless they are directly specifically by the government to provide a bid to a company, they do not bid to all requesters. This requirement is being submitted as a sole source, firm-fixed price contract due to the proprietary nature of the CEAR that is not available through the use of resell-vendors (see Market Research Report section D, sub-section II). To try and solicit another Equipment Manufacturer to develop an equivalent product would require a reverse engineering of the CEAR and/or require redesign of the product that would result in a multi-million, multi-years effort.

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Without the CEAR, contractor testing will be severely limited and incomplete once the ESSS arrives at the SWES lab. Since the CEAR is such an integral piece of the ESSS, without it, the will have limited capabilities to fully test the system and limit their ability to fully support their customers, which result in a negative impact on customer relations, funding and schedule support.

V. Description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under

FAR 5.202 applies.

The Department of Defense (DoD) Enterprise Software Initiative (ESI), General Services Administration (GSA) Advantage 2nd Generation Information Technology (2GIT) and National Aeronautical and Space Administration, Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (NASA SEWP) catalogs were all searched with no results found.

Efforts were made to determine if there were any other vendors or avenues to try and procure the CEAR through the use of RFIs posted to GSA and NASA SEWP, with no results received. A search of other ordering catalogs available to the government was conducted, as well as preforming Internet searches with no results found. The OEM verified that they do not currently have authorized resellers of this equipment.

SRC Inc., (Cage: 28541) is the OEM of the CEAR product and is the only known source of procurement to fulfill the requirement. Being this requirement is inherently government/military specific in nature, the CEAR is not a mass produced, marketed or commercially available product. SRC Inc., is considered a large business.

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

IAW FAR 15.4, The Contracting Officer will utilize FAR Subpart 15.4 to determine price fair and reasonable.

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

The Department of Defense (DoD) Enterprise Software Initiative (ESI), General Services Administration (GSA) Advantage 2nd Generation Information Technology (2GIT) and National Aeronautical and Space Administration, Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (NASA SEWP) catalogs were all searched with no results found.

RFI #1736671 was posted to GSA 2GIT from 12 December 2024 to 27 December 2024. There were no responses received from vendors.

RFI #330962 was posted to NASA SEWP from 12 December 2024 to 27 December 2024. There were no responses received from vendors.

A search of other ordering catalogs available to the government was conducted, as well as preforming Internet searches with no results found.

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

Vendor verified via email that they do not currently have any authorized resellers/resellers capable of providing this requirement because, "SRC’s CEAR UMTE System is a sophisticated, complex system developed and designed by SRC with our Government partners. Its intended use is to provide mission planning support and threat simulator receivers to support airborne training and operations to keep our pilots safe from surface-to-air missile (SAM) attacks."

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

None

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

For the reasons stated above, it is not anticipated that future acquisitions supporting the SWES, equipment currently in use by the Air Force will allow for competitive acquisition. However, the government continuously monitors advances in technology. If changes in the marketplace reveal alternative products capable of satisfying the government's requirements, the government will write future requirement descriptions suitable for full and open competition.

XI. Certification by the Contracting Officer.

As evidenced by my signature above, I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

XII. 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.