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and technical support (including PMA-265 CIDD support) required to pace with Agile directive mandates.

3. DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES OR SERVICES REQUIRED TO MEET

AGENCY’S NEEDS

The requirement is for analytical, engineering, and technical support for Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft.

This support will be facilitated using Government Purpose Rights (GPR) MEERKAT software. MEERKAT will enable OT&E with pre-mission, live-mission, and post-mission assessments, helping to evaluate warfare capabilities, mission-focused Critical Operational Issues (COIs), and Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs).

Key deliverables include:

Quarterly updates and delivery of the MEERKAT software system.

Creation of renderable, 4D EW M&S reports for each test event (AAR material).

Trip Reports (A0001), OT&E Scenario/COI detailed plans (A0003), OT&E Framework inputs (A0005), Draft Test Plans (A0006), M&S Accreditation Reports (A0007), Draft Concept of Operations Test Briefs (A0008), Kneeboard Cards and Surveys (A0009), Draft OT&E Final Reports (A0013), and Draft OT&E Final Report Briefs (A0016).

Monthly Status Reports (A0018).

Period of Performance & Level of Effort:

The expected Period of Performance (PoP) for the MEERKAT support is from DOA to 21 MAR 2029. To support this execution, an estimated level of effort of 2.5 annual FTEs is required for MEERKAT (2.0 FTEs for dedicated Subject Matter Expert and Flight Test Engineer, and 0.5 FTE for program management).

Justification for Ceiling Increase:

The Agile directive is the prime driver requiring an increase to E/F staffing. The current team composition was staffed several years ago under a two-year waterfall method encompassing test plan writing, preparation, execution, and reporting. With the current Agile test rhythm, timelines have been severely compressed and test activities are dramatically overlapping. The team is operating beyond the threshold of its capacity. To maintain pace with multiple build efforts, provide adequate test preparation, planning, issue discovery, timely documentation, and report delivery, an increase to the contract support team is necessary. Failure to increase staffing is likely to result in a loss of current personnel due to extreme tempo and workload.

When the base contract was awarded in March 2024, the Labor and Travel ceiling was lower than the previous effort despite an anticipated increase in workload. Adding additional personnel, including Flight Test Engineers and Mission Planning analysts, is essential to properly prepare for efficient test execution.

Financial Impact:

The total maximum value of the contract N00244-24-D-0003 is currently $18,985,913.26 over a 5-year period. Cost increases to current contract estimates for Option Year 2 alone require an additional $1.63 MIL from PMA-265 and $994K for the MEERKAT effort.

Over the remaining Option Years (OY2 - OY4), three years of MEERKAT support will increase the ceiling by approximately $2.98 MIL, and three years of PMA-265 support will add $4.89 MIL. To provide adequate support to VX-9, the overall ceiling will be increased from its current value to an estimated $25,014,065.67.

4. IDENTIFICATION OF STATUTORY AUTHORITY PERMITTING OTHER

THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

10 U.S.C. 3304(a)(1) [formerly 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1)], as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, “Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.” Under this authority, Netzer-Russell Consulting LLC is the only source that can provide these highly specialized engineering and software analytical services without introducing unacceptable delays or a substantial duplication of cost.

5. DEMONSTRATION THAT PROPOSED CONTRACTOR’S UNIQUE

QUALIFICATIONS OR NATURE OF ACQUISITION REQUIRES USE OF

AUTHORITY CITED

The incumbent contractor, Netzer-Russell Consulting LLC, is currently performing the core engineering, analytical, and technical support under contract N00244-24-D-0003 for VX-9. Netzer-Russell Consulting LLC has already established the necessary technical infrastructure, cleared personnel, and highly specialized, in-depth program familiarity required to execute OT&E support for the F/A-18E/F and EA-18G platforms.

The introduction of MEERKAT EW M&S software and the ramp-up for the compressed Agile testing timelines are highly integrated with the ongoing software testing, flight clearances, and test plans currently administered by Netzer-Russell Consulting LLC.

Transitioning this requirement to any other source would introduce substantial duplication of cost and critical schedule delays. A new contractor would require a learning curve of at least 6–12 months to reach the technical competency required to operate within the fast-paced VX-9 OT&E framework, leading to a direct slip in testing schedules for active weapons systems.