JA Redacted_Redacted Final.pdf

J&A Number: 20-0412

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open Competition.

10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(2), Unusual and Compelling Urgency.

5. Rationale Justifying Use of Cited Statutory Authority.

This requirement is for immediate support and interaction with the Tiger Team. The Team is currently in process, and two experts have been engaged with the Tiger Team since 1 November 2019. As the

Tiger Team is now entering a new phase of its tasking, which is essentially an execution phase, a continued and expanded need has been identified through 31 October 2020. As the program approaches Milestone C, this requirement will provide current F-35 cost and performance modeling support to establish a PBL sustainment baseline. Independent cost and performance modeling is currently not in alignment with the F-35 JPO models and the requirement is for an independent source to provide actual F-35 JPO models in comparison to outside industry recommendations to establish a

PBL baseline. The JPO is a critical goal for the program and each step towards attaining the goal must be timely executed. This is a senior management level requirement in order to maintain the program and ensure warfighter capability, flight safety, and readiness throughout the life of the program. This urgent short term effort

(4 months in duration) was identified during the activities of the DASN Tiger Team. The required support services needed will fulfill the gap in Program level cost and performance modeling in direct comparison to industry models.

The analytical tool being utilized in the performance of the Tiger Team, and for which the subject matter expertise is required, is the Opus Suite of software. The Opus Suite is software which was developed by, and is a proprietary product of, Systecon. Therefore, Systecon is the only company that can provide the required subject matter expertise within the urgent timeframe. The initial services were begun on 1 November 2019 on an urgent basis to support the Tiger Team for the independent joint assessment and recommendation. At this point the Tiger Team is shifting to implementation, beginning data collection and analysis to validate the models, and the team has identified the need for the two additional personnel to support those activities. This represents an unusual and compelling urgency where delay in the award of the contract would result in serious injury to the Government. If these time-critical urgent services are delayed, the Government would be seriously injured because the objectives of the Tiger Team regarding Mission Capability and cost per flight hour will not be achieved, resulting in the fielded aircraft not having a sufficient support structure to meet

Not achieving an affordable cost per flight hour will result in a reduced overall mission readiness capability and reduce the overall effectiveness of this airframe.

Insufficient sustainment support could potentially result in system failures during flight and loss of either personnel or aircraft, or the inability to fly required missions. These activities directly support changes in assumptions, supporting the PBL Procurement Team leading up to the PBL RFP Release, with planning for follow-on modeling support for proposal evaluation and negotiations.

J&A Number: 20-0412

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

Pursuant to FAR 5.202(a)(2), a notice of a proposed contract action required by FAR 5.201 was not synopsized because the proposed contract action is made under the conditions described in FAR

6.302-2 and the Government would be seriously injured if the agency complies with the time periods specified in FAR 5.203. FAR 5.203(a) calls for the notice to be published at least 15 days before a proposed contract action that the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source. If the agency were to comply with such time period for this effort, the Government would be seriously injured because the Tiger Team would not be able to timely complete its task prior to the 31 October

2020 deadline, which would result in not achieving mission capability and cost per flight hour goals.

Failure to achieve these goals would, as described above, result in reduced aircraft availability for sorties and potentially could result in system failures and loss of aircraft or life. Further efforts to solicit offers from sources other than Systecon would be fruitless, as no other offeror can meet the

Government’s urgent need due to the proprietary nature of the Opus Suite software.

7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost.

In accordance with FAR Part 15.402, the Contracting Officer shall purchase supplies and services from responsible sources at fair and reasonable prices. In establishing the reasonableness of the offered prices, the Contracting Officer shall obtain data other than cost or pricing data in accordance with 15.403-3, as necessary to establish a fair and reasonable price. The Contracting Officer will utilize cost and price analysis as the basis for negotiating a fair and reasonable price.

8. Actions to Remove Barriers to Future Competition.

This is a short-term procurement of subject matter expertise. If future support is required, the market will be reviewed to determine if other companies have the capability to compete for providing such support.