J&A_SBIR_DMIVIPER_Redacted_(1).pdf

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General Services Administration (GSA)

Federal Systems Integration and Management Center (FEDSIM)

Justification and Approval (J&A)

Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition

Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Sole Source

SOLICITATION #47QFCA18R0012

CONTRACT #47QFCA18C0035

The General Services Administration (GSA) makes this Justification and Approval (J&A) for Other Than Full and Open Competition orders pursuant to Federal Acquisition

Regulation (FAR) 6.302 and 10 U.S.C. 2304(b)(2) .

1) Identification of Agency and Contracting Activity:

Agency:

General Services Administration (GSA)

Federal Systems Integration and Management Center (FEDSIM)

Acting in support of: U.S. Air Force AFWERX/Air Education and Training Command

Contracting Activity:

GSA FEDSIM Contracting Office (QF0B)

1800 F Street, NW

Washington, D.C. 20405

2) Nature and/or Description of Action Being Approved:

GSA FEDSIM intends to award a sole source Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) Small Business

Administration (SBA) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase III contract to

Discovery Machine, Inc. (DMI) on behalf of the United States Air Force (USAF)

AFWERX and Air Education and Training Command (AETC) organizations. This Phase

III effort is a follow on to SBIR Phase II contracts issued under SBIR research and development (R&D) topic numbers MDA11-T003 and OSD11-CR1 by the Missile

Defense Agency (MDA) and the Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC), respectively.

Under this Phase III effort, the contractor will perform the next iteration of the Pilot

Training Next (PTN) program; advancing work performed under the referenced Phase II contracts. Specifically, this sole source award will include performance of tasks associated with research on virtual observer controllers and coaching, situation awareness, and mental models, all of which are crucial to DMI’s artificial intelligence

(AI) virtual instructor pilot (VIPER) technology development and the USAF PTN program. The period of performance is 12 months from contract award. The estimated contract value is $2,012,000.

3) A Description of Supplies/Services Required to Meet Agency’s Need:

USAF AFWERX and AETC jointly launched the first iteration of the PTN program in

2017. The PTN program is currently exploring and prototyping a pilot training environment that integrates various immersive technologies to produce pilots in an accelerated, cost efficient, learning-focused manner. The USAF continues to search for

FEDSIM is a Client Support Center housed within GSA, FAS, AAS Page 2 new ways to train pilots more efficiently and quickly. Leveraging virtual and augmented reality is a key part of the experimental PTN program. The PTN program is currently working with DMI on the first iteration efforts, incorporating results from previously awarded SBIR IIs. This SBIR III contract will advance the work performed under the referenced SBIR IIs to bring a more complete VIPER solution to the PTN program. DMI created VIPER based on AI and machine learning technology and integrated it with the

PTN virtual reality training setup to enable student pilots to practice maneuvers on their own. The VIPER technology stems from DMI’s proprietary RESITE® training and simulation software and platform. The work accomplished in two previous SBIR Phase

IIs resulted in the idea of a virtual observer controller (VOC), an example of which is

VIPER, and developed coaching and situational awareness training aspects based on mental models, all of which are crucial to the PTN program and furthering VIPER research and development. For example, the VIPER technology allows pilots in flight training to verbally and cognitively interact with a VOC and AI technology while in the simulations. The following is a list of case study objectives for VIPER for the second iteration of the PTN program:

1. VIPER as assistant for Instructor Pilots (IPs) rather than standalone

2. VIPER mental models biasing data analytics

3. VIPER customization of instruction based on data analytics informing VIPER mental models

4. Maneuver detection rather than students specifically communicating maneuvers to

VIPER

5. VIPER scalability prototyping

6. Distance Learning support for VIPER (requires increased robustness to VIPER)

7. VIPER leveraging biometric data to inform root cause analysis

a. Cognitive load

b. Eye tracking

8. VIPER support for scenarios focusing on transferable skills as reward for learning something

9. Improved natural language interaction with student

10. VIPER/RESITE® use in Ground operations

The study will also define a distributed network architecture, topology, and strategy for PTN VIPER (integrated and interoperable with garrison-based network architecture) that will improve scalability, reduce hardware costs (commodity hardware and software), simplify maintenance, and improve speed of processing.

4) Identification of the Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open

Competition:

Competition: This sole source contract will be awarded pursuant to FAR 6.302-5, that the project is a SBIR Phase III award that is derived from, extends, or completes efforts made under prior SBIR funding agreements and is authorized under 10 U.S.C. 2304(b)(2).

In accordance with the SBA SBIR Policy Directive dated February 24, 2014, the competition for SBIR Phase I and Phase II awards satisfies any competition requirement of the Armed Services Procurement Act, the Federal Property and Administrative

Services Act, and the Competition in Contracting Act. As such, awarding this SBIR

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Phase III project does not require the Government to conduct another competition in order to satisfy those statutory provisions.

5) Demonstration that the Proposed Contractor’s Unique Qualifications or the Nature of the Acquisition Requires Use of the Authority Cited

The SBIR Program is structured in three phases:

PHASE I: The objective of Phase I is to establish the technical merit, feasibility, and commercial potential of the proposed Research/Research and Development (R/R&D) efforts and to determine the quality of performance of the small business awardee organization prior to providing further Federal support in Phase II.

PHASE II: The objective of Phase II is to continue the R/R&D efforts initiated in Phase I.

Funding is based on the results achieved in Phase I and the scientific and technical merit and commercial potential of the project proposed in Phase II. Only Phase I awardees are eligible for a Phase II award.

PHASE III: The objective of Phase III, where appropriate, is for the SBIR awardee to pursue commercialization objectives resulting from the Phase I/II R/R&D activities. The

SBIR program does not fund Phase III. For some federal agencies, Phase III may involve follow-on non-SBIR funded R&D or production contracts for products, processes, or services intended for use by the U.S. Government.

Under the SBIR Program, DMI was awarded Phase I and Phase II contracts in 2011, and another set of Phase I and Phase II contracts in 2018, for the research and development of the technology now known as VIPER. Specific to this procurement, the VIPER technology, data, and models are derivatives of DMI’s SBIR Phase II contracts N68335-

18-C-0309 with the NAWC in 2018 and HQ0147-13-C-7702 with the MDA in 2011. It’s this derived technology and capabilities from DMI’s Phase II awards with MDA and

NAWC that AFWERX and AETC intend to fund and continue through a Phase III sole source award to DMI.

6) Description of Efforts Made to Ensure that Offers are Solicited From as Many

Potential Sources as Practicable

No other efforts were made to solicit other potential sources. Furthermore, in accordance with FAR 5.202(7), proposed contract actions resulting from the acceptance of a proposal under the Small Business Innovation Development Act of 1982 are exempt from being publicized.

7) A Determination by the Contracting Officer that the Anticipated Cost to the

Government will be Fair and Reasonable

The Contracting Officer will conduct proposal analysis in accordance with FAR Subparts

15.404-1 (Proposal Analysis Techniques) and 15.405 (Price Negotiation) to ensure that the final price is fair and reasonable.

8) A Description of the Market Research Conducted and the Results or a Statement of the Reason Market Research was not Conducted

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FAR 10.001(a)(2) states that market research appropriate to the circumstances must be conducted. SBIR Phase III procurements are such that the traditional market research to determine alternative sources is generally not applicable. The Government conducted market research to verify and determine that the proposed Phase III work derives from research, effort, and/or prototypes performed under Phase I and Phase II efforts by obtaining copies of the previous contracts, and obtaining verification from the previous entities of the Phase I and II awards. Additionally, the Government queried the SBIR website and contractor registry to validate DMI’s previous SBIR awards. The technologies and capabilities in DMI’s VIPER were derived through DMI’s participation in the SBIR Program and are currently only available to the Government through an

SBIR award.

9) Any Other Facts Supporting the Use of Other Than Full and Open Competition

All other supporting factors have been described above.

10) A Listing of the Sources, if any, That Expressed, In Writing, An Interest in the

Acquisition

As per paragraph 6 above, the requirement was not publicized and no other sources were solicited. Hence, the Contracting Officer is not aware nor has been made aware of any other sources that expressed interest in the acquisition.

11) A Statement of the Actions, if Any, the Agency May Take to Remove or Overcome

Any Barriers to Competition Before Any Subsequent Acquisition for the Supplies or

Services Required

The Government is not taking any additional action at this time. Any subsequent acquisitions for similar products will be required to follow the guidelines outlined in the

SBA SBIR Program as it relates to procuring items for commercialization of technologies and capabilities under that are derived from, extend, or logically concluds efforts from prior SBIR awards.

12) Contracting Officer Certification that the Justification is Accurate and Complete to the best of the Contracting Officer’s Knowledge and Belief

I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief, and determine on the basis of the findings above that an other than full and open competition approach is in accordance with the requirements and is in the best interest of the Government.

Natalie Melomed

Contracting Officer

GSA FEDSIM

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Final Approval

I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief, and determine on the basis of the findings above that an other than full and open competition approach is in accordance with the requirements and is in the best interest of the Government.

Pete Burr

GSA FEDSIM Competition Advocate