JA - Sole Source USNA PFP II_REDACTED.pdf

J&A No. 26- 0186

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1. Contracting Activity Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD)

2. Description or the Action Being Approved This Justification and Approval (J&A) authorizes and approves the issuance of a contract on a sole source basis to Pray Aviation, Inc. (CAGE code 87KZ6) for the services, supplies, and tasks for the operation of the Powered Flight Program (PFP) program to be conducted near the United States Naval Academy (USNA) in Annapolis, MD.

3. Description of Supplies/Services The contract will procure flight training services from Pray Aviation in an effort to provide operational sustainment for the USNA PFP. The training validates the Naval Introductory Flight Evaluation (NIFE) reducing the time and cost to complete flight school. It covers a broad range of requirements to meet the unique needs within the missions, functions, and tasks supporting Chief Naval Air Training Command. This training will be provided to130 future aviators consisting of three (3) training blocks during the summer beginning on the Tuesday following Memorial Day in Fiscal Year 26 (FY26). Each training block is approximately four (4) weeks in duration. The anticipated period of performance is 5 years, with a 12-month base period and four, 12-month optional periods.

Estimated Dollar Value FY 26 Total FY 27 Total FY 28 Total FY 29 Total FY 30 Total Total (FY26-FY30)

OMN $0.704M $0.725M $0.747M $0.769M $0.792M $3.76M

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY

NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER TRAINING SYSTEMS DIVISION

12211 SCIENCE DRIVE

ORLANDO, FLORIDA 32826-3224

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open Competition 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1), Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

5. Rationale Justifying Use of Cited Statutory Authority A sources sought notice (SSN) was posted on 04 March 2026 requesting the contractor to provide PA-28 Piper Warrior II aircraft and operations based at the home airfield(s), no further than 40 statute miles driving distance, as measured using Google Maps, from 590 Holloway Rd.

Stop 11A Annapolis, MD 21402-5025. The requirement for the contractor's base of operations to be within a 40-statute mile driving distance is essential for the execution of the training program.

Ground school is taught by Government instructors at the U.S. Naval Academy. Midshipmen must travel between the Naval Academy for ground instruction and the contractor's airfield for flight instruction on the same day. This geographic limitation is necessary to minimize travel time, allowing the midshipmen to meet their demanding academic and military obligations at the Academy while completing the required flight training syllabus in a timely and efficient manner.

The PA-Piper Warrior II aircraft is the only aircraft that is acceptable due to its checklists, emergency procedures, performance data and the location and function of flight controls, and the basis for the training content. The requirement for this specific aircraft is to ensure standardization across the training program. Identical aircraft are required to eliminate student confusion or delays in training from having to learn multiple configurations for a short, time-compressed curriculum and to maximize instructor proficiency. This standardization is critical to the program's primary objective of providing a professional training opportunity that closely mimics the rigors of Naval Primary Flight Training. Using any other aircraft would undermine the effectiveness of the training by introducing inconsistencies that would lead to student confusion and delays.

Pray Aviation is the incumbent contractor for this effort and has provided these services to the USNA since 2018. Their continued performance will allow the USNA to build upon the substantial progress made over the past several years. As the incumbent, Pray Aviation has in-depth and extensive knowledge of the USNA's flight program operations, scheduling, and curriculum. This experience, along with their established team, which includes a Flight Operations Manager, Chief Flight Instructor, and Maintenance Officer, is critical to providing support for this mandatory curriculum without severe interruption.

At the present time, based on market research, Pray Aviation, Inc. is the only technically capable source that is capable of providing the required flight training on the PA-Piper Warrior II aircraft within the required 40 miles radius.

6. Description of Efforts Made to Solicit Offers from as Many Offerors as Practicable, including a Description of Market Research, if applicable, and a List of Interested Sources, if any.

The proposed contract action was synopsized on the SAM website on 4 March 2026 and only Pray Aviation, Inc. expressed an interest in this requirement. Representatives of the Program Office and the contracting officer also reached out to SkyWarrior Flight Training, LLC, who is a known entity that provides commercial flight training services in support of the Naval Flight Introductory Evaluation (NIFE) program, which is a follow-on training program for graduates of PFP. While SkyWarrior expressed interest in the requirement, the company does not currently possess the capability to provide the required PA-Piper Warrior II aircraft. Additionally, representatives of the Program Office contacted the NAWCTSD Office of Small Business Programs, Mr. Damion Bailey, on February 26th, 2026, to discuss acquisition plans as well as review vendor source lists. The vendor list identified no vendors with experience on projects of a scope and magnitude comparable to the PFP requirements, namely to provide a comprehensive, military-style flight training and screening program for university midshipmen that serves as a direct precursor to Naval Primary Flight Training No additional market research was conducted because it is not practicable, for the reasons discussed in paragraph 5 above, for any company other than Pray Aviation, Inc. to provide the required supplies and services.

7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost The Contracting Officer has determined that the anticipated cost to the Government of the supplies/services covered by this J&A will be fair and reasonable.

8. Actions to Remove Barriers to Future Competition For the reasons set forth in Paragraph 5, NAWCTSD has no plans at this time to compete future contracts for the USNA PFP requirement covered by this document. However, if another potential source emerges, NAWCTSD will assess whether competition for future requirements is feasible.