JA15-085 MOD 01 FINAL Clean_Redacted.pdf

Data Link Service Provider 4-JA15-085 lower costs per aircraft for services and the availability of a comprehensive suite of media on the DSP 4 contract, current and new mission partners are seeking these services from DSP4 rather than other available contracts. DSP 4’s INMARSAT Flight Safety services are more economical than the same services offered on other available contract vehicles and DSP 4 is the only current contract vehicle with the only capable contractor to offer all of the media platforms required for air traffic control communications. Award of this modification is expected to be completed by September 30, 2020 with no change in the ordering period.

Original JA: DSP 4 will be a new firm-fixed price contract that will be the follow-on to the current DSP 3 contract that ends on July 31, 2016. The previous DSP, DSP 2 and DSP 3 contracts were initiated as part of the Air Force’s Global Air Traffic Management modernization in conjunction with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) initiatives to modernize air space management. The contract will use a combination of Transportation Working Capital Funds (TWCF) and Operational and Maintenance (O&M) Funds. The services are tailored by each user organization for their aircraft with an individual task order statement of work and funding provided to DITCO via a Military Interdepartmental Purchase Request (MIPR). Lifecycle contract ceiling amount is an estimated over a one-year base period and four one-year option periods.

3. DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES:

AMC requires use of a single contractor under DSP 4 to ensure continuous and uninterrupted worldwide operational services for AMC aircraft including satellite communications (SATCOM), very high frequency (VHF) data link (VDL), high frequency (HF) data link (HFDL), and to maintain information exchanges between AMC command and control (C2) systems and aircraft via a Department of Defense (DoD)/AF approved interface. The DSP 4 contract shall provide commercial data link, voice, value added, and ground network services for Government aircraft flight deck safety services communications with air traffic control (ATC) agencies and C2 communications with military agencies and their automated ground systems.

Typical DSP service usage is based on kilobits-used rates for SATCOM data link (SATCOM DL), VDL and HFDL, and minutes-used rates for SATCOM voice. VDL communications must include VDL Mode 2 (VDL2 or VDLM2), VDL2 over Aviation VHF Link Control (AVLC), Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) over AVLC (AOA) and

VDL ACARS.

Period of performance will include a base year (August 1, 2016 – July 31, 2017) plus four one-year option periods. The not to exceed ceiling amount is

One of the main systems supported by the DSP 4 data link communications is ACARS. ACARS is a textual message set based on a connection, or log-on, between an aircraft and a ground entity. The two most important features of this system are found in its name, “addressing” and “reporting.” By use of addressing, the data link exchange between the aircraft and ground entity is exclusively held between the sender and receiver(s) (plurality of receivers is dependent upon the number of addresses included as recipients of the downlink message from the aircraft). This

4. IDENTIFICATION OF STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, 10 U.S.C.2304(c)(1). (FAR 6.302- 1/Department of Defense FAR Supplement 206.302-1).

5. DEMONSTRATION OF CONTRACTOR’S UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS:

a. Description of events:

The original DSP contract, follow-on DSP 2 contract, and current DSP 3 contract were all awarded to ARINC Incorporated (ARINC). During DSP 3, AMC moved away from aviation industry proprietary contractor airline interfaces to comply with emerging Government cyber security standards. AMC developed a DoD/USAF approved interface with ARINC that meets cyber security requirements and eliminated all proprietary contractor hardware and software normally used by major airlines. In addition, AMC requires SATCOM, VDL, and HFDL to ensure continuous and uninterrupted worldwide operational services. This requires use of a single contractor under DSP 4 for AMC aircraft to maintain information exchanges between AMC C2 systems and aircraft via a DoD/AF approved interface.

b. Justification:

(1) Minimum Government requirements:

• Required Services:

o The Government requires Inmarsat, Iridium, VHF and HF air-to-ground (AtG) / ground-to-air (GtA) data and voice communications, ground-to-ground (GtG) data link message routing services and engineering support for global CNS/ATM flight safety communications and DoD customer C2 communications with DoD aircraft. The DSP 4 contractor shall provide:

Flight deck flight safety services for Inmarsat, Iridium, VDL, HFDL and Inmarsat and Iridium voice communications.

General non-flight safety services for satellite communications to include Inmarsat and Iridium data and Internet Protocol-based data and voice services.

o The DSP 4 contractor shall provide single web-based access to all message traffic (Inmarsat, Iridium, VHF, and HF) for real time AtG/GtA airborne DoD aircraft communications, flight management, execution reporting, billing/invoice verification, variance analysis and problem resolution.

o DSP 4 contractor ATS and AOC data link and information services shall include:

Monitoring, processing, conversion, and transmission of

Digital Automatic Terminal Information Service (DATIS) information to requesting aircraft. AMC aircrews utilize DATIS to request and receive automated destination weather and airfield conditions during ground and flight operations to monitor destinations and alternate locations for possible conditions that may cause a need to divert en route in a timely manner (e.g. before running out of fuel) to a viable alternate location.

Pre-departure clearance service, which allows for automatic request and receipt of ATC pre-departure clearances.

Oceanic Clearance Delivery (OCD) from applicable oceanic area control center prior to the aircraft reaching the oceanic boundary where OCD services are offered.

Direct satellite dialing, providing telephony for GtA calls to aircraft phone, fax, or personal computer modem.

Graphical Flight Services such as aircraft situation display, airport data, worldwide aviation weather graphics, etc.

GtG transmission of electronic flight plans between C2 systems and ATS filing facilities and associated ATS systems.

VHF and HF radio transcription, when requested by pilots, converting FAA voice position reports into data link messages forwarded to AOC systems 24 hours per day. AMC leverages VHF and HF radio transcription services to convert FAA position and status voice reports to data link messages that are forwarded to C2 agencies. This allows C2 agencies to receive updates without the aircrew having to initiate a radio to telephone patch to transmit a second voice report. It also allows non-CNS/ATM equipped aircraft to “generate” data link updates to C2.

Global AtG/GtA HFDL for ATS and AOC communications.

o DSP 4 contractor engineering support services shall:

Support research inquiries for avionics qualification and commissioning.

Support research inquiries for avionics and ground system configuration, testing, monitoring, problem identification and resolution.

Support and/or coordinate interactions with industry for initiation, maintenance and improvement of services of interest to AMC.

Support services inquiries over and above daily operations for baseline changes and new capabilities engineering and fielding.

• Special Requirements:

o The DSP 4 contractor shall act as single point of contact for Inmarsat, Iridium, VDL, and HFDL communication providers and contractor networks that enable two-way communications for services including Future Air Navigation Services, ATS Facilities Notification, Controller Pilot Data Link Communications, and ACARS.

o The DSP 4 contractor shall provide a single DoD/Air Force approved simple object access protocol internet interface between the service provider’s network and AMC’s for exchange of AtG/GtA AOC messages with aircraft using services, especially in oceanic regions above and below 80 degrees latitude and Polar Regions.

• AMC aircrews utilize DATIS to request and receive automated destination weather and airfield conditions during ground and flight operations to monitor destinations and alternate locations for possible conditions that may cause a need to divert route in a timely manner (e.g. before running out of fuel) to a viable alternate location.

• AMC also leverages VHF and HF radio transcription services to convert FAA position and status voice reports to data link messages that are forwarded to C2 agencies. This allows C2 agencies to receive updates without the aircrew having to initiate a radio to telephone patch to transmit a second voice report. It also allows non-CNS/ATM equipped aircraft to “generate” data link updates to C2.

(5) Procurement discussion: The required services were previously acquired through ARINC on the DSP, DSP 2 and DSP 3 contracts. As stated above, no other contractor can provide all required DSP 4 capabilities for the Government.

MOD 01: DSP 4 currently has nineteen task orders (0002 - 0020). The increase in contract ceiling will allow the FAA, the Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Secretary Air Force Acquisition Office to take advantage of the lower costs per aircraft for services available under the contract. The ceiling increase for DSP 4 will allow new and existing components to utilize the comprehensive media platforms on one contract and avoid the costly process of awarding their own contract vehicles for the same services to the same the sole source contractor.

(6) Impact: Award of this contract to another contractor other than ARINC will have the following operational mission impacts:

• Cause all current DSP 3 services to cease at the end of the current DSP 3 performance period on July 31, 2016 causing:

o Non-compliance with international CNS/ATM communication mandates for high density, high demand airspace over non-radar oceanic routes. This would restrict DoD aircraft airspace access causing additional flight times due to less optimal flight routing, altitudes, and time in holding patterns for increased separation between aircraft while in flight.

o Clearance delays for aircraft trying to depart on their next flight.

o Increased fuel consumption impacting USAF compliance with DoD fuel efficiency mandate to “reduce consumption of aviation fuel by 10 percent against a FY2006 baseline.”

o Longer crew duty day requirements that reduce the number of daily missions supported with existing aircraft and aircrew members.

o Forced increase of 9-12 full time manned positions at the 618 AOC to handle voice-only reporting, manual C2 system updates, and electronic determined that no additional sources have become available. A review of DSP 4 history determined that ARINC and another contractor were the only two respondents from the last contract. The other contractor could not provide all the required services, especially HFDL needed for flight safety services over polar areas. A cost comparison of the other contractor’s current Blanket Purchase Agreement services was provided by AMC/A6NA. INMARSAT flight safety services were priced higher than ARINC rates. A review of federal supply schedules was done and no other contractors provide HFDL flight safety service communications. A review of the Federal Prison Industries and a search of the procurement list maintained by the Committee for Purchase from People who are Blind or Severely Disabled was done and both sources did not offer SATCOM, HF, or VHF data link and voice safety services. Additionally, a sources sought announcement was published March 25, 2020 to April 24, 2020 for DSP5, which will require the same services provided on the DSP 4 contract.

The incumbent contractor, ARINC, was the only respondent to the sources sought and was deemed to meet all requirements of the follow-on contract.

9. ANY OTHER SUPPORTING FACTS: None.

10. LISTING OF INTERESTED SOURCES:

SSA was posted on FEDBIZOPPS web site on March 12, 2015 with responses requested by March 27, 2015. Responses received were from

11. ACTIONS THE AGENCY MAY TAKE TO REMOVE OR OVERCOME

BARRIERS THAT LED TO THE EXCEPTION TO FULL AND OPEN

COMPETITION:

(a) Procurement History.

Contract Number

Contractor Period of Performance

Competitive Status

HC1013-10-D-

2002 (DSP3)

ARINC August 1, 2011 – July 31, 2016

Competed

HC1013-06-D-

(DSP2)

ARINC October 1, 2005 - Jul, 31, 2011

Competed Award made to each firm that submitted a proposal

HC1013-07-C-

2001 (DSP2)

SDC October 1, 2006 - September 30, 2011

Competed Award made to each firm that submitted a proposal.

DCA200-01-D-

5001 (DSP)

ARINC February 27, 2001 – February 26, 2006

Competed

(b) Actions proposed to remove barriers to full and open competition/fair opportunity/need for limited sources/need or brand-name:

The Government considered a secondary source for a separate contract to cover required capabilities that could be provided by a source other than However, AMC discovered on the DSP2 that separate government contracts could not guarantee