JA24-063 Redacted_Redacted.pdf

JA24-063 PEO Spectrum SMCS Collaboration and Support Services Next

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At this time, the incumbent contractor, Peraton Inc, is the only source capable of providing all necessary services within the timeline limitation of this unique requirement without substantial duplication of costs. The timeline limitation for this requirement is to complete the SMCS of the 2025-2110 MHz band effort by no later than 30 September 2026. The AWS-3 auction initiative is a special, U.S. Government spectrum-related activity on a time-bound performance period and it will not continue beyond fiscal year 2026. This effort will implement the final phase of the SMCS requirement and no follow-on will result from the completion of this effort. Due to the intrinsically unique arena of spectrum sharing capabilities and requirements, the establishment and maintenance of stakeholder relationships is absolutely critical to the success of the mission.

Building a high level of trust, communication, and cooperation amongst competing interests from a large variety of highly involved stakeholders for this effort requires years of relevant experience and understanding of spectrum sharing, as well as highly specialized knowledge in spectrum engineering and SMCS software development. The extensive design and implementation efforts by the incumbent contractor make these services unique due to the incumbent contractor’s ability to rapidly include spectrum engineering advances in the specifically designed and developed software with the ability to readily modify business processes and software to meet changes in the stakeholder mission requirements.

(a) Description of events.

In March 2014, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), in collaboration with the NTIA, developed rules for the auction and reallocation of the 1695-1710 MHz and 1755-1780 MHz radio frequency bands, which at that time were allocated exclusively for Federal use.

Between November 2014 and January 2015, the FCC conducted the AWS-3) auction (“Auction 97”) to establish new AWS-3 licenses in the 1695-1710 MHz, 1755-1780 MHz, and 2155-2180 MHz bands.

The proposed contract action is required to continue supporting the spectrum management and coordination (SMCS) of the 2025-2110 MHz band that resulted from the AWS-3 auction that concluded in January 2015. The continued support is in direct support of the Navy, who requested and received an extension to the execution timeline for this effort. Due to the interwoven nature of the Navy and PEO Spectrum’s transition plans, PEO Spectrum is required to extend their execution timeline to work in tandem with the Navy to finalize SCMS of the 2025-2110 MHz band. The previous requirements developed rules for the use and reallocation of systems utilizing the 1695-1710 MHz, 1755-1780 MHz and 2025-2110 MHz radio frequency bands. As part of the AWS-3 transition, select DoD system operations were targeted to gain access to the 2025-2110 MHz band and operate on a co-primary status on a non-interference basis with incumbent Television Broadcast Auxiliary Service (BAS), the Cable Television Relay Service (CARS), and the Local Television Transmission Service (LTTS) operations – hereafter referred to as BAS operations. The previous requirements facilitated spectrum sharing between the incumbent licensee operations, and the transitioning DoD systems. The proposed contract action is a continuation of existing efforts, developed over the past nine years. The follow-on will include extensive planning and execution with various stakeholders, including BAS operators and the DoD Chief Information Officer (CIO), as well as continued development of the

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SMCS web-based coordination portal. This new requirement addresses the generation and refinement of business processes, technical approaches, engineering analysis, data sets and other work products to enable successful spectrum sharing between the BAS and DoD interests in the 2025-2110 MHz band.

HC104720C0007 was competed using unrestricted (Full & Open) competition procedures.

Peraton, Inc.’s technical and management approach, which was determined to be the most important factor, was evaluated to be the most advantageous approach to successfully executing this requirement. HC104721D0002/HC104722F0035 was awarded as a task order on an established single award indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract. The Applied Engineering Support (AES) single award ID/IQ contract allowed for a quick turn-around on non-appropriated funded requirements and provided the level of experience, knowledge, and expertise needed to successfully execute this requirement. HC104720C0007 provides the business process, software program, and software program related tools to implement the analysis and recommendations, cooperative processes, and agreements generated from HC10471D0001/HC104722F0035. HC104721D0002/HC104722F0035 provides solutions to band sharing without interference amongst all stakeholders utilizing the 2025-2100 MHz band in a collaborative effort. Both of these requirements are organically intertwined, thus justifying the combining of both these requirements into one requirement. The SMCS Collaboration and Support Services Next requirement will bring both the previous requirements together to facilitate PEO Spectrum’s organization realignment process and to create a streamlined business process.

(b) Justification.

(1) Minimum Government requirements.

The minimum Government requirement is to continue existing services into and through FY2026 in parallel with a submitted funds execution timeline request currently under review with the DoD CIO. The existing services from the two separate efforts on contract have been combined in this effort to align together to end in accordance with (IAW) the AWS-3 funds expenditure timelines. Additionally, the alignment of the timelines, allows for combining the efforts and results in reduced overhead and program management costs. Existing services being extended into FY2026 include the:

Continued SMCS development and refinement based on Navy testing and determining sharing capability with the impacted systems in the 2025 MHz band;

Continued Stakeholder technical support and meeting involvement;

Continued SMCS operations and maintenance, including disaster mitigation and emergency fixes/releases;

Continued collection, organization and curation of the BAS data and operations inventory;

Continued sharing use case technical input to accurately create measurement techniques;

and

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Continued test and measurement support to further improve sharing capabilities, including both field and bench testing requirements.

(2) Proposed sole source contractor.

Peraton, Inc.

12975 Worldgate Drive Suite 7322 Herndon, VA 20170 CAGE Code: 0HD54 Unique Entity ID: ZBPQEJVECCT4

(3) Discussion regarding cause of the sole source situation.

The proposed acquisition is currently being worked on under contract HC104720C0007 and task order HC104721D0002/HC104722F0035. Peraton, Inc.

have been working on transitioning the 2025-2110 MHz band to be shared amongst all stakeholders since the requirement’s inception. It is imperative that the requirement is awarded to a contractor who has the proven capability and requisite expertise to complete the work without substantial duplication of costs and effort within a short timeline. The existing requirements were originally set up and projected to end in accordance with the AWS-3 timeline. After extensive collaboration between multiple and various involved stakeholders, one specific stakeholder (Navy) has been approved for a timeline extension. The Navy’s requirement requires the continued support of PEO Spectrum. In order to support the work required under the extended timeline, merging the two existing requirements in 2024 for the remaining 21 months of anticipated work is the most expedient and cost-effective path forward Government.

Awarding to any other source will result in substantial duplication of cost to the Government that is not expected to be recovered through competition. To transition out the incumbent contractor from HC104720C0007 and HC104721D0002/ HC104722F0035, transition in the new contractor, and the cost of knowledge and relationship transfers, it will cost approximately , which would increase costs for the Government by approximately for 21 months of work. In addition to the increase in cost, the new contractor will be required to staff the contract with personnel with requisite expertise to successfully execute this requirement for National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) approval. If the new contractor is unable to rapidly respond to stakeholder’s mission requirements regarding spectrum engineering advances, additional costs of approximately or more will be expended for delays and the risk of permanent impact to the DoD’s ability to efficiently and effectively operate when the transition timeline ends will increase significantly.

(4) Impact.

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If other than an exception to full and open competition were pursued, PEO Spectrum would incur substantial duplication of cost that is not expected to be recovered through competition, will be unable to complete the requirements of the AWS-3 transition plan, and the requested funds execution timeline extension would expire, thus subjecting critical DoD systems to a permanent decrease in performance due to congestion and high interference. Due to extensive design and implementation efforts completed by Peraton Inc., the incumbent contractor is able to rapidly include spectrum engineering advances in the specifically designed and developed software and has the capability to readily modify business processes and software to meet changes in the stakeholder’s mission requirement.

PEO, Spectrum’s ability to coordinate and collaborate on spectrum relocation and sharing services is critical in meeting mission goals to relocate applicable federal systems from the 2025-2110 MHz radio frequency band within the timeline specified in the PEO Spectrum transition plan, listed in the NTIA website. In order for the 2025-2110 MHz radio frequency band to move forward for NTIA approval and the band to be successfully transitioned out, this requirement must be completed in a timely manner. If this effort is not completed adequately within the timeline, critical DoD systems utilizing the 2025-2110 MHz radio frequency band will permanently be impacted by large interference thresholds, congestion, and increased denial of use of the requested spectrum. This will hinder the capabilities of critical systems and will significantly impact the DoD’s ability to operate efficiently and effectively in a shared band environment.

6. CONTRACT OPPORTUNITIES ANNOUNCEMENT/POTENTIAL SOURCES:

IAW FAR 6.303-2(b)(6) and FAR 5.2, the Contracting Officer and PEO Spectrum made efforts to ensure that offerors were solicited from as many potential sources as practicable. A Sole Source Notice of Intent (NOI-SS) was publicized on the System for Award Management (SAM) Governmentwide Point of Entry (GPE) on 11 March 2024, with a close date of 26 March 2024, 12:00 PM EDT. The NOI-SS provided potential companies 15 days from when the NOI-SS was posted to express interest and provide a detailed capability statement to the Contracting Officer.

No responses were provided by the close date specified in the notice.

7. DETERMINATION OF FAIR AND REASONABLE COST:

Cost proposals will be evaluated using one or more of the techniques defined in FAR 15.404 to determine if they are reasonable, complete, and realistic. Reasonableness is established through cost and price analysis techniques as described in FAR 15.404. Certified cost or pricing data will be obtained, as required by FAR 15.403.

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8. MARKET RESEARCH:

A Notice of Intent to Sole-Source (NOI-SS) was posted on 11 March 2024. Companies who believe they can provide the services required for this requirement were given 15 days (26 March 2024, 12:00 PM EDT) after the posting of the NOI-SS to respond and provide a detailed capability statement. No response was provided by the NOI-SS deadline, indicating a competitive marketplace is not available for this requirement and that no other contractor can provide the necessary spectrum engineering and SMCS software development skills needed to successfully complete this requirement within the required mission deadline. Therefore, the Government has determined that negotiating a sole source contract with Peraton, Inc. is in the best interest of the Government.

9. ANY OTHER SUPPORTING FACTS:

The AWS-3 auction initiative is a special, U.S. Government spectrum-related activity that is on a time-bound performance period. The timelines established in the transition plans are federally approved and this program is set to end in fiscal year 2026. The SMCS Collaboration and Support Services requirement will sunset upon the conclusion of the AWS-3 DISA4 Transition Plan.

10. LISTING OF INTERESTED SOURCES:

None. When market research was conducted, no other sources expressed interest in this requirement. As stated in Section 6 above, a synopsis will be published prior to issuance of solicitation or contract award.

11. ACTIONS THE AGENCY MAY TAKE TO REMOVE OR OVERCOME BARRIERS

THAT LED TO THE EXCEPTION TO FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION:

(a) Procurement History.

The previous acquisition activities captured in the table were projected and awarded in accordance with the original constraints.

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TECHNICAL CERTIFICATION: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance which are included in the J&A are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

NAME: Tammy Holmes SIGNATURE/DATE:

TITLE/ORGANIZATION: Management Analyst, (DISA PEO Spectrum) (OS955)

EMAIL:

REQUIREMENTS CERTIFICATION: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance which are included in the J&A are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

NAME: Tammy Holmes SIGNATURE/DATE: See separate signature page

TITLE/ORGANIZATION: Management Analyst (DISA PEO Spectrum) (OS955)

EMAIL:

CONTRACTING OFFICER CERTIFICATION: I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

NAME: Ramona Y. Lin SIGNATURE/DATE: See separate signature page

TITLE/ORGANIZATION: Contracting Officer (DISA/DITCO/NCR) (PS63)

EMAIL:

PROCURING ACTIVITY COMPETITION ADVOCATE APPROVAL (PACA): I have reviewed this justification and find it to be accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. Since this justification does not exceed $15M, this review serves as approval and my written determination that the aforementioned FAR circumstances apply.

NAME: Gay Arnold SIGNATURE/DATE: See separate signature page

TITLE/ORGANIZATION: PACA/DISA

ALL QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS JUSTIFICATION ARE TO BE REFERRED TO: Ramona Y.

Lin, Contracting Officer, DISA PS63,