JOFOC AEMMS IDIQ Increase - 06 26 20.pdf

JA-FY20-J010

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION (NASA)

Ames Research Center

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION (JOFOC)

For

Aeronautics and Exploration Mission Modeling and Simulation (AEMMS), NNA16BD60C

1. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.303-1(b)(1) – Identification of the agency and the contracting activity, and specific identification of the document as a “Justification for other than full and open competition.”

This document is a justification for other than full and open competition prepared by the

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ames Research Center (ARC).

The procuring agency is the NASA and the contracting activity is the Procurement Office located at ARC. This JOFOC is recorded in the ARC JOFOC Log as JA-FY20-J010.

2. FAR 6.303-2(b)(2) – The nature and/or description of the action being approved:

NASA ARC proposes to issue a sole source contract modification to Science and Technology

Corporation (STC) to increase the IDIQ maximum potential value of contract NNA16BD60C, Aeronautics and Exploration Mission Modeling and Simulation (AEMMS). NASA ARC competitively awarded contract NNA16BD60C to STC on May 9, 2016, with a period of performance that ends on May 31, 2021. AEMMS is a hybrid contract consisting of a Cost only Contract Management Core and an Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) component under which Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) task orders are executed. The Contract

Management Core total value is FOIA EX. 5, and is currently funded at FOIA EX. 5.

The Contract Management Core value will not need to be increased as a result of this action.

The current contract IDIQ maximum potential value is. The AEMMS contract has already reached this maximum value for IDIQ with eleven (11) months still remaining in the contract period of performance. Therefore, the IDIQ maximum potential value must to be increased to permit the critical services under the contract to continue. Efforts are currently underway for the new competitive procurement of the Aircraft and Space Systems Engineering Support

Services (ASSESS) contract, which will continue critical requirements performed under the

AEMMS contract after the completion of the AEMMS period of performance.

The AEMMS contract has grown significantly since its award due in large part to major increases to program and project requirements that have been levied on ARC in the areas of modeling and simulation for the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD). Of particular note, development of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and UAS Traffic Management (UTM) has experienced exponential growth during the latter part of the AEMMS contract, with ARC taking a leading role. Several tasks have expanded significantly to provide modeling of vehicles and the environments in which they fly, to enable safe and effective vehicle flight and airspace control, the AEMMS contract has been key to expanding this work. The development and roll out of the

Artemis program have also affected the amount of modeling and simulation work that has been required of ARC and the AEMMS contract in recent years, resulting in a large ramp up of spaceflight vehicle analysis. In addition, the maturation of the Commercial Crew program

Version: Base has resulted in increased need for modeling, simulation, and risk assessment for such elements as commercial rockets, capsule abort systems, and thermal protection systems has grown rapidly. AEMMS has proved to be a valuable tool in fulfilling these agency requirements;

however, this unpredicted growth now requires an increase in the IDIQ maximum potential value for AEMMS.

3. FAR 6.303-2(b)(3) – A description of the supplies or services required, to meet the

Agency’s needs (including the estimated value):

This JOFOC documents the basis and authorities for increasing the IDIQ maximum value.

The AEMMS contract provides highly specialized services for multiple programs and projects in following Modeling and Simulation disciplines:

- Aerodynamics

- Vertical Lift Computational and Experimental Analysis

- Advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics Tool Development and Application

- Systems Engineering

- Advanced Airspace Systems Concept Development and Analysis

- Engineering Risk Assessment

- Multi-Disciplinary Analysis and Optimization Tool Development and Application

The AEMMS contract provides support to multiple Offices and Divisions at the Ames

Research Center to carry out their varied research programs. The organizations that are supported by this contract include the Systems Analysis Office (AA), the Aeromechanics

Office (AV), the Aeronautics Projects Office (AT), the Airspace Systems Division (AF), the NASA Advanced Supercomputing Division (TN), the Earth Sciences Division (SG), and the Partnerships Office (DI). Currently these organizations support a variety of mission types and technologies including the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (Orion); the

Space Launch System (SLS), UAS Traffic Management (UTM), Urban Air Mobility

(UAM), Transformational Tools and Technologies (TTT), and Advanced Air Vehicle

Program (AAVP).

The current AEMMS contract has an IDIQ component with a maximum potential value of $38M, under which CPFF task orders are executed. To date, task orders totaling $38M have been issued. The estimated value of services for the remaining eleven months on the performance period is approximately FOIA EX. 5 based on the Government’s Independent

Government Cost Estimate (IGCE). The IGCE was based on a review of the current requirements, historical direct labor costs, subcontracts, and other direct costs required to continue performance of the AEMMS contract. Therefore, the current contract maximum value will need to increase. Each contract task order issued/awarded during the option period will be negotiated to ensure that the price is fair and reasonable.

4. FAR 6.303-2(b)(4) – An identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition:

The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 10 U.S.C.

2304(c)(1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

5. FAR 6.303-2(b)(5) – A demonstration that the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited:

The rationale supporting the use of 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1

Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

In accordance with FAR 6.302-1 (a)(2)(iii), for DOD, NASA, and the Coast Guard, services may be deemed to be available only from the original source in the case of follow-on contracts for the continued provision of highly specialized services when it is likely that award to any other source would result in substantial duplication of cost to the Government that is not expected to be recovered through competition, or unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency's requirements. For the reasons set forth below, STC is the only responsible source that can reasonably satisfy the subject requirements pending completion of the competitive ASSESS procurement. The AEMMS IDIQ maximum potential value increase will allow for the continuation of services to numerous NASA Aeronautics, Space, and

Science programs, and specialized technical support through the end of the current period of performance ending on May 31, 2021. Without the proposed IDIQ value increase, there will be a gap in AEMMS support which will severely impact on-going NASA missions such as Commercial Crew and Artemis.

The potential IDIQ value increase to the current contract is necessary to provide coverage of important AEMMS support through the remaining eleven months in the period of performance. If these requirements were acquired via a separate competition for a separate potential eleven-month contract, rather than via the potential value increase justified herein, the result would be a substantial duplication of costs to the Government that would not be recovered. Again, these costs would be duplicative costs that already need to be incurred as part of the pending award of the competitive ASSESS contract. Failure to increase the IDIQ value would also result in unacceptable delays in fulfilling important requirements currently performed under the AEMMS contract. A gap in performance of these requirements would cause harmful consequences for NASA and ARC due to the impact on the work highlighted herein. Further, the award of a separate potential eleven-month contract would generate unacceptable delay, due to the unavoidable start-up and related learning curve that would be associated with a new contractor. STC staff has unparalleled experience and technical expertise that are necessary to setup and run the required modeling and simulations. A separate competition and award to, potentially, a different vendor for a potential eleven month period would neither be feasible nor reasonable given the current and on-going competitive ASSESS procurement. Hence an IDIQ maximum potential value increase, rather than a new procurement for the same period, is the only reasonable approach for

NASA to take such that it may continue to obtain the important services provided by

AEMMS.

6. FAR 6.303-2(b)(6) – A description of the efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under 5.202 applies:

A notice to the Government Point of Entry (GPE) website (beta.sam.gov) was published on

June 5, 2020, in accordance with FAR Subpart 5.2. This posting informed the public of NASA’s intent to award a sole source modification to increase the contract’s Option Period Three IDIQ ceiling to STC. The results of this synopsis are summarized in Section 10 below.

7. FAR 6.303-2(b)(7) – A determination by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable:

The Contracting Officer's signature on this document indicates that the Contracting Officer has determined the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable. The contractor shall be required to submit a proposal for all task orders to be evaluated and negotiated by the Government. Prior to execution of each task order, a proposal analysis will be performed in accordance with FAR 15.404. The proposal analysis will include cost element analysis, comparison to the IGCE and will utilize both cost and price evaluation techniques ensuring the final agreed-to cost for each CTO awarded is fair and reasonable.

Pre-negotiation objectives will be prepared prior to the initiation of negotiations and will be approved in accordance with FAR 15.406 prior to the conduct of negotiations.

8. FAR 6.303-2(b)(8) – Description of the market research conducted, and the results, or a statement of the reasons a market research was not conducted:

ARC conducted market research in support of the decision to increase the IDIQ maximum potential value. Based on the AEMMS Contracting Officer’s Representative’s (COR) technical knowledge of the current AEMMS requirements, and for all of the other reasons stated herein, Science and Technology Corporation (STC) is the only responsible source able to fulfill the increase in AEMMS requirements.

Market research was performed in May and June 2020, which included a synopsis posted on

June 5, 2020 on the Contract Opportunities site located on www.beta.SAM.gov. The purpose of the synopsis was to (1) notify industry of NASA’s intent to increase the IDIQ potential value and (2) solicit information about interested sources that are capable of providing the required support. Interested organizations were requested to submit their capabilities and qualifications in writing. The Contracting Officer received one capability statement in response to the synopsis.

Additional research performed by the COR and the Contracting Officer to determine whether the respondent or other sources were sources capable of performing the above stated requirements extended to NASA’s project and engineering support services for AEMMS and the consequent

ASSESS contract. This included reviews of the following Government databases: the Dynamic

Small Business Search (DSBS), the NASA Vendor Database (NVD), and the Federal Procurement

Data System (FPDS). This research revealed multiple firms that can provide various types of research and development support. The market research included a series of meetings between the

COR and other requirements owners. Based on those discussions, it was clear that while there are limited additional firms in the industry, the scope of highly specialized work required can only be http://www.beta.sam.gov/ accomplished by the current contractor under the proposed value increase without creating substantial duplication of work efforts performed and cost incurred to date. Failure to increase the IDIQ maximum potential value within a short timeframe would cause significant disruption and impacts to NASA ARC missions and R&D facilities.

Market research indicates that in accordance with FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii)(A) and (B), STC is the only responsible source that can provide the highly specialized services without substantial duplication of cost to the Government that will not be recovered through competition and unacceptable delays in meeting agency requirements.

9. FAR 6.303-2(b)(9) – Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition:

STC can continue to provide seamless, quality support services to meet requirements for the current critical mission support, and programs and projects conducted by the AEMMS contract without unacceptable delays or substantial duplication of costs to the Government.

In terms of safety, milestones, scheduled metrics, and deliverables, task orders are well organized, prioritized, and safely completed on time and within budget. The most recent performance ratings of the contractor were Excellent to Very Good.

10. FAR 6.303-2(b)(10) – A listing of the sources, if any, that expressed an interest in writing in the acquisition:

A notice of NASA’s intent to award this sole-source action was synopsized on the GPE website (beta.sam.gov) per FAR Subpart 5.2 (See Section 6 above). The notice was posted on June 5, 2020, with a closing date of June 19, 2020. One source, Array of Engineers, LLC, provided its capabilities statement and expressed an interest in becoming a subcontractor to the AEMMS Prime Contractor, STC.

11. FAR 6.303-2(b)(11) – A statement of 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:

Adequate competition existed at the time AEMMS was procured, and ARC has already started the actions for ASSESS, the competitive procurement where certain support service requirements currently under the AEMMS contract will be included. Therefore, there are no actions the agency needs to take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for similar services. This increase of the AEMMS IDIQ maximum potential value is necessary to continue to obtain support of critical requirements until the end of the contract period of performance, May 31, 2021.

JOFOC Signature Page for Contract Extension for Contract Number NNA16BD60C, Aeronautics and Exploration Mission Modeling and Simulation (AEMMS)

I certify that the facts presented in this justification are accurate and complete.

FOIA EX. 6 9 June 2020

Mary E. Livingston Date

Technical Representative

I hereby certify that the above justification is complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.

FOIA EX. 6 9 June 2020

Naomi Castillo-Velasquez Date

Contracting Officer

CONCURRENCE:

FOIA EX. 6 15 June 2020

Kelly G. Kaplan Date

Procurement Officer

APPROVED:

FOIA EX. 6 15 June 2020

Carol W. Carroll Date

Competition Advocate, NASA Ames Research Center