JOFOC SimLabs III Extension 2 Redacted .pdf

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

Ames Research Center (ARC)

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

(JOFOC)

For Technical Services for Aerospace Modeling and Simulation III (SimLabs III), Contract No. 80ARC018D0008

1. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.303-2(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

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

The procuring agency is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the contracting activity is the Procurement Office located at ARC. This JOFOC is recorded in the ARC JOFOC log as JA-FY24-J02.

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

This justification provides the rationale for contracting by other than full and open competition to award an extension to Contract No. 80ARC018D0008 with Metis Flight Research and

Associates, LLC (MFRA) for a potential twelve (12) additional months pending completion of a competitive procurement for the follow-on Aerospace Research Technology and Simulation

(ARTS) contract. The extended period would consist of one (1) six-month base period from

December 1, 2023, through May 31, 2024, and six (6) one-month option periods from June 1, 2024, through November 30, 2024, if all options are exercised.

The SimLabs III contract was awarded March 23, 2018, with an effective date of April 16, 2018 and the following period of performance: Phase-In (April 16, 2018 through May 31, 2018); Base

Period (June 1, 2018 through May 31, 2019); and Four One-Year Option Periods (June 1, 2019 through May 31, 2023). The contract was extended utilizing FAR 52.217-8, for a six (6) month period, from June 1, 2023, through November 30, 2023. Execution of this 12-month extension will ensure continuity of critical services through November 30, 2024.

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):

The SimLabs III contract provides mission critical support for researchers with high-fidelity environments to conduct simulated flight and Air Traffic Management (ATM) research and advance the state-of-the-art of simulation technology. Researchers use the facilities to investigate a variety of topics ranging from the design of new aircraft guidance and control systems to the human factors implications of new or existing flight deck displays, airspace operations, air traffic control and automation. The simulation facilities are used by NASA programs, other NASA Centers, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of

Defense (DOD), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), other government organizations, industry, and universities.

The SimLabs III contract (Contract No. 80ARC018D0008) is a hybrid contract with CPFF

Contract Management and Technical Services and an Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-

Quantity (IDIQ) component under which CPFF Contract Task Orders (CTOs) are executed.

The period of performance is June 1, 2018, to November 30, 2023. The maximum potential contract value is $132.5 million, with a total potential Core value of $13.1 million and a total maximum ordering quantity under the IDIQ component of $119.4 million. The Contract

Management Core has been fully funded, leaving no remaining available value. A total of

$119.4 million in IDIQ task orders has been issued, leaving no remaining available value under the maximum IDIQ ordering quantity. The estimated value of the required services for the potential twelve (12) month extension is approximately FOIA Ex 5 (FOIA Ex 5 Core, FOIA Ex 5 IDIQ), if all options are exercised, based on the Independent Government Cost

Estimate (IGCE). The IGCE was based on review of the current requirements, historical direct labor costs, subcontracts, and other direct costs required to continue performance of the SimLabs III contract for up to twelve (12) months. The period of performance for the

Core and IDIQ efforts will be extended from December 1, 2023, to November 30, 2024, if all options are exercised.

The total cost estimate for the proposed extension periods, is as follows:

Extension Base Period Core: December 1, 2023 – May 31, 2024 FOIA Ex 5

Extension Base Period IDIQ: December 1, 2023 – May 31, 2024 FOIA Ex 5

*Extension Option Periods Core: June 1, 2024 – November 30, 2024 FOIA Ex 5

**Extension Option Periods IDIQ: June 1, 2024 – November 30, 2024 FOIA Ex 5

Total Contract Value Increase: FOIA Ex 5

*Six one-month option periods estimated at FOIA Ex 5 each

**Six one-month option periods estimated at FOIA Ex 5 each

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.

3204(a)(1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1(a)(2) 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. 3204(a)(1) is described below:

In accordance with FAR 6.302-1(a)(2), full and open competition need not be provided for when the supplies or services required by the agency are available from only one responsible source. For the reason set forth below, MFRA is the only responsible source that can reasonably satisfy the subject requirements.

This extension will allow for the continuation of highly specialized and unique capabilities provided by the SimLabs III contract to NASA programs and projects whose requirements would be severely impacted by a lapse in services. Without the proposed contract extension, the lack of support will severely impact on-going research and critical project schedules, causing unacceptable delays for programs and critical projects underway relying on the performance of

SimLabs III requirements. The continued provision of the highly specialized services provided by the SimLabs III contract is the only way to prevent disruption or a gap in performance of these ongoing requirements, which would cause significant delays in schedule, impact program budgets, increase risk to providing quality deliverables, and would have potentially damaging long-term consequences to the missions of the Agency and customers that are supported by the

SimLabs III contract.

Work being performed under SimLabs III is critical to maintaining the schedule of mission critical simulations and essential to Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) and

Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD). SimLabs III personnel maintain, operate, upgrade critical facilities at ARC that include the Vertical Motion

Simulator (VMS), FutureFlight Central (FFC), and the Advance Concepts Flight Simulator

(ACFS).

Delay of this work in these critical facilities, especially the VMS, would create simulation inefficiencies and have an impact on the development schedule of the Artemis Human

Landing System control system design and affect near-term budget decisions, therefore making a delay unacceptable.

In addition, following are simulation facilities hardware/software, materials and supplies for maintenance and upgrades that would not be possible to complete:

1. Aerospace Experience Center Video Wall installation and acceptance testing – Fiscal Year

(FY) 24 Quarter (Q) 2

2. FFC Image Generator Upgrade – FY24 Q2

3. PAAV project using Aerospace Experience Center for flight test – FY24 Q3

4. VMS Cockpit Motion System Video Infrastructure Upgrade – FY24 Q3

5. VMS Cockpit Fixed Base Video Infrastructure Upgrade – FY24 Q3

6. HLS Simulation Development FOIA Ex 4 – FY24 Q3

7. Army ARCTIC 5 Simulation in VMS – FY24 Q4

8. ACFS Simulator Upgrade – Ongoing through FY24 Q4

The ARMD identified a strategic thrust to enable safe, efficient growth in global operations among its highest priorities. To address that strategic thrust, NASA is conducting research for a future airspace, sustainable aviation operations, and advanced air mobility. The research being conducted in these areas at NASA is critical to achieve ARMD goals and involves agreements and collaborations with external industry partners, government agencies, and international partners. The NASA researchers and industry partners are considering issues associated with vehicle design, airspace management technologies and procedures, human machine teaming, and early implementation of a collaborative airspace management system for UAM, sUAS, and high-altitude operations. This research would be negatively impacted if the SimLabs III contract were not extended.

Software development being performed under SimLabs III is critical to maintaining the schedule of the ARMD, providing one of a kind software capability in support of critical flight test and simulations. The SimLabs III contract personnel have unique expertise as software developers and system administrator in the Aviation Systems Division (Code AF) Software Facility. The AF

Software Facility includes the following software capabilities:

• Federated Airspace Management Framework (Freddie) – implementation of the NASA

UAS Service Supplier (USS), the NASA Provider of Services to UAM (PSU), the NASA

UpperClass E Service Suppliers (ESS) and other services for research and operations of federated airspace management. The Freddie software provides the "traffic management" ecosystem for Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) uncontrolled operations that is separate from, but complementary to, the FAA's ATM system.

• Sherlock Data Warehouse - Sherlock is a data warehouse for all types of air traffic management-related research and development. It has many terabytes of air traffic flight, weather, and traffic flow-related data products. Sherlock also provides an infrastructure for big data analytics and machine learning.

• Testbed - ATM Test Bed is an inter-connected air traffic simulation test capability developed by NASA to help accelerate the introduction of advanced technologies in the

National Airspace System (NAS).

• WorldWind - WorldWind is a planetary globe 3D engine that allows application developers to quickly and easily create interactive visualizations of geographical information in a 3D planetary context.

The Freddie software provides the infrastructure for deconflicting aircraft in low altitude airspace that is currently uncontrolled that is to be used in NASA/ FOIA Ex 4 testing at

Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC), in Q3/Q4 2024. Without this software support to provide the necessary deconfliction, this test would not be possible, causing unacceptable delays to the Airspace Operations and Safety Program.

The ARMD has indicated that the Air Mobility Pathfinder Project (AMP) under the Airspace

Operations and Safety Program (AOSP) (formerly part of the ATM Exploration Project

(ATM-X) Urban Air Mobility subproject) research at NASA is among its highest priorities.

The work performed at NASA provides the essential backbone to addressing research and implementation issues for advanced air mobility. The research being conducted is critical to the understanding of future airspace operations in the U.S., is associated with highly time-critical development, and involves agreements and collaborations with external industry partners. The NASA AMP team and industry partners are considering issues associated with vehicle design, infrastructure, procedures, human factors, and early implementation of

Advanced Air Mobility operations. For example, there are concerns about how critical data can be shared and verified within the airspace and within local communities who may allow

Advanced Air Mobility vehicles to operate. The Freddie software developed by MFRA in the

AF Software Facility is critical to this research.

MFRA is also providing the AMP, Pathfinding for Airspace with Autonomous Vehicles

(PAAV), and Digital Information Platform (DIP) subprojects customized Freddie software development needed for several flight tests, including simulations leading up to flight tests, and are scheduled in FY24. There is a dependency by the ATM-X, AMP project and industry partners for data and results from these simulations and flight tests. For those two projects, several critical tests and experiments are scheduled over the next year that depend on timely deliverables. This is a commitment to the FAA and is a highly visible activity that is tracked by NASA’s Airspace Operations and Safety Program (AOSP) and FAA Nextgen Office. Any delay in this work will have to be reported to those entities, and NASA and the FAA will have to renegotiate those deliverables.

ATM-X has two Annual Performance Indicators (API) to satisfy in FY24 which are highly visible accomplishments. APIs are reported out annually by NASA and are typically a combination of multiple milestones to satisfy the API. The milestones for the APIs are completed by ATM-X. One API is to demonstrate an airspace service that improves the sustainability of aviation operations supported by the DIP sub-project. The Freddie software that provides the airspace service, developed by MFRA, is critical to the DIP sub-project.

The other is an evaluation of cooperative operating practices for intent sharing in Upper

Class E airspace supported by NExCT which also uses the Freddie software. Successful completion of these APIs is a major goal of ATM-X.

The PAAV subproject is an essential ARMD effort that addresses the requirements and research necessary for the development of autonomous vehicle concepts and technologies.

One of the challenges of this work is designing airspace capabilities that enable manned and autonomous vehicles to operate jointly in the national airspace. The Freddie software, developed by MFRA, is the backbone for deconflicting the manned and unmanned vehicles, and data analyses to ensure safe operations in this emerging environment, and many of these tasks are supported by MFRA. A flight demonstration in FY24 to demonstrate key capabilities to address contingency management utilizing a planned research airspace between Monterey, California and Moffett Field, California will utilize the Freddie software.

This research airspace aims to be a persistent capability to test autonomous aircraft integration into the airspace for use by government entities and industry. The FY24 flight will be a pathfinding flight to evaluate the ground based assets and interaction with aircraft systems to address contingencies such as lost communication from the autonomous aircraft.

Any lapse in work will result in re-negotiation of this highly visible activity.

AMP/Airspace Operations (formerly ATM-X/UAM) plans to conduct initial flights in FY24 with FOIA Ex 4 towards setting requirements for a collaborative airspace management system based on the UTM framework and using the Freddie software developed and maintained by MFRA. This is another highly visible activity which is tracked closely by

AOSP. The airspace services management system will be developed by NASA AF Software

Facility and tested in flight with FOIA Ex 4. There is no NASA alternative to developing the management system and a disruption in the SimLabs III contract will adversely affect this high profile project.

DIP is another ATM-X subproject that is central to the ARMD research portfolio. The overall goal of the DIP subproject is to accelerate transformation of the National Airspace

System (NAS) and airspace operations through the development of a foundation for advanced, data-driven, digital services for both traditional and emergent operations towards cohesive decision making. DIP is establishing an accessible cloud-based Digital Information

Platform utilized by a community of data and service providers. The Freddie software is also a key component in integrating the emergent operations into the NAS.

Continuation of this foundational work is critical to ensuring future viability and scale up on

ARMD programs and projects. Therefore, a twelve (12) month extension, rather than a new procurement for the same period is the only reasonable approach for NASA to take so that

NASA may continue to obtain the critical services performed by MFRA under the SimLabs

III contract, while the SEB completes the ongoing ARTS procurement, which is estimated to be completed by June 24, 2024. Re-competing SimLabs III in addition to conducting the

ARTS procurement would be a duplication of costs and suspending the services under

SimLabs III until there is an award under ARTS would terminate critical services. This makes the incumbent the only reasonable source to satisfy these highly specialized requirements pending completion of the competitive ARTS procurement without incurring unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency’s requirements. For these reasons, the approach of using a twelve (12) month extension for continuation of on-going requirements will result in obtaining the best value for the Government. Competition, which typically acts as a primary guarantor of best value to the Government, is not appropriate for the requirements proposed to be procured through the extension of the SimLabs III contract.

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 (sam.gov) was published on

October 17, 2023, in accordance with FAR Subpart 5.2. This posting informed potential sources of NASA’s intent to award this sole-source extension to MFRA. 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 that the anticipated cost to the government will be fair and reasonable. The

Contractor shall be required to submit a proposal to be evaluated and negotiated by the

Government. Prior to execution of the contractual instrument, a proposal analysis will be performed. The proposal analysis will ensure that the final agreed-to price for the contract action is fair and reasonable. Prior to execution of the modification, 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 use of appropriate cost and price evaluation techniques to ensure the final agreed-to cost and fee 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 conducting negotiations. The Contracting Officer will document the

Prenegotiation Position Memorandum and the results of the negotiation in a Price Negotiation

Memorandum as required by FAR 15.406.

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

ARC posted a synopsis to the GPE website (sam.gov) as stated in paragraph 6 above. The

Contracting Officer received no capability statements in response to the synopsis.

A search was conducted in the NASA Vendor Database using search criteria “541330” and

“Simulation,” which resulted in 244 potential small business sources. A search was also conducted in the SBA Dynamic Small Business Search database using the NAICS Code 541330 and key word “Simulation.” This search yielded the following results: 387 Small Businesses

(SBs); 18 Woman-Owned SBs; 19 8(a) Certified SBs; 240 Veteran-Owned SBs. and 22 Service

Disabled Veteran-Owned SBs.

A NASA Form (NF) 1787A was prepared to document the Market Research conducted.

The NF will be routed through the ARC Small Business Specialist and the Small Business

Administration Procurement Center Representative for concurrence.

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

The ARTS procurement will take up to twelve months, including time for phase-in activities before the start of the new contract. Therefore, it is not reasonable or possible to conduct a separate competition at the same time as the follow-on procurement. Conducting an additional competition for a SimLabs III twelve-month bridge contract while also conducting the competitive ARTS procurement would require two separate Source Evaluation Boards, Source Selection Authorities, solicitations, evaluations, competitive range determinations, and source selection decisions, incurring substantial duplication of cost. An estimated rough order of magnitude (ROM) for these additional costs is FOIA Ex 5. This includes FOIA Ex 5

(derived by applying the ARC FY2023 Reimbursable Management Planning Rate of 14.4% to the estimated value of a one-year bridge contract) in addition to FOIA Ex 5 in estimated costs for the additional 45-day phase-in period that would be required. These costs associated with the acquisition process for a bridge contract represents a substantial duplication of cost to the Government that is not expected to be recovered through competition. Therefore, MFRA is the only responsible source via this extension to the current SimLabs III contract that can reasonably satisfy the current requirements pending award of the competitive ARTS follow-on procurement.

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 was synopsized on the GPE website

(sam.gov) per FAR Subpart 5.2 (See Section 6 above). The notice was posted on October 17, 2023, with a closing date of October 31, 2023. No sources responded to the synopsis or have expressed interest in performing the requirements NASA ARC intends to procure through this twelve-month extension of the SimLabs III contract.

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:

ARC has already started the actions for the competitive follow-on ARTS contract. Therefore, there are no actions the agency needs to take or remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for similar services. This sole source award of a potential twelve-month extension to the SimLabs III contract is necessary to provide the necessary time to complete the competitive follow-on procurement and to provide the uninterrupted highly specialized support services needed under the existing SimLabs III contract during that time.

Kurt Straub Digitally signed by Kurt Straub Date: 2023.11.20 15:28:52 -05'00'

TECHNICAL SERVICES FOR AEROSPACE MODELING AND

SIMULATION III (SIMLABS III)

CONTRACT 80ARC018D0008

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

SIGNATURE PAGE

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

Digitally signed by STEVEN BEARD Date: 2023.10.26 11:14:40 -07'00'

Julie Nguyen Technical Representative

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

VERONICA

GUTIERREZ

Digitally signed by VERONICA

GUTIERREZ

Date: 2023.10.26 11:42:22 -07'00'

Veronica L. Gutierrez Contracting Officer

CONCURRENCES:

Digitally signed by Lauren Johnson Date: 2023.11.20 13:00:45 -06'00'

Kurt A. Straub Procurement Officer

DAVID

KORSMEYER

David J. Korsmeyer

Digitally signed by DAVID

KORSMEYER

Date: 2023.11.10 06:50:29 -08'00'

Competition Advocate, Ames Research Center

APPROVAL:

Kurt A. Straub Head of Contracting Activity, Ames Research Center

STEVEN BEARD

Lauren Johnson