JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION.docx Satellite phones_Redacted.pdf

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION (JOFOC)

REFERENCE: Satellite phones (Short term requirement)

Identification of the agency and contracting activity.

U.S. Department of Transportation, United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE Washington, DC 20590

Nature and/or description of the action being approved.

Satellite phone service contract for 435 satellite phones for a period of performance lasting 12 months, 3/1/26 – 2/28/27. This is a sole-source, firm-fixed-price contract with Connecta

Satellite Solutions.

Description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs, including the estimated value.

USMMA requires additional time to complete their research on the follow- on Satellite phone requirement including any availability of alternatives, award and transition for one year base plus four one-year options contract. Therefore, for the continuity of service of Satellite phone lease and service contract for 435 satellite phones, it is in the best interest of the Government to award a Firm fixed Price Purchase order to Connecta Satellite Solutions for a period of performance for 12 months, 3/1/26 – 2/28/2 . This service contract provides Satellite phone service for the academies 435 satellite phones that are issued to Midshipmen during their sea year sailing, an educational requirement for graduation and licensing. It is a congressional requirement for Midshipmen to be issued satellite communication devices from USMMA during their sailing period.

Identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition.

41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(1) and Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) FAR 6.103-1, Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy current agency requirements, permits MARAD to use other than competitive procedures for this activity for the continuity of support.

Demonstration that the unique qualifications of the proposed contractor or nature of the acquisition requires using the authority cited.

Connecta Satellite Solutions, LLC (Connecta) has been continuously leasing satellite phones and providing satellite phone connectivity services to USMMA since phones were issued to students in 2021. The global satellite phone service provision market is a relatively limited one in terms of competitors, particularly generic competitors as opposed to those which would be classified as “name-brand.” The 435 active Iridium 9555 devices issued to students are currently serviced through Connecta and continuing the service would allow for uninterrupted satellite phone services of all Midshipmen at sea. This is the only brand and model that is compatible to our existing equipment and software. The addition of 12 months of service will allow USMMA to meet the Congressional requirement of providing Midshipmen a satellite communications device. Because Connecta Satellite Solutions is the current service provider, another vendor would necessitate USMMA to coordinate services with over 300 of the phones currently with students out at sea and changing service providers would risk a break in service. The shipping and insurance costs of securing satellite phones and a servicing plan from another provider would be prohibitive because Midshipmen are located on vessels sailing around the world. It would be prohibitively difficult, impractical, and expensive to arrange for Midshipmen to have access to satellite phones without interruption if service providers are switched on short notice.

6. Demonstration of a brand name product’s unique attributes: unique characteristics of the proposed brand name item and why no other similar item will suffice.

Connecta Satellite Solutions, LLC (Connecta) has been continuously leasing satellite phones and providing satellite phone connectivity services to USMMA since phones were issued to students in 2021. The global satellite phone service provision market is a relatively limited one in terms of competitors, particularly generic competitors as opposed to those which would be classified as “name-brand.” The 435 active Iridium 9555 devices issued to students are currently serviced through Connecta and continuing the service would allow for uninterrupted satellite phone services of all Midshipmen at sea. This is the only brand and model that is compatible to our existing equipment and software. The addition of 12 months of service will allow USMMA to meet the Congressional requirement of providing Midshipmen a satellite communications device. Because Connecta is the current service provider, another vendor would necessitate USMMA to coordinate services with over 300 of the phones currently with students out at sea and changing service providers would risk a break in service. The shipping and insurance costs of securing satellite phones and a servicing plan from another provider would be prohibitive because Midshipmen are located on vessels sailing around the world. It would be prohibitively difficult, impractical, and expensive to arrange for Midshipmen to have access to satellite phones without interruption if service providers are switched on short notice.

7. Description of efforts to ensure offers were solicited from as many potential sources as practicable, including whether a notice will be publicized and, if not, which exception applies.

A Request For Information (RFI) was conducted and advertised from September 24, 2025 through October 24, 2025. Based on changes in the industry with many commercial vessels providing employees and cadets access to Starlink or other Wi-Fi services and with Military Sealift Command (MSC) additionally adding Wi-Fi services, the need for each Midshipmen to be issued a Satellite phone and what the service specifications should be at this time are unclear.

More time is needed for the re-competition of the award to consider all options and until this time, the current vendor, Connecta , is the best option to provide the ongoing service contract to Midshipmen placed on vessels sailing around the world in remote locations, without interruption.

8. Determination by the CO that the anticipated cost to the government will be fair and reasonable.

The Contracting Officer has determined the anticipated cost to the Government of the services covered by this J&A will be fair and reasonable based on historical price information.

9. Description of the market research conducted and results, or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted.

A Request for Information (RFI) was conducted and advertised from September 24, 2025, through October 24, 2025, for the follow-on requirement. Based on changes in the industry with many commercial vessels providing employees and cadets access to Starlink or other Wi-Fi services and with Military Sealift Command (MSC) additionally adding Wi-Fi services, the need for each Midshipmen to be issued a Satellite phone and what the service specifications should be at this time are unclear. More time is needed for the re-competition of the award to consider all options and until this time, the current vendor, Connecta Satellite Solutions, is the best interest of the Government to provide the ongoing service contract to Midshipmen placed on vessels sailing around the world in remote locations, without interruption for a year so that this additional time could be utilized to finalize the follow on requirement, competitively award and transition.

10. Any other facts supporting use of other than full and open competition.

FY17 National Defense Authorization Act Section 3513 Provision B (1) states that the Maritime Administrator shall ensure that each cadet from the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) who is participating in the Sea Year program is provided a functional satellite communication device. Continuity of satellite-phone service is essential to preserve safety, emergency response, and confidential SAPR communications for midshipmen underway;

interruption would risk delayed crisis response, loss of secure contact credentials, USMMA being out of compliance with the NDAA and degraded mission readiness. The incumbent provider, Connecta Satellite Solutions, LLC., currently serves USMMA midshipmen with roaming/telecom arrangements required for uninterrupted service. To avoid a harmful service gap, the Government requires a continuity of service for one year that preserves account continuity and enables an orderly transition; this approach is the most practical means to protect midshipmen safety and SAPR access while minimizing operational risk and transition time until the follow-on contract is awarded competitively.

11. Listing of any sources that expressed a written interest in the acquisition.

Responses were received from the following companies in accordance with the Request for Information for the follow-on requirement for Market Research purposes: Blue Cosmo, Network Innovation, Satcom Direct Government, LLC, Connecta Satellite Phones, Somewhere Labs, Inc. and Metocean Telematics on October 24, 2025. All responses were reviewed and evaluated. Additional Market Research is required for the follow-on

Reviews and Approvals

Senior official (or designee):

I certify that the facts and representations under my cognizance, which are included in this