Justification for Sole Source At or Below SAT_Redacted.pdf

Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104

JUSTIFICATION FOR SOLE SOURCE (Simplified Acquisitions - MPT to <$250K)

Document number: _N0006023RC01FRT_______________________

The supplies or services described herein are being solicited on a sole source basis and competition is precluded for reasons indicated below. There are no substitutes available for the supplies or services.

Check One:

Service:

Contractor:

Contractor Address:

Contractor POC:

Phone #:

Email:

Cage Code/DUNS:

Supply:

Restricted to the following source. If a sole source manufacturer distributes via dealers, ALSO provide dealer information.)

Original Manufacturer Name:

Manufacturer: Windward US Inc Manufacturer POC:

Manufacturer Phone #:

Manufacturer Address:

Dealer/Rep: No Authorized Resellers Dealer/Rep Address Phone No.

Email:

Description of the supplies or services required, the estimated price/cost, and required delivery date.

USFFC N3 Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) require a multi-source maritime intelligence system within the Fleet Command Center that fuses artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and predictive analysis to create a 360-degree view of the maritime domain. Not limited to vessel tracking, the system must incorporate industry, supply chain, space-based or satellite imagery to determine and rationalize data and information providing the user and commander with decision space. Most notable are dark targets, ship-to-ships transfer, and global navigation system tampering, anomalous and nefarious behavior; as well as, provide insight to vessel ownership and associated networks all within one user interface. The resource should be a web-based, non-classified, and non-PKI to allow use and support anywhere and anytime. The estimated cost is for two licenses to be active no later than 8 August 2023.

In conclusion, the requested supplies or services represent the minimum requirements of the government.

Describe in detail why only this source can furnish the requirements to the exclusion of other sources.

(what specific characteristics of the supplies or services limit the availability to a sole source (e.g., unique features, function of the item, etc.)?)

Windward is a non-classified proprietary AI/ML capability, which creates a 360 view of the maritime domain by fusing over 10B data points from the maritime industry via their U.S. Patented process - resulting in a comprehensive and contextual profile of vessel movements and associated networks. Windward’s AI delivers behavioral analysis of over 500K vessels, and their associated activities worldwide, to include: cargo analysis, automatic detection of vessel and ownership behaviors, dark activity, ship-to-ship meetings, cargo tracking (wet & dry), identity tampering, GNS tampering, anomalous and nefarious behaviors, anchoring, drifting, flag hopping, first time transits, and zombie vessels, EEZ infractions and more. The system provides risk analytics based on deviations from pattern-of-life and shipping standards; it highlights when vessels use false identities; and when they perform non-economical activities. Users of Windward have the ability to automate comprehensive alerts providing near real-time situational awareness of vessels and areas of interest. The system has the capability to overlay satellite imagery with fused vessel track data to provide comprehensive user insights to increase commander’s decision space.

Windward is the only application available that analyzes these data points of maritime information and applies AI/ML for behavioral analytics - this capability is not currently available through other open source data providers.

The supplies or services must be compatible in all aspects (form, fit and function) with existing systems presently installed/performing. Describe the equipment/function you have now and how the new item/service must coordinate, connect, or interface with the existing system.

The Windward system is a web-based, which makes it compatible with both US government and personal devices.

A patent, copyright or proprietary data limits competition.

Windward holds a U.S. Patent for its maritime entity fusion/resolution process. This process uniquely takes disparate data sources and fuses them to create standalone entities to which behavior analytics are applied via the AI.

The proprietary intellectual property of Windward’s refined 15+ algorithms and multiple-thousands of SME led Machine Learning events on real-world observed profiles dating back to 2012. This dataset and intellectual property represents a 10 year commercial investment, no other company globally has this depth of combined data or analytic development applied to the maritime domain.

Other information to support a sole source action:

Windward is the only application that answers USFF MDA requirements. No other vendor provides these services.

Without this capability, intelligence professionals are required to conduct an intensive manual analysis of maritime data in order to answer customer requests for information. Mission critical operational support is dependent on the rapid query and alerts originating from Windward’s AI driven behavioral risk identification. Windward’s depth of data, and the flexibility of users defined searches, have allowed analysts to leverage the systems to highlight (in near-realtime) new trends in at-sea transfers of Russian sanctioned oil, mapping of all Russian sanctioned vessels, owners, and business activities, not just Russian flagged vessels. The effectiveness and efficiency gained by using the Windward System has greatly improved the quality and timeliness of maritime domain intelligence produced by the USFF MDA team.

Document number: N0006023RC01FRT

I CERTIFY THAT THE INFORMATION PROVIDED ABOVE IS COMPLETE AND ACCURATE TO THE BEST OF

MY KNOWLEDGE. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PROCESSING OF THIS SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

PRECLUDES THE USE OF FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION.

7/31/2023 Signature Date

USFFC USFF MDA Assistant Director Activity Title

I HEREBY DETERMINE THAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CONTRACT ACTION DEEM ONLY ONE

SOURCE REASONABLY AVAILABLE IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i).

Contracting Officer Signature Date

NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center, Norfolk Contracting Department