Justification Restricting Competition Template - SOFAR (fully signed).pdf

Source Selection Information See FAR 2.101 and 3.104

SSJ #26-211

JUSTIFICATION RESTRICTING COMPETITION

1. Identification of Agency and Contracting Activity.

The requiring activity is the Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO), Stennis Space Center, Mississippi; the contracting activity is NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) Norfolk, Contracting Dept., Fleet Directorate.

2. Description of the Action Being Approved.

This is a sole source action for the provision of SOFAR Data as a Service (DaaS) support service. This action is considered a new requirement.

The placement of a firm-fixed-price (FFP) delivery order is anticipated.

3. Description of Supplies/Services.

This acquisition is to procure commercially distributed SOFAR Data as a Service (DaaS) support services in support of Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO).

NAVOCEANO ingests and processes over 65 million daily observations from diverse federal, academic, and international partners. This data is vital for Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center (FNMOC) model inputs, ultimately supporting critical decision-making for the Fleet. It is intended to establish or build upon existing connection from Navy Research Lab (NRL) to NAVOCEANO to allow NAVOCEANO to access this data in an established oceanographic format such as network common data form (NetCDF). NRL has previously established systems utilizing SOFAR data acquisition interface to acquire SOFAR data into a research and development cloud environment as part of the Ocean of Things (OOT) Project. The proposed acquisition is for the purchase and acquisition of data from commercial company SOFAR (not an acronym). Additionally, the proposed acquisition is for the establishment and implementation of a methodology for the acquisition of SOFAR data into a cloud or internal research at the NRL.

The contractor shall provide continuous, real-time data delivery from a distributed network of 400 active Spotter buoys providing oceanographic and meteorological observations. The required metrics include wave spectra, derived wind speed/direction, sea surface temperature (SST), and barometric pressure.

The service includes secure API endpoints (JSON format), secure SFTP servers utilizing BUFR format, and dashboard access for up to five (5) programmatic user accounts for real-time fleet health, location, and data visualization. The contractor is responsible for real-time quality control checks and replacing lost or naturally expired buoys to maintain a minimum of 90% network uptime in any 30-day billing cycle.

Failure to approve this information technology (IT) procurement will result in the inability to provide validated depth, temperature, and salinity data to quality control the ocean predictions made by NAVOCEANO's ocean model program. Ocean models and derived oceanographic feature analysis forecasts significantly impact the Navy's ability to characterize the operational environment and constrain predictive models for Mine Warfare (MIW), Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), and Expeditionary Warfare (EXW). This is used for mission planning to support the warfighter decision making process during near real time operational and tactical events. This support is necessary for NAVOCEANO to maintain 24-hour glider operations.

Period of Performance: The resultant delivery order will contain a 12-month performance period, as follows:

o 31 July 2026 through 30 July 2027

The resultant contract will be funded with FY26 Navy Operations & Maintenance (O&MN) appropriations. These funds are currently available.

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Sole Source.

The statutory authority permitting this sole source action is 41 U.S.C. 1901, Simplified acquisition procedures - a sole source acquisition using simplified procedures for the acquisition of commercial products and/or commercial services, as implemented by FAR 12.102(b).

5. Rationale Justifying Use of Cited Statutory Authority.

This requirement is sole-sourced to SOFAR Ocean Technologies, Inc. because the acquisition requires the unique commercial capabilities of the 400-instrument "Spotter" buoy package, which is a proprietary system developed, patented, and operated exclusively by SOFAR Ocean. The Navy's requirement demands a stringent 90% network uptime guarantee (minimum 360 active reporting buoys daily) and an 80% daily floor, along with the contractor assuming full responsibility for replacing lost, destroyed, or naturally expired buoys at their own expense (The Drift Clause) to preserve baseline reporting levels.

Furthermore, SOFAR Ocean possesses the exclusive automated geofencing algorithms and real-time quality control filters required to instantly isolate grounded buoys from the operational Navy feed within 24 hours of detection to prevent skewed regional meteorological models. No other contractor currently offers this specific distributed metocean Data as a Service (DaaS) using the required Spotter hardware footprint and continuous replacement model without substantial duplication of costs and unacceptable programmatic delays.

6. Description of Efforts Made to Solicit Offers from as Many Offerors as Practicable.

Market research was conducted in accordance with FAR Part 10. Representatives of the Program Office reviewed the commercial marketplace and the GSA Schedule for Earth Observation Solutions. SOFAR Ocean Technologies, Inc. was identified as a small business holding GSA Schedule Contract Number 47QSMS25D00AX for Earth Observation Solutions (SIN 541370GEO) and Electronic Commerce and Subscription Services (SIN 54151ECOM), which specifically features Spotter Data Subscriptions and Observations. No additional market research was conducted because it is not practicable, for the reasons discussed in paragraph 5 above, for any company other than SOFAR Ocean to provide the required Spotter buoy network and associated data services. A notice of the proposed contract action will be published on the SAM website (GPE) in accordance with FAR 5.201.

7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost.

The Contracting Officer has determined that the anticipated cost to the Government of the supplies/services covered by this Justification will be fair and reasonable.

8. Actions to Remove Barriers to Future Competition.

For the reasons set forth in Paragraph 5, (contracting activity) has no plans at this time to compete future contacts for the types of supplies/services covered by this document. If another potential source emerges, (contracting activity) will assess whether competition for future requirements is feasible.