MMPC JA_V1.4 MCINCR_RCO_21007.pdf

J&A No. MCINCR-RCO-21007

V1.0, 13 June 2019

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL (J&A)

FOR USE OF BRAND NAME OR EQUAL DESCRIPTIONS, OR PROPRIETARY SPECIFICATIONS

AND STANDARDS, IN SOLICITATIONS

1. Contracting Activity.

Marine Corps Installations National Capital Region–Regional Contracting Office 2010 Henderson

Rd, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Quantico, VA 22134

2. Description of the Action Being Approved.

The action being approved is for inclusion of a brand name in Request for Proposal (RFP) M00264-

21-R-0006; specifically, the Parachute System-2 (PS-2) Table of Authorized Material Control

Number C00177B, Identification Number (ID#) 13131A, National Stock Number (NSN) 1670-01-

673-3985 (Large), and ID# 13131B, NSN 1670-01-674-2912 (Small). The PS-2 Original

Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) is Airborne Systems North America of NJ Inc. 5800 Magnolia

Ave, Pennsauken, NJ 08109.

3. Description of the Supplies/Services.

The purpose of the Multi-Mission Parachute Course (MMPC) is to train non-Military Free Fall

(MFF) qualified Marines in MFF and parachuting techniques in accordance with the approved

United States Army Special Operations Command certified MMPC Program of Instruction (POI).

The MMPC provides the students with the unique knowledge and technical skills needed to safely pack and jump the Marine Corps parachute system. The current Multi-Mission Parachute System

(MMPS) has reached the end of its service lifecycle and the PS-2 is currently being fielded in accordance with Marine Corps Systems Command (MARCORSYSCOM) approved fielding plan dated 29 November 2019.

The PS-2 is an Advanced Ram Air Parachute System configured to meet specific mission requirements for various methods of free-fall and static-line parachute insertions with increased glide capability to provide Commanders the means to conduct standoff infiltrations into designated areas without having to physically fly over the target area. The PS-2 will also provide greater compatibility with the MV-22, CH-53 and C-130 for increased operational capability from ships than its predecessor – MMPS. Airborne Systems is the designer and manufacturer of the United

States Marine Corps (USMC) PS-2 parachute system and is currently on its second year of a six-year projected fielding plan. With current Procurement Marine Corps funding, MARCORSYSCOM, Program Manager Infantry Combat Equipment will only be able to purchase

96% of the total Authorized Acquisition Objective (AAO, i.e. 1,057 of 1,096 systems). The remaining 39 systems will not be procured until Principal End Item re-procurement efforts begin and funding becomes available.

The estimated cost of the PS-2 systems required to support the MMPC is $2.1 million (2.8% of the total five-year estimated contract value of $70.0 million). The below table details the total costs associated with the brand name for the applicable fiscal year period of performance:

Estimated Dollar Value

Funding FY2022

O&MMC $2.1M

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open Competition.

10 U.S.C., §2304 (c) (1) as implemented by the Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1 (b) (1) (i), "Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements."

There is a reasonable basis to conclude that the agency’s minimum needs can only be satisfied by

“unique supplies or services available from only one source” when procuring items peculiar to one manufacture (e.g. a particular brand-name).

5. Rationale Justifying Use of Cited Statutory Authority.

The MMPC provides the only authorized entry level MFF POI for the USMC-unique MFF parachute system – PS-2.

The PS-2 requirement originated from Annex C of the Reconnaissance Patrolling, Insertion, and

Extraction Operational Requirements Document No. INS 211.41 dated 24 Jul 1996. On 5 October

2014, the Deputy Commandant, Plans, Policies, and Operations along with the Deputy

Commandant, Installations and Logistics formally requested to Deputy Commandant, Combat

Development and Integration that the Military Free Fall Parachute System be updated and revalidated. Thus, the Statement of Need Change 2, dated 4 October 2017 serves as the source document for the PS-2. On 5 October 2016, the PS-2 was designated an Abbreviated Acquisition

Program with Program Decision Authority delegated to Portfolio Manager Ground Combat

Element Systems, MARCORSYSCOM.

Airborne Systems, the OEM of the USMC PS-2 parachute system, is currently in the second year of a six-year projected fielding plan and has met the Marine Corps demands of reaching Initial

Operating Capability - 2nd Quarter Fiscal Year 20. Based on the approved AAO and fielding plan, there are no PS-2 systems assigned to the MMPC nor does MARCORSYSCOM intend to provide the PS-2 to the MMPC as Government Furnished Equipment.

In order to complete Mission Essential Task List, Marine Corps Task 1.9, Conduct Specialized

Insertion and Extraction, the Marine Corps needs Marines trained to use the newly-fielded PS-2 in this specialized insertion capability in all seven MEUs employed in consistent reconnaissance operations and in nearly every current contingency deployment. If the MMPC is not conducted using the PS-2 it will put training requirements and operational missions in jeopardy for both the

Marine Corps Reconnaissance units and Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC).

As a result, RFP M00264-21-R-0006 for the MMPC must include a requirement to use the brand name PS-2 manufactured by Airborne Systems North America of NJ Inc. in performance of the contract.

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

A Sources Sought Announcement (SSA) Notice ID: M00264-20-SSA-0007 was posted on beta.SAM.gov on 5 March 2020 with industry responses due no later than 6 April 2020. Five companies responded to the SSA: Airborne Systems North America of NJ, Inc., Complete

Parachute Solutions, Inc., InteliTrac, Inc., Metris Global., and Velocity Training, LLC. Two of these sources were determined to be capable of satisfying the requirement based on a Government analysis of eight required capabilities and four special requirements: Airborne Systems and

InteliTrac.

Additionally, a Request for Information (RFI) Notice ID: M00264-21-RFI-0205 was posted on beta.SAM.gov on 10 December 2020 with industry responses due no later than 29 December 2020.

Four companies responded to the RFI: Airborne Systems North America of NJ, Inc., Complete

Parachute Solutions, Inc., Metris Global., and Nisga’a TEK, LLC. Only one company (Airborne

Systems) is capable of providing the PS-2 equipment to meet the requirements of the POI.

7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost.

The Contracting Officer will determine the cost of the PS-2 as fair and reasonable based on comparison to the prices paid by MARCORSYSCOM to field the system.

8. Actions to Remove Barriers to Future Competition.

For the reasons set forth in Paragraph 5, the Marine Corps has no plans at this time to eliminate the use of the PS-2 from future solicitations for the type of supplies/services covered by this document.

However, this will be addressed during Training Command’s ongoing assessment of reevaluating their entire parachute training program and training platforms used by other services and will be reassessed during follow-on acquisition planning with MARCORSYSCOM.

CERTIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL

TECHNICAL/REQUIREMENTS CERTIFICATION

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

Justification and its supporting acquisition planning documents, except as noted herein are complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Technical Cognizance:

Signature MSgt Daniel A. Sigala Phone No. Date

Requirements Cognizance:

Signature Mr. Bobby R. Naraine Phone No. Date

LEGAL SUFFICIENCY REVIEW

I have determined that this Justification is legally sufficient.

Signature Mr. Michael Evans Phone No. Date

CONTRACTING OFFICER CERTIFICATION

I certify that this Justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Signature Mr. Jamie A. Dufrene Phone No. Date

COMPETITION ADVOCATE APPROVAL

Upon the basis of the above justification, I hereby approve as Competition Advocate, the solicitation of the proposed procurement(s) described herein using brand name or equal descriptions or proprietary specifications and standards.

Signature LtCol Robin J. Walther Phone No. Date