02-A-9015_Bridge_JA.pdf

UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

MARINE CORPS SYSTEMS COMMAND

2200 LESTER STREET

QUANTICO, VIRGINIA 22134-6050

Code: CT-02.74 J&A Number: 17,624

LIMITED SOURCES JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

1. Contracting Activity

Marine Corps Systems Command 2200 Lester Street Quantico, VA 22134-6050

2. Nature and/or Description of the Action Being Approved

This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Multiple Award Schedule Program under Title III of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949. This justification is to seek approval of the use of limited sources under FAR Part 8.405-6.

The proposed action is to issue a bridge contract for wargaming support services to BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services Inc., Redland Corporate Center, 520 Gaither Road, Rockville, MD 20850. The bridge contract will be a modification to BPA Order M67854-02-A-9015-0039 extending the period of performance for an additional five-month period to ensure uninterrupted wargame planning, preparation, coordination and analysis in support of the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, Wargaming Division (WGD) until a new competitive follow-on contract is awarded.

3. Description of Supplies/Services

The proposed contract action is to provide support services to WGD by extending the current task order’s period of performance by approximately five months (31 March 2014).

The current task order, awarded in October 2010, provides for support to the Marine Corps Wargaming Program until 3 November 2013. This extension of support services, to include subject matter expertise, will provide direct support of the following wargames: Expeditionary Warrior, Iron Crucible (IC), Naval Services Game (NSG), Marine Corps University's July Crisis Game, Joint Irregular Warrior, and the Marine Corps University’s Nine Innings Game. Additionally, the extension of support services will allow for continued participation in Unified Engagement and Unified Quest (the Joint Service Title X wargames). All of these wargames will be in either the planning, execution, or report writing phase during the bridge period time. These wargames are directed by a myriad of sources including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS), Commandant of the Marine Corps, Deputy Commandants of the Marine Corps, and the Commanding General MCWL. These wargames examine emerging real-world threats, identify deficiencies, and recommend immediate changes to improve current and future warfighting capabilities and are in direct response to, and will provide near-term military utility to, exigent operational force requirements.

The estimated dollar value for this extension is $1,046,834 (using FY13 and FY14 RDT&E).

4. Identification of the Justification Rationale

In accordance with DFARS 208.405-70(b), the exception to fair opportunity for this action is authorized by FAR 16.505(b)(2), i.e., the order must be issued on a sole-source basis in the interest of economy and efficiency as a logical follow-on to an order already issued under the contract (BPA). BAE Systems was awarded the BPA based on a competitive procurement.

BAE Systems has the highly specialized and resident knowledge from recently supported efforts which will be the baseline for the additional support. These include planning, conducting, and assessing the multifaceted dimensions of the United States Marine Corps’ (USMC) Service Wargaming Program and the management of its responsibilities regarding execution and participation in Naval and Joint Concept doctrine development, Program Objective Memorandum (POM) development, and contingency planning wargaming and related shaping and supporting activities. BAE Systems is fully integrated in the development and planning of current game scenarios, assessment plans, and IT support requirements. Efforts to use an alternate source for this support at this time would result in additional delay and cost to the government due to the necessity of reworking wargame scenarios and assessment packages and the necessity of “training” new support personnel because of the short time-line.

Additionally, delays in planning or a reduction in capability during this period could result in limited viability of the wargames and a reduction in the quality and quantity of tangible data collected. A new contractor would not be effective during this bridge period as they would not possess the required intimate knowledge associated with the planning, scenario development, assessment structure, and specific game design of the wargames currently in the primary planning or execution phase, and a new contractor could not become fully cognizant or proficient with these issues in the covered timeframe.

The current wargame support services will end on 3 November 2013, and a new contract may not be in place until mid-March 2014. The principal and critical planning and preparation phases of the Marine Corps’ Title X Wargame (Expeditionary Warrior EW) are conducted in November, December, and January;

the actual EW wargame is held in February. Planning, conducting, and assessing of the following non-Title X wargames are currently in process: Iron Crucible (IC), Naval Services Game (NSG), Marine Corps University’s July Crisis Game, Joint Irregular Warrior, Fly-In Command Element (FICE), and Marine Corps University’s Nine Innings Game.

An effective wargame helps our government and military leaders make decisions to meet challenges faced by our nation, and helps our leaders understand a particular environment and the most effective means to operate and adapt in that environment. It also assists in determining a minimum force structure for a particular environment and has the potential to influence force training and education requirements.

Loss of contractor support at this critical point in time will substantially limit or eliminate current planning, execution and assessment capabilities for the Title X and non-Title X wargames currently in process.

Specifically, loss of contractor support services would result in WGD losing:

> 95% of its IT capabilities. The execution of modern wargames relies heavily on computer support which allows the game coordinators to accurately track inputs and decisions, conduct realistic assessments of the impact of those decisions, and compile reliable data based on the assessments. Loss of contractual IT support would dramatically limit WGD’s ability to execute a wargame and to gather relevant data related to the game’s central questions.

> 80% of its game scenario development capability, and 90% of its game design capability. There are currently seven wargames in the planning, design, or execution phase. The active duty and government components of the WGD do not have the capacity to adequately support these wargames without contractor support services. Simply executing even one large wargame (EW) would likely not be feasible with the eight government employees on permanent staff at WGD. Postponing EW is not a viable option as the joint service Title X and various other wargames build on one another. Furthermore, delaying EW would have second and third order effects on a vast array of other games inside and outside of the Marine Corps.

> 75% of its game assessment capability. The potential limitations on the quantity and quality of data garnered during a non-contractor supported EW would have long reaching effects. One principle issue being assessed in EW14 is the feasibility of and process through which a Joint (Navy/Marine Corps) Maritime Operation Center (MOC) could be established and applied during an escalation of force. The game will also assess the potential and methodology of conducting Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB) operations through the application of a FICE and the aggregation of forces. Finding answers to key questions regarding these issues are central to the development of both operational and strategic planning initiatives. EW14 is the platform designed to address those questions. A gap in the WGD support services would have an extremely negative impact on the potential accuracy and scope of the information gathered during EW14. While it is difficult to ascertain what the potential negative impacts would be from a limited future EW, major concepts, force structure decisions and procurements have been routinely validated and invalidated by previous Title 10 Wargames. The non-Title X wargames would be similarly impacted.

A bridge contract is necessary to ensure viable support during the critical planning phase of EW, as well as efficient planning, execution and effective analysis for the non-Title X wargames currently in process.

5. Determination of Best Value

The existing BPA prices and labor rates were considered fair and reasonable at the time of award based upon adequate price competition. The firm-fixed price and T&M labor rates for this bridge effort will be based on the current price and labor rates in the BPA for the most recent ordering period. Using the existing BPA price and labor rates that were already determined to be fair and reasonable in the bridge effort represents the best value to meet the Government's needs.

6. Description of Market Research Conducted

Market research was conducted on 12 August 2013 for the new follow-on contract using GSA Advantage and Navy SeaPort search engines to identify vendors that possess the capabilities and qualifications required to perform the support services identified. The Government found many capable vendors that could perform this work for the new contract that will be competed. However, for this bridge effort, no further market research was conducted for reasons indicated in Section 4, above.

7. Actions to Remove Barriers to Future Competition

The follow-on procurement for this requirement will provide uninterrupted wargame support over at least two years and is being conducted through a full and open competition using the Navy SeaPort-e IDIQ multiple award contract portal.

APPROVED: 23 OCTOBER 2013