Revised_JA_for_EXata_Software_2_5Dec2016.docx

UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

MARINE CORPS TACTICAL SYSTEMS SUPPORT ACTIVITY

BOX 555171

CAMP PENDLETON CALIFORNIA 92055-5171

IN REPLY REFER To J&A No. 16-009

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

TO PROCURE USING BRAND NAME SPECIFICATION(S)

Upon the basis of the following justification, I, as Contracting Officer for Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity, the procuring activity, hereby approve the issuance of the contractual action described herein using Brand Name Specifications, pursuant to the authority of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 8.405-6 (use for FSS).

1. Contracting Activity.

Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity (MCTSSA) Contracting Office Box 555171 Camp Pendleton, CA 92055-5171

2. Description of the Action Being Approved.

In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 8.405-6) Limiting Sources this J&A authorizes and approves the use of other than full and open competition needed to limit brand name source awards to Small GSA contractors.

3. Description of Supplies/Services.

EXata Modeling and Simulation Software will be procured for the Marine Corps Enterprise Network (MCEN) Planning Yard.

The Marine Corps Enterprise Network (MCEN) Planning Yard is a Marine Corps Systems Command initiative to ensure changes to the MCEN are introduced in a controlled and disciplined manner. A key facet of this effort is the conduct of System-of-Systems testing to ensure changes to the MCEN baseline do not degrade the cyber security posture or the end-to-end performance of the enterprise. MCTSSA, as the Marine Corps’ only organic engineering and developmental test and evaluation activity, is leveraging existing T&E capabilities and reallocating existing resources towards this effort. To fully realize this capability, MCTSSA must expand its current test and engineering environment to incorporate facets of the MCEN beyond the tactical realm. While expanding the environment through distributed testing with facilities that have representative test environments for the garrison facets of the MCEN is being pursued; cost, scheduling and resource conflicts will limit this approach to fulfill all test and engineering efforts of the Planning Yard. Integration of the EXata tool Modeling and Simulation software capability within the MCEN Planning Yard test and engineering environment will provide a cost effective means of replicating larger aspects of the MCEN in support of both test (establish configuration baseline, performance assessments, capability-based /mission thread testing and cybersecurity vulnerability assessments) and engineering efforts (network optimization, prototyping and experimentation) when a distributed facility approach is not an option.

The EXata tool has demonstrated unique capabilities that are germane to the MCEN Planning Yard test and engineering capability;

• Ability to support what-if scenarios that a lab is otherwise unable to support, e.g. analyzing the effects of future technologies or large-scale hardware upgrades, effects of long-term traffic growth, etc.

• Ability to simulate the performance of radio links in a number of tactical scenarios without deploying users and equipment to the field.

• Ability to consume architecture products from the MCAE to replicate MCEN baseline architectures that can be used for test and engineering assessments that without this tool, would take significant time and resources during each test and engineering events’ environment establishment.

• Ability to establish hybrid test and engineering environments (hardware-in-the-loop integrated with simulated network architectures) to fulfil gaps in a test architecture that would otherwise require additional procurement of hardware or lease/share of hardware from external organizations.

• Utilizes true simulation of network traffic in the test environment.

This requirement will be awarded as a Firm Fixed Price contract as depicted below:

Estimated Dollar Value Year

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

The statutory authority permitting the use of other than full and open competition is 10.U.S.C.2304 (c) (5) as implemented in FAR 6.302-5, Authorized or Required by Statute. This will satisfy the agency requirements.

5. Rationale Justifying Use of Cited Statutory Authority.

This is a Brand Name justification due to being a follow-on acquisition based on the following:

Scalable Network Technologies, Inc. ("SCALABLE") is the sole manufacturer and developer of QualNet and EXata software, and associated add on modules. These products have a very specific use and generally require direct support by SCALABLE in the installation, training, and use of the software. SCALABLE's software has been procured directly by government agencies and is being used by the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and Department of Homeland Security.

SCALABLE continues to enhance its products and makes new revisions available directly to its customers as a part of the annual maintenance and support provisions of its offering. It is the only available network modeling and simulation tool that is based on a discreet event simulation engine that can be operated in parallel processing and cluster environments.

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

Scalable Network Technologies, Inc. ("SCALABLE") is the sole manufacturer and developer of QualNet and EXata software, and associated add on modules. As such, no other source for this software is available.

7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost.

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

8. Actions to Remove Barriers to Future Competition.

If another potential source emerges, MCTSSA will assess whether competition for future requirements is feasible.

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:

Requirements Cognizance:

LEGAL SUFFICIENCY REVIEW

I have determined this Justification is legally sufficient.

CONTRACTING OFFICER CERTIFICATION

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

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