MNCF Support EFO Final 24161_Redacted.pdf

Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104

Document #24-161

JUSTIFICATION FOR AN EXCEPTION TO FAIR OPPORTUNITY (ABOVE SAT)

1. Identification of Agency and Contracting Activity.

The requiring activity is Office of the Chief of Naval Operations/Chief of Naval Personnel (OPNAV N1) Enterprise Support (ES) Information Technology (IT) and Command Information Office (CIO) for the MyNavyHR Enterprise (OPNAV N1 ES IT/CIO) located in Arlington, VA.

The contracting activity is NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) Norfolk, Pentagon Directorate, 700 Robbins Ave. Bldg. 2B; Philadelphia, PA 19111-5083.

2. Nature and description of contract action.

This acquisition is conducted under the authority of 10 U.S.C. 3406(c)(5). This requirement represents an enhancement and significant expansion of the functionality currently available in Career Waypoints (CWAY) due to the ongoing MyNavyHR IT Transformation initiative. CWAY is the primary total force management tool used to control rating quality and process eligibility screening for all enlisted Sailors (Active and Reserve) who are entering or reenlisting in the Navy, converting before their 14th year of service or separating do to not meeting performance standards relative to their peers. CWAY provides conversion processing to level rating manning from overmanned to undermanned ratings for both rated and non-rated Sailors and serves as the repository of Sailor data, rating entry policy, job information, and historical training data. This effort will enhance an already critical Talent and Force Management tool with powerful data aggregation and analysis capabilities to support N13 and BUPERS-3 in making data-driven manpower decisions.

Currently, CWAY communicates with the Job Opportunities in the Navy (JOIN) system via the Rating Identification Engine (RIDE) and the Personalized Recruiting for Immediate and Delayed Enlistment Modernization (PRIDE Mod) tool. JOIN is an existing job-counseling tool that matches Sailors with Navy jobs using vocational (job-related) interests. RIDE ranks enlisted ratings based on what a person is qualified for using the provided test results. PRIDE Mod supports the enlisted accessions process by providing enlisted applicant classification and allocation of training resources. PRIDE Mod allows recruiters and classifiers to handle and manage civilian information to process them into the Navy. This system connects to CWAY via RIDE to qualify civilians into Navy ratings. CWAY ultimately converts the civilian into a Sailor.

The MyNavyHR IT Transformation initiative has found that Sailors and potential Sailors who are classified into ratings with a higher JOIN-interest rank, results in lower attrition rates during initial training pipelines, higher reenlistment rates, and are promoted faster compared to those who were classified using the legacy system (RIDE) alone. Currently, JOIN is only accessible to Active Duty and Reserve Sailors with a Common Access Card (CAC), therefore not available to potential Sailors the general public. The Transformation roadmap requires public-facing mobile access that is non-CAC enabled in order to communicate with the Salesforce Customer Relationship

Management (CRM) solution already implemented throughout MyNavyHR via the aforementioned IT Transformation.

The purpose of this action is to redevelop JOIN into a new module called MyNavy Career Finder (MNCF) that allows for public, mobile, non-CAC, communication with Salesforce and integrates the legacy CWAY via RIDE, thus replacing PRIDE Mod and the legacy JOIN system. MNCF will be a public-facing tool to enhance the selection and classification and long-term talent management of Navy Sailors. MNCF will benefit the Navy by transferring all the benefits of JOIN (high career satisfaction, high reenlistment, and high individual promotion rates) to apply to all Enlisted Sailors, starting at accession, rather than only those who currently have access via CWAY through a CAC-enabled process.

It is anticipated that the Government will procure the required services via the MyNavyHR Technical Support Services (TSS) 2 Multiple Award Contracts (MAC) Program. The CWAY system sustainment, including sustainment support of the JOIN module, is currently provided under TSS 2 task order #N0018922FZ282. N0018922FZ282 was competitively awarded on 21 April 2022 to 22nd Century. The award cost-plus-fixed-fee (CPFF) value of the base Period of Performance (PoP) was for hours of support. The base Period of Performance (PoP) was 18 July 2022 through 17 July 2023. The task order featured two (2)-one

(1) year option periods that consecutively followed the base PoP. If all options are exercised, the total CPFF of the order will be for hours of support. It is the intention of the Government to add the new phase 1 development support of MNCF to the last option of this task order for administrative convenience.

3. Description of Required Supplies/Services to meet the agency’s needs.

The development and implementation of the MNCF module within CWAY was unanimously by a panel of MyNavy HR leaders, including CNP, at a MyNavy HR leadership event on 18 October 2023, with a focus on Navy Talent Management Strategy. This enhancement will ensure that the Navy is managing and optimizing Sailor talent from accession by providing non-CAC enabled users access to the benefits of JOIN and allow for seamless communication between CWAY and the Mobile/Salesforce infrastructure imagined in the “to be” state of the ongoing HR IT Transformation. This will set up individual Sailors for long-term career success to increase retention rates, higher performance, and overall force readiness.

The contractor shall provide project management, requirements definition, code development, testing, information assurance (IA), and deployment of MNCF. The contractor shall ensure the cloud-based version will work accurately together with MyNavy HR Salesforce and other IT systems, such as Personalized Recruiting for Immediate and Delayed Enlistment Modernization (PRIDE Mod).

This contractor shall also provide additional testing, managerial, analytical, and technical support services for CWAY to deploy a cloud-based, in-browser application of JOIN, now to be known as MNCF, separate from the existing CAC-enabled host. OPNAV N1 requires this expanded functionality (known as phase 1) to be completed within 12 months of award, or by 17 July

2025, whichever is sooner. Completion of Phase 1 will enable a functional, public-facing tool for use in the cloud for civilians wanting to join the Navy along with recruiting leads. Once implemented, and unlike the existing JOIN, MNCF will be able to communicate with Salesforce in real time allowing for seamless distribution of qualified leads to recruiters The only firm capable of providing OPNAV ES with the required support is 22nd Century, for the reasons discussed in paragraph 4.

The estimated level of effort for Phase 1 is hours. The total estimated CPFF value of this action is . This estimate was derived by

4. Identification of the Exception to Fair Opportunity Rationale and/or Demonstration of Contractor’s Unique Qualifications.

The statutory authority that permits not providing each awardee a fair opportunity to be considered for each order exceeding the micro-purchase threshold issued under a multiple award contract is 10 U.S.C. 3406(c)(5), as implemented by FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i).

The exception to the fair opportunity process is FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(C), - The order must be issued on a sole-source basis in the interest of economy and efficiency because it is a logical follow-on to an order already issued under the MAC.

This exception is utilized because 22nd Century is the current CWAY and JOIN contractor under TSS2 Task Order N0018922FZ282. 22nd Century is the only source capable of performing the recently identified MNCF enhancement because of its highly specialized experience and institutional knowledge maintaining and updating CWAY and JOIN and a proven track record for on schedule and thorough delivery of services for MyNavy HR.

22nd Century has unique knowledge of the legacy JOIN and how it interfaces with CWAY including the development, coding, and testing of the system and module. 22nd Century conducted validity studies to measure the tool’s effectiveness to predict higher rates of retention and Sailor performance relative to peers. The highly complex assessment demands expertise to maintain the science and discipline behind why it works to accurately predict Sailor success indicators. A new contractor would need to familiarize themselves with the results of this past work in order to effectively deliver the re-developed MNCF tool in order for it to have the same success as the legacy JOIN module. Failure to maintain the effectiveness of these tools through the transition puts the Navy at risk of missing the benefits of optimizing Sailor classification, and therefore lower or stagnating retention rates, lower performance rates, and decreased operational efficiency.

22nd Century’s also has unique experience with the code, developed on Government contracts and owned by the Government, that is shared by CWAY and JOIN, and will eventually be shared with MNCF through the transition away from the CAC-enabled JOIN. It is imperative that the system and modules will share a single common code. Ultimately, the tool that Sailors currently use (JOIN) and the tool that civilians will use (MNCF) need to share the same identical algorithms and updates or the Government may experience a degradation of functionality for either or both systems during the transition. Since these modules will be combined into a single system that utilizes configuration management to render separate instances, each with its own branding, it is imperative that a single contractor maintain the “as is” and “to be” to ensure functionality. With over 95,000 lines of code and establishment of a new development environment, a new contractor may not be able to complete the requirements within the required time frame.

Finally, the development and deployment of MNCF Phase 1 will overlap with and partially result from JOIN work under the existing task order in preparation for the implementation of MNCF performed using 22nd Century’s established cloud environment required by the HR IT Transformation initiative. It is estimated that a new contractor would require an additional 2 months, or roughly 5,000 hours, in order to master the learning curve necessary to ensure a smooth transition when compared to 22nd Century and it would not be guaranteed that the addition of a new contractor would not result in unacceptable failures of the existing JOIN module while MNCF is being developed. As a result of its work under the existing task order, 22nd Century alone understands the complexity of the additional related requirements. 22nd Century has been closely involved in the transformation initiative, and specific to the project identified, and transition to another firm would lead to further delays on an already short timeline. All lessons learned and highly-specialized on-the-job training unique to 22nd Century for this effort would be lost if awarded to another company. In conclusion, it is not either economical or efficient for a new contractor to develop and deploy MNCF given it is logically a follow-on to work currently being done by 22nd Century via TO#N0018922FZ282.

5. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost.

In accordance with FAR 16.505(b)(2)(ii)(B), the contracting officer will make the determination that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable, at the time the quote is received. Future requirements, like subsequent post-deployment phases of MNCF, will be competitively awarded in accordance with the procedures set forth in FAR 16.505(b)(2)(ii)(B).

6. Any other facts supporting the justification.

This procurement uses the TSS2 MAC and will be solicited and awarded in accordance with FAR Subpart 16.5.

7. Actions Taken to Remove Barriers to Competition.

OPNAV N1 ES IT and CIO department with support from NAVSUP FLCN, Contracting Department, Pentagon Directorate, plans to conduct extensive market research, such as hosting an industry day with TSS2 contract holders should a follow-on MNCF development effort be required. The goal of the market research would be to give industry a better understanding of the enterprise support effort and for the Government to learn more about industry capabilities to determine if any future effort could be competed. It is anticipated that further MNCF development will be incorporated into any follow-on to task order #N0018922FZ282 as part of the larger CWAY sustainment support.

8. CONTRACTING POINT OF CONTACT. The point of contact at NAVSUP Fleet NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center, Norfolk, Contracts Department, Pentagon Directorate point of contact concerning this action is Stephen Ciliberto, Code 221A, who may be contacted at (564) 230-2177 or by e-mail at stephen.a.ciliberto.civ@us.navy.mil.