N0001424F7012 LSJ.pdf

LIMITED-SOURCES JUSTIFICATION

Upon the basis of the following justification, I hereby approve the issuance of the contractual action described below:

1. Identification of Agency and Contracting Activity.

Office of Naval Research 875 North Randolph Street Arlington, VA 22203

2. Nature/Description of Action Being Approved.

The Office of Naval Research intends to award task order N00014-24-F-7012 to the Potomac Institute. The contract type for this award is Firm Fixed Price. The total value of the task order is anticipated at approximately $415,000 for a three month base period of performance and a one month option period of performance.

3. Description of Supplies/Services.

The Office of Strategic Assessment requires expert analysis and assessment of the strategic landscape of the US naval shipbuilding industry over the last 50 years. Critical Dimensions for this study will be conducted at the unclassified level, and include, but are not limited to, the following items specifically as they relate to US naval shipbuilding: construction, engineering, tools, technology, innovation, government and industry workforce, supply chains, requirements, resourcing, policy, management and oversight. The study includes applicable information relating to analogous commercial and/or international shipbuilding efforts that could lend insight into enduring improvements for US naval shipbuilding.

4. Identification of the Authority and Supporting Rationale (see FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(B):

The authority is FAR Subpart 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(B), ‘Only One Source is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services are unique or highly specialized.’

The Potomac Institute for Policy Studies is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit, science and technology (S&T) policy research institute. The Institute identifies and leads discussions on key S&T and national security issues facing the United States, providing an academic forum for the study of related policy issues. Meaningful policy recommendations are backed by fully researched data and evidence for sound implementation at the intersection of business and government. The Potomac Institute carries on the legacy of the U.S. Congress’s former Office of Technology Assessment (OTA), providing nonpartisan, data-driven analysis and policy recommendations on a range of S&T topics. This foundation plus the 30 year expertise of the Potomac Institute makes them uniquely positioned to support OSA’s landscape study.

The Department of the Navy requires timely, independent, and data-informed analyses and assessments in a transparent and collaborative manner to inform DON leadership on options and trades for strategic decision making in support of current and future maritime needs. Strategic landscape assessment and analysis is needed to prepare for and support a comprehensive shipbuilding study that identifies recommendations for enduring improvements for naval and sealift shipbuilding. Potomac Institute’s expertise and experience in these studies is essential to the Navy for researching and assessing the strategic landscape of the US naval shipbuilding industry. Their expertise will provide analyses that will support the implementation of a disciplined approach to agile strategic decision making across the DON enterprise.

Awarding this action to another vendor would negatively impact the Navy and its capabilities to provide a full analysis and assessment in an efficient and effective manner due to the expertise required for the landscape study. In addition, bringing another vendor up to speed without the requisite and necessary knowledge base to accomplish this study, would cause immediate and lengthy interruptions. Using an unproven vendor to support this requirement would produce unacceptable performance risks to the Navy and SECNAV’s priorities.

5. Determination by Ordering Activity Contracting Officer that the Order Represents the Best Value.

The Government will determine the prices for these requirements as fair and reasonable in accordance with FAR 8.405-2(d). The technical evaluator will review the hours and any other direct costs to ensure they are commensurate with the requirements of the effort. The price will be compared to the GSA Schedule price list for rate reasonability.

6. Description of the Market Research

Market Research resulted in the rationale described in Section 4.

7. Any Other Supporting Facts.

Not Applicable

8. Statement of Actions Taken to Remove or Overcome Barriers to Competition.

For the reasons set forth in Section 4, ONR has no plans at this time to compete future contracts/task orders for the types of supplies/services covered by this Justification. If another potential source emerges, an assessment will be made as to whether competition for future requirements is feasible.

APPROVAL REQUIRED BY FAR 8.405-6(c)(2)(x) I certify that the facts and supporting data under my cognizance which are included in this justification and which form a basis for this justification are complete and accurate.

Requirements Cognizance: (Program Officer/Contracting Officer's Technical Representative)

DoN OSA 703-695-6757 9/5/2024

Kristine W. Duncan Code Phone Date

CONTRACTING OFFICER CERTIFICATION REQUIRED BY FAR 8.405-6(c)(2)(ix) and (d)(1) I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Sarah Chambers, Contracting Officer Code Phone Date