N00178_240111_Redacted.pdf

This is a Justification and Approval (J&A) document for a sole-source contract awarded by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VT). The contract is for specialized Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) training courses at Level 200, Level 500, and Senior Executive levels, designed to build engineers' capabilities in high-level decision-making aligned with NSWCDD's mission and goals.

The two-year contract will be procured via SAM.gov on a sole-source basis, with base year courses and two optional years. The training is unique due to VT's extensive partnerships with Naval Surface Warfare and Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, offering context-focused AI/ML classes tailored to the workforce's needs. NSWCDD has an existing Educational Partnership Agreement with VT and funds several related AI/ML grants, justifying the sole-source approach under 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(3) as an essential engineering and research development capability.