N0018918PZ300_JA,_N0018918QZ763.doc

J&A NUMBER

J&A Number: 18-067

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY

NAVSUP FLEET LOGISTICS CENTER NORFOLK

700 ROBBINS AVE, BLDG 2B

PHILADELPHIA, PA 19111-5083

IN REPLY REFER TO:

270.3, BB

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR USE OF SOLE SOURCE

1. Identification of Agency and Contracting Activity.

The requiring activity is the United States Naval Observatory (USNO). The contracting activity is the Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) Norfolk, Contracting Department, Detachment Philadelphia.

2. Description of the Action Being Approved.

Award of a firm-fixed price (FFP) contract on a sole source basis for maintenance and support necessary to maintain high speed network connectivity from Associated Universities, Inc. (CAGE: 0D809) of Washington, DC.

3. Description of Supplies/Services.

The USNO Astrometry Department, Fundamental Reference Frame Division requires contractor services for maintenance and support necessary to maintain high speed network connectivity to the point of presence (PoP) at the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) radio telescope stations at Pie Town, NM and Mauna Kea, HI. The contractor will provide maintenance and support of fiber connections, station recording, and networking equipment as well as the connection of Saint Croix VLBA site to and maintenance of its high-speed connection to the PoP. The contractor will provide VLBA observations provided by the Long Baseline Observatory (LBO) in support of Earth Orientation Parameter (EOP) determination at the U.S. Naval Observatory and support for networks transporting observational data from LBO to support EOP determination at USNO.

It is the Government’s intent to issue a contract containing a 12-month period of performance as well as four (4), 12-month option periods.

The Government’s estimate for the required work is provided below. Fiscal year (FY) 2018 Operations & Maintenance, Navy (O&MN) funds have been provided for the base period.

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Use of the Sole Source Authority.

Sole source action pursuant to the simplified acquisition procedures at 41 U.S.C. 1901(e), Special Rules for Commercial Items, as implemented by FAR 13.501(a).

5. Rationale Justifying Use of Cited Statutory Authority.

Associates Universities, Inc. (AUI), being the sole operator of the VLBA, is the only source capable of maintaining the equipment, firmware, and software necessary for the continued flow of VLBI data from these stations. In addition, AUI is the only source capable of providing continued high-speed network connectivity to the VLBA station at Pie Town, NM.

The mission of the USNO is to determine time, both atomic and astronomical, determine and predict the positions of celestial objects, determine the precise orientation and rotation of the Earth, and provide this data to the Department of Defense (DoD). The USNO also carries out research to meet future needs of the DoD in these areas. Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations are used by the USNO to determine and predict the variable orientation of the Earth in three-dimensional space as well as to maintain the positions of the extragalactic radio sources which form the basis for the quasi-inertial celestial reference frame within which the Earth Orientation Parameters are determined. The USNO is developing a state-of-the-art electronic VLBI (eVLBI) capability to take advantage of advances in the electronic transmission of observational VLBI data over the Internet to enable near real-time operations in support of GPSIII. A major requirement is that all the data collection sites must be located on CONUS, Hawaii, and U.S. held territories in order to guarantee uninterrupted data flow to support daily GPS operations.

The VLBA is a part of the Long Baseline Observatory (LBO) and is a unique facility operated by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) under a cooperative agreement between the National Science Foundation (NSF) and Associated Universities, Inc. The VLBA consists of ten (10) VLBI radio telescopes located within Contiguous United States (CONUS), Hawaii, and the US Virgin Islands. In FY11, NRAO developed and implemented a new capability at the VLBA radio telescopes located at Pie Town, NM and Mauna Kea, HI. The new hardware and software presently installed provides access to VLBI data obtained by these radio telescopes in electronic format via the high-speed Internet. The data are available to the Washington Correlator located at USNO. The USNO uses this VLBI data for EOP estimation and maintenance of the celestial reference frame. Data from these two radio telescopes is now available at a point of presence on the high-speed Internet such that USNO personnel are able to remotely initiate and perform electronic transfer between the PoP and the Washington Correlator at USNO.

The LBO is an entirely U.S.-owned asset which will reduce the reliance on EOP foreign data sources and has important ramifications for the Department of Defense (DoD) Continuity of Operations Plan. Because of their unique geographic locations, USNO requires use of the VLBA radio telescopes located at Pie Town, NM and Mauna Kea, HI.

In addition to the present capabilities, there is the opportunity to support a similar high-speed connection to the Saint Croix station in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The longer baseline length between Saint Croix and Mauna Kea would provide increased accuracy over the current Mauna Kea, Pie Town baseline and be a wholly U.S.-based baseline on par with the present Kokee Park, Wettzell, Germany intensive. This would in turn further improve the VLBI data used for EOP estimation and maintenance of the celestial reference frame.

Market research has determined there exists no other institution, government or private, capable of providing the VLBI observations in the time required; therefore, USNO must work with AUI to obtain the network services. AUI is the only source capable of supplying the required services.

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

Market research was conducted for this procurement to identify sources capable of fulfilling the Government’s minimum need. USNO personnel conducted market research for this effort in order to maintain an awareness of the capabilities of sources through numerous scientific presentations and professional discussions; in addition, USNO personnel have reviewed trade literature and articles relevant to this work. As a result of this market research, a determination was made that AUI is the only capable source for the current effort. AUI is considered the only known source with the necessary technical expertise, physical infrastructure, personnel resources, and credentials to provide the required network connectivity maintenance and support services.

In addition to the market research conducted by USNO, further actions were taken to remove barriers to competition: A Sources Sought notice was posted to the Government-Wide Point of Entry (GPE) on 24 Aug 2018 under posting number N0018918QZ763. No new potential service providers were identified as a result of the notice.

Market research has determined AUI is the only source capable of meeting USNO’s requirements. No other source has been identified who possesses the requisite resources to fulfill USNO’s need.

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.

Procurement history for this requirement includes contracts N00189-13-C-Z016 and N0018917PZA74. Both contracts were for maintenance and support services to maintain high speed network connectivity to the PoP at the VLBA radio telescope stations at Pie Town, NM and Mauna Kea, HI. N00189-13-C-Z016 was a cost-type contract solicited on a sole source basis in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1). N0018917PZA74 was a firm-fixed price purchase order solicited on a sole source basis in accordance with FAR 13.106-1(b), Soliciting from a single source.

Pursuant to DFARS PGI 206.303-2(b)(i)(B), copies of the previous justifications were included with the instant document to assist the approval authority in determining whether the planned actions to remove any barriers to competition cited on the previous justification were completed. The previous justification for N00189-13-C-Z016 (J&A #13-008) stated that, if another potential source emerged, NAVSUP FLCN Contracting would assess whether competition for future requirement was feasible. No planned actions to remove any barriers to competition were included in the previous justification for N0018917PZA74.

Since the processing of the previous contracts, no new potential sources have emerged, and the Government’s current market research continues to indicate AUI is the only source that can meet the agency’s requirements.

For the reasons set forth in Paragraph 5, NAVSUP FLC Norfolk, Philadelphia Office has no plans at this time to compete future contacts for the types of services covered by this document. If another potential source emerges, NAVSUP FLC Norfolk, Philadelphia Office will assess whether competition for future requirements is feasible.

If additional sources are identified or made known to the Government at a future point, the Government will re-evaluate the requirement at that time.

9. Contracting Point of Contact.

The point of contact at NAVSUP FLC Norfolk, Philadelphia Office is Bridget Blaney, Code 270.3, who can be reached by phone at 215-697-9628 or by email at bridget.blaney@navy.mil.

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:

_[redacted]___________________ _________________________

Signature

Name (Printed)

Phone No.

Date

Requirements Cognizance:

Date

LEGAL SUFFICIENCY REVIEW

I have determined this Justification is legally sufficient.

_[redacted]___________________ _________________________

Date

CONTRACTING OFFICER CERTIFICATION

I certify that this Justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. To the extent that the J&A/LSJ value is between $150K and $700K, the Contracting Officer’s signature below also represents approval of the J&A/LSJ.

_[redacted]___________________ _________________________

Date

CONTRACTING ACTIVITY COMPETITION ADVOCATE REVIEW

To the extent that the J&A/LSJ value is between $700K and $13.5M, the Competition Advocate’s signature below also represents approval of the J&A/LSJ.

_[redacted]___________________ _________________________

Date

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Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104