N0018924QZ099 Redacted JA.docx

J&A #: F24-051

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY

NAVSUP FLEET LOGISTICS CENTER NORFOLK

700 ROBBINS AVENUE, BLDG 2B

PHILADELPHIA, PA 19111-5083

J&A #: F24-051

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL FOR USE OF SOLE SOURCE

1. Identification of Agency and Contracting Activity: The requiring activity is the Joint Staff (JS), Directorate of Management (DOM), Joint Staff Security Office (JSSO), Washington, DC; the contracting activity is the NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk, Contracting Department, Philadelphia, PA.

2. Description of the Action Being Approved: This is a sole-source action to be awarded as a new commercial items contract pursuant to the simplified procedures set forth at FAR Subpart 13.5 with InTech Defense, LLC. The award of a firm-fixed price purchase order is anticipated.

3. Description of Required Supplies/Services: The Joint Staff (JS) Security Office (JSSO) Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM) Branch requires three (3) Radio Frequency (RF) shielded enclosure tents and accessories. The RF shielded enclosures protect sensitive/classified information from leaking via RF emissions as well as providing visual obfuscation. Electronic devices operating within the shielded enclosure must be powered by a filtered electrical supply to stay compliant with emissions security standards. Delivery is required as soon as possible, with InTech Defense indicating that delivery can take up to 150 days from date of award—a timeline that JSSO has confirmed is acceptable. The estimated unit price for the RF shielded enclosure tent is $99,285.00. The total estimate is approximately $297,855.00. This requirement will be funded with a Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Operation & Maintenance, Defense Wide (O&M, DW) appropriations.

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Sole Source: The statutory authority permitting this sole source action is 41 U.S.C. 1901, Simplified acquisition procedures - a sole source acquisition using simplified acquisition procedures for the acquisition of commercial items, as implemented by FAR 13.501(a).

5. Rationale Justifying Use of Cited Statutory Authority: The JSSO TSCM Branch travels with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) and will soon lack the means to protect against certain types of attacks against the Chairman’s communications system. The continuing changes and upgrades to communications systems used during world-wide travel missions places the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (OCJCS) executive communications at risk. Without a capability to protect against certain types of attacks, much of the day-to-day OCJCS communications while on travel, to include that of the CJCS, will become vulnerable to interception. This means security of vital communications between the CJCS, the National Military Command Center (NMCC), and the White House will continue to be at risk.

InTech Defense, LLC is the only company capable of meeting the JSSO TSCM’s requirements. InTech Defense, LLC provides the only “inflatable” RF Shielded Enclosures on the market that can meet the commercial RF shielding standards and the operational weight requirements of the JSSO TSCM Team.

Other vendors offer RF-Shielded tents with solid frames, but these tents do not meet the size and weight requirements necessary for the JSSO TSCM Team to check them as baggage on commercial aircraft. Commercial Airlines require checked baggage to not exceed 62 linear inches and be less than 70 pounds. The unique aspects of the Inflatable Frame ensures the RF tent is capable of protecting multiple sized environments based on the needs and travel demands of the CJCS and the JSSO TSCM Team. Only InTech Defense, LLC’s RF Inflatable frame shielded enclosures meet the Commercial Airlines size and weight requirements.

Hard pole tents do not satisfy the instant requirement. The frequent worldwide travel and variations in room dimensions will not accommodate hard pole tents. If the tents are too large for the room, the tent could damage the property, and the government would be subject to pay damages. Also, if the hard pole tents cannot be properly set up in a hotel room per the manufacturer’s instructions, there is a significant security risk that the information will not be protected. The inflatable enclosures can be blown up to various sizes up to the maximum allowing for flexibility in various situations and room set ups, without the risk of security breaches. The hard pole tents do not have that flexibility. This low weight frame of the inflatable RF shielded tent ensures the JSSO TSCM team has the capability to transport the product on various airlines that the hard pole tents weight may hinder. Also, the ability of the JSSO TSCM to configure the inflatable RF shielded tent with minimal manpower further ensures improved capability of the team for the full protection of the CJCS’s secured communications without risk of breach.

InTech Defense LLC’s Radio Frequency (RF) Inflatable framed shielded enclosures are essential to the Government’s requirements and market research indicates other companies’ similar products, or products lacking the particular features required, do not meet, or cannot be modified to meet, the agency’s needs. InTech Defense LLC’s RF meet the minimal needs of the government. InTech Defense LLC, the manufacturer, is the only known source that can provide the required RF shielded tent enclosure system to protect the CJCS’s communications at all times, especially while on travel.

6. Description of Efforts Made to Solicit Offers From as Many Offerors as Practicable, Including a Description of Market Research and a List Of Interested Sources: Commercial Airlines require checked baggage to not exceed 62 linear inches and be less than 70 pounds. The requiring activity surveyed the market, and only InTech Defense, LLC’s RF Inflatable frame shielded enclosures meet the Commercial Airlines size and weight requirements.

While the intent is to solicit this as a sole source acquisition, a notice of the acquisition will be posted to the Government-wide point of entry (GPE). The notice will include a description of the requirement, the intent to sole source, and copies of the solicitation and this Justification.

7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost: The Contracting Officer has determined that the anticipated cost to the Government of the supplies covered by this justification will be fair and reasonable.

8. Actions to Remove Barriers to Future Competition: All future requirements will be handled on a case-by-case basis. If a further acquisition for the same of similar item is necessary, the Contracting Officer will research commercial airline size and weight requirements to ensure that there are no changed conditions that would affect full and open competition. If another potential source emerges, the NAVSUP FLC Norfolk Contracting Department, Philadelphia Office will assess whether competition for future requirements is feasible.

9. Contracting Point of Contact: The NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk Contracting Department, Philadelphia Office point of contact is Ms. Megan Johnson, who may be contacted at 757-447-4869 or by e-mail at megan.d.johnson21.civ@us.navy.mil.

Source Selection Information – See FAR 2.101 and 3.104 2 image1.png