SS_JA_Global_Meteo_SW_2017_03_08_KO_Sign.pdf

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Authority: 10 U.S.C. 2304(c) (1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1

Pursuant to the Competition in Contracting Act (CICA) and in accordance with FAR 6.303-1 Requirements and FAR 6.303-2 Contents, the justification shall incorporate sufficient facts and rationale to support the use of the statutory authority cited.

1. Contracting Activity.

This is a “Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition” to procure IT data and maintenance support to be executed by the Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO) Contracts Department. NAVOCEANO proposes to enter into a contract award with The Weather Company, formally Weather Services International (WSI).

2. Description of the Action Being Approved.

The government anticipates awarding a contract on a sole source basis to The Weather Company to provide their industry standard suite which includes meteorological forecasting data, ingest, process and distribution of data from multiple commercial, government and academic sources.

The data will allow forecasters to create automated and on-demand graphical products in multiple graphic formats and text forecasts and distribute it via an internet browser interface.

The proposed performance consists of one (1) year of service. This order MUST be in place no later than 31 March 2017 to avoid any disruption to receipt of data which will represent an unacceptable risk to Naval Aviation, Surface Fleet, and worldwide Navy and Marine Corps installation resource protection and safety forecasting.

3. Description of Supplies/Services.

The Naval Oceanography Operations Command (NOOC) requires a turn-key, high-availability, satellite-delivered, global meteorological data service with ingest and data management capability in support of the Aviation, Maritime Safety, and Resource Protection missions performed by Fleet Weather Center (FWC) Norfolk VA, and in support of product delivery requirements to FWC San Diego, CA and United States Marine Corps (USMC) Regional Meteorology and Oceanography Centers located at Cherry Point NC and Miramar CA.

This solution must include high-resolution, low-latency meteorological forecasting data in standardized World Meteorological Organization (WMO) formats to support 24/7 forecasting for global aviation, maritime safety, and installation resource protection missions.

J&A# JA-17-013

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

Data required includes environmental forecast model data, current observation data, RADAR, satellite imagery, global lightning strike positioning (including maritime environments), destructive and tropical weather warnings, etc.

The solution must be capable of ingesting, processing and distribution of data from other government, commercial, and academic sources, as well as fixed satellite receiving systems and other local and remote meteorological sensor systems.

Data delivery must be independent from terrestrial telephone and IP networks, with direct simplex satellite delivery to FWC Norfolk as an operational contingency during periods of Navy enterprise network outages. Simplex satellite delivery is defined as data captured by a receive-only (no transmit) satellite antenna at the FWC. The alternative to a simplex system is a duplex system in which the antenna system at the FWC would both receive AND transmit. Use of a duplex communication infrastructure onboard Naval Station Norfolk would necessitate radio frequency transmission from the client (FWC) site. This transmit function has the potential to interfere with or otherwise impact aircraft weapons systems, air traffic control, environmental sensors, and other radio-frequency-sensitive systems in the vicinity of the Fleet Weather Center onboard Norfolk Naval Station.

Estimated Dollar Value

BASE OPTION 1 OPTION 2 OPTION 3 OPTION 4 Total

RDT&E

OPN

O&MN $359,004.00 $359,004.00

Total

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open Competition.

10 U.S.C 2304(c) (1), Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements, as implemented by FAR 6.302-1

5. Rationale Justifying Use of Cited Statutory Authority.

I recommend sole source procurement with The Weather Company because it is the only vendor identified with the technical ability to satisfy NOOC’s requirement for direct simplex satellite delivery to FWC Norfolk as an operational contingency during periods of Navy enterprise network outages.

There are two key technical elements to this requirement. The vendor must (a) provide the specific data requirements detailed in section 3 above, including global lightning strike position and history to support open-ocean forecasting, and (b) must deliver the data product via simplex satellite broadcast. Satellite broadcast delivery provides an operational contingency during periods of Navy enterprise terrestrial and Internet Protocol (IP) network outages.

“Global lightning strike position” - unacceptable risk is safety of aviation, maritime and shore based tactical operational units. For example: Navy would not be able to safely conduct forward Naval operations involving fuel/ammunition handling without the ability to have lighting strike position data.

“Simplex” (as opposed to “duplex”) satellite broadcast delivery is required to avoid radio frequency interference or other impacts to aircraft weapons systems, air traffic control, environmental sensors, and other radio-frequency-sensitive systems in the vicinity of the Fleet Weather Center onboard Norfolk Naval Station.

Two vendors (Vaisala and the Weather Company) were identified as capable providing a global lightning strike position and history data product meeting temporal latency and position accuracy requirements. However, Vaisala’s satellite delivery broadcast architecture employs a third party duplex satellite communications infrastructure (HUGHESNET). Use of duplex technology requires radio frequency transmission from the client (FWC) site with the potential to interfere with or otherwise impact aircraft weapons systems, air traffic control, environmental sensors, and other radio-frequency-sensitive systems in the vicinity of the Fleet Weather Center onboard Norfolk Naval Station. ONLY the Weather Company employs simplex satellite transmission in their broadcast delivery, completely mitigating the risk above and satisfying the technical specifications of this requirement.

In summary, the Weather Company is the only vendor with the ability to satisfy both key technical elements of this requirement to deliver the product required, and to deliver that product in a way required by the Navy.

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

In accordance with the FAR part 10, market research was conducted as follows:

The original contract was GS-35F-5928H, Order Number N62306-12-F-6002, and the last option year period ends on March 31, 2017.

1. Conducted on-line research of potential vendors with the capability to provide the required products/services in a way required by the Navy.

2. Reviewed the results of recent market research undertaken to meet similar requirements.

3. Reviewed products and costs of previous FY12-FY17 contract with the Weather Company (formerly WSI).

4. Requested product detail and cost information from identified vendors (Vaisala and Weather Company).

7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost.

Market Research provided pricing is within commercial pricing.

Before making the award, the Contracting Officer will determine that the proposed price is fair and reasonable based on FAR Sub part 13106.3 (ii) Comparison of the proposed price with prices found reasonable on previous purchase and (vi) Comparison with an Independent Government Estimate.

8. Actions to Remove Barriers to Future Competition.

Recurring market research will continue to be conducted throughout the lifecycle to examine emerging requirements and technology developments.

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:

John Rath, CISM, NOOC N6

LEGAL SUFFICIENCY REVIEW

I have determined this justification is legally sufficient.

Jude Klena Counsel

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 value not exceeding $650K, the Contracting Officer’s signature below also represents approval of this J&A.

Roselyn N. Bailey Contracting Officer

RATH.JOHN.ALL

AN.1021171081

Digitally signed by

RATH.JOHN.ALLAN.1021171081

Date: 2017.03.02 14:45:05 -06'00'

KLENA.JUDE.THOMAS.1039614894

Digitally signed by KLENA.JUDE.THOMAS.1039614894 DN: c=US, o=U.S. Government, ou=DoD, ou=PKI, ou=USN, cn=KLENA.JUDE.THOMAS.1039614894 Date: 2017.03.08 07:47:44 -05'00'