N64498_02222504300.pdf

J&A No. 0222-25-043-00 Code 0222 PID No. N64498-24-RFPREQ-PD-51-0171

BRAND-NAME JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1. Contracting Activity.

The Naval Sea Systems Command, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD), Code 0222.

2. Description of the Action Being Approved.

Award of a Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) Indefinite-Delivery-Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) on a brand-name basis for Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Versa Module Europa (VME) Peripheral Component Interconnect with extents for both buses standards (VPX) accessory components to include network cards, network expander cards and power supplies.

3. Description of Supplies/Services.

The planned requisition is for the VPX accessory components, listed below, to support the Machinery Control Systems (MCS) Tech Refresh of LHA6, LHD8, LHA7 and Land Based Test Environment (LBTE).

This requirement is for three (3) shipsets. One (1) shipset (Shipset 1) will be ordered at the time of award. The remaining two (2) shipsets will be ordered within five (5) years. The below charts reflect the maximum estimated pricing for all three (3) shipsets. The Request for Proposal (RFP) will require yearly (ordering period) pricing. The pricing for Shipsets 2 and 3 reflect Year 5 pricing (according to the Independent Government Cost Estimate). If Shipsets 2 and/or 3 are ordered in Years 2-4, the estimated unit pricing is expected to be lower.

Table 1 – Parts List

Shipset 1 Items

Part Number Description Max Qty Max Est.

Unit Price

Max Total Est.

Price

0001 ComEth4582a 3U VPX 10/40 Gigabit Fully Managed Ethernet Switch and IP router

75 $6,500 $487,500

0002 PAE003727 ComEth4582a Expander board module 3U VPX form factor Network Interface I/O card

150 $2,745 $411,750

0003 VPX-300-

PCONV10HP

3U, 300W, Multi-Output Convection Cooled VPX Power Supply

150 $9,430 $1,414,500

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY

NAVAL SURFACE WARFARE CENTER

PHILADELPHIA DIVISION

5001 SOUTH BROAD STREET

PHILADELPHIA PA 19112-1403

IN REPLY REFER TO:

marissa.woody Line marissa.woody Line marissa.woody Line marissa.woody Line marissa.woody Line marissa.woody Line

Shipset 1

Part Number Description Max Qty Max Est.

Unit Price

Max Total Est.

Price

$2,313,750

Shipset 2

Part Number Description Max Qty Max Est.

Unit Price Max Total Est.

Price 0004 ComEth4582a 3U VPX 10/40 Gigabit Fully Managed

Ethernet Switch and IP router 193 $7,910 $1,526,630

0005 PAE003727 ComEth4582a Expander board module 3U VPX form factor Network Interface I/O card

386 $2,790 $1,076,940

0006 VPX-300-

PCONV10HP

3U, 300W, Multi-Output Convection Cooled VPX Power Supply

386 $11,460 $4,423,560

$7,027,130

Shipset 3

Part Number Description Max Qty Max Est.

Unit Cost Max Total Est.

Cost 0007 ComEth4582a 3U VPX 10/40 Gigabit Fully Managed

Ethernet Switch and IP router 75 $7,910 $593,250

0008 PAE003727 ComEth4582a Expander board module 3U VPX form factor Network Interface I/O card

150 $2,790 $418,500

0009 VPX-300-

PCONV10HP

3U, 300W, Multi-Output Convection Cooled VPX Power Supply

150 $11,460 $1,719,000

$2,730,750

Budgeted funds will include FY25, FY26, and FY29 Other Procurement, Navy (OPN) funding.

The total estimated dollar value of the proposed acquisition is $12,071,630. The costs above are based upon the above maximum quantities for Shipsets 1-3. The anticipated delivery completion date is 31 July 2030. The Government’s minimum needs have been verified by the certifying technical and requirements personnel.

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

10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1), Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.

5. Rationale Justifying Use of Cited Statutory Authority.

This brand name procurement of VPX accessory components is required to support LHD/A MCS Tech Refresh. This equipment must be procured on a brand-name basis in order to provide power to the VPX Chassis and connected components and to provide critical networking communications between MCS systems. Due to the combination of unique specifications as well as a requirement to ensure compatibility between the supported shipsets and lab, the materials listed above are to be procured through a Brand-Name IDIQ.

Through contract N6449822P5056, awarded January 2023, the LHD/A MCS Team finalized the design of a custom, modernized VPX Chassis that is compatible with the MCS systems and LHA6, LHD8 & LHA7 shipboard configurations. Included in the VPX Chassis design is a marissa.woody Line marissa.woody Line marissa.woody Line marissa.woody Line marissa.woody Line marissa.woody Line marissa.woody Line marissa.woody Line marissa.woody Line marissa.woody Line marissa.woody Line marissa.woody Line marissa.woody Line marissa.woody Line marissa.woody Line custom backplane that establishes more than 4,000 connections between connector contact pins.

Each of the pin contact points have been defined by the LHD/A MCS Team utilizing the accessory components listed in this purchase as well as North Atlantic Industries (NAI) 68G5 I/O cards and Curtiss-Wright VPX3-1260 Single Board Computers (SBC). These contact pins establish communication channels between the accessory components that are slotted into the VPX Chassis and the MCS system. The backplane has been designed to be functionally static for each of the 16 slots on the VPX Chassis; requiring each of the slotted components to be assigned a specific slot location. Slot 1 is assigned to the SBC, Slot 2 is the ComEth4582a network card, Slot 3-9 is the I/O cards, Slot 10-12 is the PAE003727 network switch expansion cards and Slots 13-16 is for VPX-300-PCONV10HP power supplies. The Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for both the ComEth4582 network card and PAE003727 network switch expansion card is Interface Concept and the OEM for the VPX-300-PCONV10HP power supply is Switching Power, Inc.

At the time of documenting this J&A, a separate Large Contract, PID: N64498-24-RFPREQ-PD- 51-0136, is being processed to support the manufacturing of said custom VPX Chassis in order to outfit LHA6, LHD8, LHA7 and the LBTE. These VPX Chassis will be manufactured with the custom backplane requiring the accessory components identified in this purchase request. Due to the custom design of the backplane no other VPX network card, network expander or power supply are compatible.

The ComEth4582A is a 3U VPX Fully Managed Ethernet switch that allows configuration flexibility, while remaining Cyber compliant. This VPX network switch can be reconfigured with seven (7) 40GBASE-KR4/10GBase-KX4 or with twenty-eight (28) 10GBASE- KR/1GBASE-KX, depending on required network speeds. The addition of the Network Extension module provides an additional four (4) front facing SFP ports, supporting 100BASE- FX, 1000BASE-T, 1000BASE-SX or 1000BASE-LX module types and one (1) SFP+ port, supporting 1000BASE-T, 1000BASE-SX, 1000BASE-LX, direct attached cable (1G/10G speed) or 10GBASE-SR module types, per card. Drastically improving the LHD/A MCS network capacity and functionality. The VPX-300P-CONV-10HP is a 300 Watts convection cooled, VITA 62 compliant, ruggedized VPX power supply. This specific power supply was selected to support LHD/A MCS Tech Refresh due to its ability to support any combination of VPX cards slotted into the VPX Chassis, the modular design allowing for quick replacements in the event of hardware failure and the integrated cooling system to prevent the power supply and neighboring devices from overheating. Due to the combination of these unique specifications and, the fact that the VPX chassis backplanes custom design functionally relies on these specific brand name components, the Government requires these accessory components to modernize the ageing legacy MCS systems and support the LHD/A MCS Tech Refresh.

Deviation from these accessory components would negatively affect mission critical goals as the Tech Refresh team would not have an acceptable hardware replacement for the aging legacy components. Without these components, the legacy systems will continue to degrade until current spare inventory is depleted and system functionality ceases. Additionally, the VPX Chassis, planned to be installed shipboard, would be missing critical functionality and would not be able to satisfy Tech Refresh requirements.

Consideration of alternative components would result in unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency’s requirements. Acquiring these components from an alternative source would place the LHD/A MCS Team nearly four (4) years behind schedule on replacing the legacy components.

As detailed below, it is estimated that it would take an additional Forty-Six (46) months to test and qualify components from an alternate source.

Table 2 – Schedule Impact Acquiring From an Alternative Source

Event Impact Identification of compatible components and procurement of prototypes 6 Months Lead time for delivery 2 Months Perform qualification testing 3 Months Redesign, procure, receive and perform qualification testing on a modified VPX Backplane prototype that is compatible with the alternative components

12 Months

Finalize the design of the modified VPX Backplane 3 Months Finalized list of materials for VPX Accessories and Contract Award for shipboard installation

11 Months

Lead Time and Delivery 9 Months TOTAL 46 Months

These estimated timelines are based on the experience realized by the LHD/A MCS Team through their Tech Refresh acquisitions. The schedule of this procurement is drastically affected by consideration of alternative brands due to these components interfacing with a custom VPX backplane. Changing the make/model of VPX Accessory cards that interface with the backplane would require re-designing, procuring prototypes, performing qualification testing and finalizing the design of the VPX Backplane. The first ship Tech Refresh installation is scheduled to begin November 2025, therefore delays to fulfilling this requirement are unacceptable.

Furthermore, at this time the Navy has a critical need to replace the aging legacy MCS equipment. Failure to do so will result in increased risk to system operability and sailor safety rendering the ships inoperable. Thus, the brand name VPX Accessory Components, identified above, are essential to the Government requirements thereby precluding products manufactured by another company.

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

In accordance with the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) Procedures, Guidance, and Information (PGI) 206.302-1, a Request for Information (RFI) was posted to SAM.gov on 7 June 2024 and closed on 25 June 2024. The following companies demonstrated interest in this opportunity:

Offeror CAGE Code Size Standard Graybar 26042 Large Business Elma 04MG7 Small Business

The capability statements were reviewed and it was determined by the SME that two (2) or more small businesses were not capable of providing the requisite supplies. Graybar (CAGE Code

26042) and Elma (CAGE 04MG7) are resellers of the requisite brand name components and successfully demonstrated the ability to provide the required hardware as defined by the Statement of Work (SOW). Additionally, a synopsis of this procurement was published on the SAM.Gov on 17 December 2024 and closed on 2 January 2025. The following companies demonstrated interest in this opportunity:

Offeror CAGE Code Size Standard Elma 04MG7 Small Business NewTech Solutions Inc. 1QN24 Small Business OneTech Sol LLC 99PA5 Small Business

The capability statements were reviewed and it was determined by the SME that two (2) or more small businesses were not capable of providing all of the requisite supplies. As stated above, Elma (CAGE 04MG7) has successfully demonstrated the ability to provide the requisite supplies. One Tech Sol LLC (CAGE 99PA5) provided a capability statement with no specific examples as to how they would be able to fulfill the SOW requirements. On 4 February 2025, the Contract Specialist reached out to One Tech Sol LLC to request additional information on how they would fulfill the SOW requirements. The contractor was unable to provide a response on how they would fulfill the SOW requirements and therefore are considered not technically capable of providing the requisite supplies. New Tech Solutions Inc. (CAGE 1QN24) was unable to demonstrate an ability to fulfill the requirements defined in the SOW and only included one

(1) of the three (3) hardware requirements. On 4 February 2025, the Contract Specialist reached out to New Tech Solutions Inc. to request additional information on how they would fulfill the SOW requirements. New Tech Solutions responded stating ‘Please be aware that we have not been successful in contacting Interface Concept, and we are not able to quote their products.

Please consider this incomplete quote for award, or if you cannot do so, please ignore our submission and consider this a No Bid’. Therefore, this contractor is considered not technically capable of providing all of the requisite supplies.

Market research was conducted through a survey and analysis of alternative equipment brands that are available in industry. The thorough analysis conducted reviewed the available brands to see if there were any possible alternatives. Additionally, several companies were surveyed to see if they would be able to provide a satisfactory solution. At this time, no other brand exists to satisfy the requirement.

7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Costs.

The Contracting Officer has determined the anticipated cost to the Government of the supplies covered by this Justification will be fair and reasonable.

8. Actions to Remove Barriers to Competition.

For the reasons set forth in Paragraph 5, NSWCPD has no plans at this time to compete future contracts for the types of supplies covered by this document. If another potential source emerges, NSWCPD will assess whether competition for future requirements is feasible.

CERTIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL

TECHNICAL AND 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.

COMBINED TECHNICAL AND REQUIREMENTS COGNIZANCE:

Signature Name (Print) and Title (Code) Phone No. Date

LEGAL SUFFICIENCY REVIEW

I have determined this Justification is legally sufficient.

CONTRACTING OFFICER CERTIFICATION

I certify that this Justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

COMPETITION ADVOCATE APPROVAL

Upon the basis of the above Justification, I hereby approve, as Competition Advocate for the Procuring Activity, the solicitation of the proposed procurement(s) described herein using other than full and open competition, pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1).

Signature Albert Stracciolini Date Acting Chief of the Contracting Office (Code 02) marissa.woody Line