N66604-20-Q-8266 Justification and Approval REDACTED.pdf

V3.0_JANUARY2020

PID #: 60-0003

P.R. Number: 1300850215

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

UNDER FAR 13.5, SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES FOR

CERTAIN COMMERCIAL ITEMS

JUSTIFICATION

1. Contracting Activity

The Naval Sea Systems Command, Naval Undersea Warfare

Center Division, Code 02, Newport, RI.

2. Description of the Action Being Approved

Award a Purchase Order with a firm fixed price (FFP) line item for Compute Nodes with Intel Xeon Gold 6242 processors for the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division

Newport (NUWCDIVNPT), to support the Undersea Warfare

3. Description of Supplies/Services

NUWCDIVNPT has a requirement for thirty–six

(36) rack mountable compute nodes for Modeling and

Simulation (M&S) Compute Clusters. The brand name component of the compute node that is required is the

Intel Xeon Central

Processing Unit (CPU).

The total estimated acquisition value of the thirty-six

(36) compute nodes is . The brand name specific

Intel Xeon CPU accounts for an estimated of the total acquisition value.

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open

Competition

41 U.S.C. 1901 in accordance with FAR 13.501(a)(1)(ii).

5. Rationale Justifying Use of Cited Statutory Authority

The M&S Compute Cluster compute nodes requires Intel processors (a minimum of dual Intel Xeon Gold Processor

6242 chipsets) to maintain the necessary Navy accreditation requirements for the Sim II naval engagement simulation software.

NUWCDIVNPT conducts operational assessments for major the Sim II software requires accreditation from

Navy program offices and test agencies. In turn, this accreditation requires extensive verification and validation (V&V) of the Sim II software, which requires detailed scrutiny and comparisons to at-sea data and prior

M&S assessments.

The most recent accreditation occurred in 2018 in support of the

This accreditation process is contingent on the ability of to accurately reproduce test results. The only way to ensure this is to purchase the exact same processors and operating system that the V&V tests were conducted with.

Procuring components made by another manufacturer will require extensive re-testing and re-accreditation.

Re-test and re-accreditation could cost upwards of and delay both the test and evaluation programs by more than a year; a delay the programs cannot afford.

Based on the above, the duplicative costs and schedule delays incurred for re-test and re-accreditation cannot be offset by potential savings from unrestricted competition, therefore it is in the best interest of the Government to solicit these components on a brand name basis.

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

Offerors as Practicable

The proposed contract action will be synopsized and solicited on NASA SEWP. The combined synopsis and solicitation will state the intention of NUWCDIVNPT to award a purchase order on a brand name specified basis.

The combined synopsis and solicitation will state that all interested sources will have the opportunity to submit a capability statement for consideration by the Government.

If a responsible source submits a capability statement for consideration by the Government through the date of purchase order award, it will be brought to the attention of the J&A approval authority.

Market Research was conducted through various methods including the NASA SEWP Market Research Tool, internet searches, and vendor quotes. Several small businesses, who can fulfill the Government’s requirement, were identified through market research including Paragon Micro, Ace

Computers, Zivaro, Inc., and Sterling Computers.

7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Costs

In Accordance With FAR 6.303-2(b)(7), the Contracting

Officer has determined that the anticipated cost to the

Government for the supplies covered by this J&A will be fair and reasonable. Based on the number of potential offerors identified via market research it is anticipated that prices will be determined fair and reasonable based on adequate price competition in accordance with FAR

13.106-3(a)(1).

8. Actions to Remove Barriers to Competition

The Navy’s accreditation requirements for the naval engagement simulation software are unlikely to change, therefor NUWCDIVNPT will continue to use

Intel Processors for the M&S Compute Cluster. As such, there are no actions to remove barriers to competition at this time.

TECHNICAL CERTIFICATION (FAR 6.303-2(c))

I certify that the facts and representations under my cognizance, which are included in this justification are complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.

TECHNICAL COGNIZANCE:

Signature and Date

APPROVAL BLOCK (FAR 13.501(a)(2) for Approving Official)

Upon the basis of the above justification, I hereby approve, as

Contracting Officer, the solicitation of the proposed procurement described herein using other than full and open competition, pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1).

Signature and Date