JA_18_0097_REDACTED.docx

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL (J&A)

FOR USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1. Contracting Activity:

Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWC-AD), Lakehurst, NJ.

2. Description of the Action Being Approved:

This J&A authorizes and approves the issuance of a Firm-Fixed Price contract with Frequentis USA, 8661 Robert Fulton Drive, Suite 100, Columbia, MD 21046 for hardware and engineering support for shipboard communications systems

3. Description of Supplies or Service:

PMA-268 requires an Integrated Communication System (ICS) capable of transporting voice communications from a carrier based Air Vehicle Operator (AVO) to local audio switches, local radio terminals, and remote radio terminals for transmission and reception. The ICS is composed of hardware and software components and is a subsystem to the MD-5A control station. The MD-5A control station provides vehicle and payload control to the MQ-25A air system and voice communications to the terrestrial and airborne participants. The ICS provides audio related data exchange with existing carrier based communications systems, such as the Shipboard Air Traffic Control Communications (SATCC) System, the Tactical Variant Switch (TVS) and the Hierarchical Yet Dynamically Reprogrammable Architecture (HYDRA). The ICS system will receive an audio stream from the AVO audio interface equipment and convert it to voice over internet protocol for transmission and reception over the SATCC, TVS, and HYDRA systems. This procurement will include the design, development, test, manufacture, and repair of the ICS components (and/or associated software and firmware). It will also include non-recurring engineering (NRE) and logistic efforts in support of repairs and modifications.

See Appendix A for Estimated Dollar Value.

4. Statute Authority Permitting other than Full and Open Competition:

10 USC 2304(c)(1): Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy the agency requirements.

5. Rationale Justifying Use of Cited Statutory Authority:

PMA-268 requires a system that interfaces with the currently installed SATCC, TVS, and HYDRA communication systems aboard the carrier. Of particular importance to the operation of the MD-5A is the user interface to the SATCC system. SATCC is the current system utilized by air traffic control aboard the carrier and is delivered by Frequentis USA, a subcontractor under contract # N65236-16-D-4817. The current SATCC user interface for access to the SATCC core is a component of the SATCC system called the Touch Entry Display (TED). The existing TED component does not meet requirements for PMA-268 and therefore the MD-5A ICS system must be further developed by moving TED functionality into the AVO control panel. Frequentis USA is a subcontractor on contract SPM8EJ-14-D-0005 tasked with developing and delivering a prototype ICS for PMA-268. That contract resulted in an ICS, delivered on 30 January 2018, which interfaces with SATCC, TVS, and HYDRA for an MD-5A proof of concept. This prototype ICS replaces the functionality of the TED component with an equivalent capability that meets the requirements of PMA-268. The production ICS contract will modify the prototype Frequentis ICS to add the capability to route voice communications for up to eight (8) AVO stations, to complete shipboard environmental qualifications, and to consolidate the ICS hardware from two racks into one. In total, the production contract will deliver eight (8) units.

In addition, proprietary messages passed between the SATCC components (SATCC TED and SATCC Core) were developed at private expense by Frequentis USA, and must be understood and exchanged between the existing SATCC Core system aboard the carrier and the MD-5A ICS. The proprietary messages of the SATCC system are required to be processed by the ICS in the MD-5A. The Government does not own rights to this proprietary information and the Government is not pursuing the purchase of the data rights due to the unsupportable timeline at this time.

Awarding to another source would require that contractor to obtain the Frequentis USA proprietary data for the SATCC interface and develop a production unit for CVN-69. This would impact the Government’s ability to meet the required date for CVN-69.

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

A Request for Information (RFI) was posted on the FEDBIZOPS (FBO) website on 22 November 2017. Nine (9) responses were received. Of the nine (9) companies that responded, Frequentis USA was the only company that indicated their current system was interoperable with the existing SATCC system. In addition to Frequentis USA, three (3) other respondents mentioned SATCC in their RFI response; one (1) respondent requested more information on SATCC to assess whether or not their system could be modified to interact with SATCC. A second offered to modify their system to interface with the TED vice SATCC (note: this is not the requirement. The TED is to be replaced by the ICS, not retained). The third offered emulation software for test purposes vice a physical ICS. The other respondents made no mention of SATCC in their RFI response. All responses were reviewed and it was determined that only Frequentis USA could satisfy the government’s requirement. In addition to the RFI posted online, further market research was conducted via discussions with industry, in which the government thoroughly assessed other ICS systems available to the government. It was determined that only the Frequentis USA solution satisfied the requirements of the Government. The proposed contract action was synopsized on the FBO website on 12 February 2018. No responses were received.

7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost:

In accordance with FAR 15.402, the Contracting Officer shall ensure that all supplies and services provided under this contract are procured at a fair and reasonable price. The contracting officer will perform price analysis and utilize necessary resources to help determine a fair and reasonable price.

8. Actions to Remove Barriers to Future Competition:

For the reasons set forth in Paragraph 5, PMA-268 has no plans at this time to compete future contacts for the types of supplies/services covered by this document. If another potential source emerges, PMA-268 will assess whether competition for future requirements is feasible.

Appendix A

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY

NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER AIRCRAFT DIVISION

IN REPLY REFER TO:

J&A No: 18-0097

J&A No: 18-0097 image1.wmf