N6945019Q1730_Single_Source_REDACTED.pdf

DON SAP SINGLE SOURCE DETERMINATION

AUG 2018

Subj: USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION FOR AN ACQUISITION

UNDER THE SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION THRESHOLD; SOLICITATION N6945019Q1730

I. BACKGROUND:

1. FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i) states for purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, Contracting Officers may solicit from one source if the Contracting Officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand-name or industrial mobilization).

2. As required by FAR 13.106-3(b)(3)(i), this memorandum explains the absence of competition for this acquisition, as only one source will be solicited for this requirement (or for a portion of the requirement) and the requirement is not expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold.

II. DESCRIPTION OF ITEM OR SERVICE:

The Contractor shall provide the following two plans utilizing the brand name, Iridium Global Network, for satellite voice and data services for the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast (NAVFAC SE) Contingency Engineering Response Team (CERT):

1) Iridium GO! Unlimited Voice, SMS and Direct Internet GO! Services; and

2) Iridium OpenPort Data Services (128K data speed/0MB plan upgradable and down gradable MB packages on request).

The term of the satellite voice and data services under the purchase order is anticipated to be a one-year base period with four one-year option periods.

III. THE DETERMINATION FOR USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN

COMPETITION IS BASED ON THE FOLLOWING (select all that apply):

A. ___ ONLY ONE RESPONSIBLE SOURCE (select all that apply):

1. ___ RESTRICTIVE RIGHTS. The source has established proprietary rights, limited rights in data, patent rights, copyrights or secret processes in the item or service required.

2. ___ EXCLUSIVE LICENSING AGREEMENTS. The item or service is only available from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), or there is only one authorized distributor or technical representative for the OEM.

3. ___ OTHER REASONS.

B. _X_ BRAND NAME. Item required must be a brand name product, or feature of a product, particular to one manufacturer.

The NAVFAC SE CERT deploys in response to natural and man-made disasters. It is their mission to keep naval installations running under normal conditions and get them back in order after a disaster. During the deployment in response to Hurricane Matthew, NAVFAC SE identified a shortcoming in its capabilities to perform mission requirements; the team did not have satellite voice and data capability. Taking into consideration the diverse and underdeveloped locations within the NAVFAC SE Area of Responsibility (i.e. U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Andros, DON SAP SINGLE SOURCE DETERMINATION

AUG 2018

Bahamas, etc.), it is critical for NAVFAC SE to possess anytime, anywhere man-portable satellite data transmission capabilities.

The brand name, Iridium Global Network, is the furthest reaching, highly reliable mobile satellite mobile communications network in the world. It is the only company that provides pole-to-pole coverage and consists of a sophisticated global constellation of 66 cross-linked Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, which provide high-quality voice and data connections over the planet’s entire surface, including across oceans, airways and polar regions. The network is set up in a way that the call is relayed from satellite to satellite around the constellation without touching the ground until it is downlinked at an Iridium gateway and patched into the public switched telecommunication network for transmission. This happens within fractions of a second and is completely seamless to the end user. This architecture is unique to Iridium and provides numerous advantages, which include but are not limited to, the minimization of missed connections and dropped calls, solutions for single satellite outages, increased reliability, multiple layers of on-board subsystem resiliency for critical components, programmable satellites, in-orbit spares can be quickly repositioned and activated, as needed, and the low-Earth orbit provides a shorter transmission path.

The Iridium network does not rely on local ground infrastructure, allowing workers in remote areas to maintain critical connections no matter the local conditions. Quick and reliable voice and data satellite services are critical requirements, which the Navy needs in order to continue its mission during times of disaster, in which this may be the only means of communication. The Iridium Global Network is the only network that can guarantee the speed and reliability NAVFAC SE requires. A “brand name or equal” purchase cannot be used because contract award utilizing any other satellite network provider would result in unacceptable delays or problems preventing the CERT Team from being accessible and performing its mission during the most critical disasters.

Iridium is the only satellite network with truly global service, including the poles. Market research has indicated that other providers simply cannot provide the reliability with the broadest coverage in the world, like the Iridium Global Network can.

C. ___UNUSUAL AND COMPELLING URGENCY. The supplies or services are of such unusual and compelling urgency that the Government would be seriously injured unless the agency is permitted to limit the number of sources from which it solicits bids or proposals. Urgent requirements are supplies or services that will result in a work stoppage, or are mission critical and the routine processing time would result in injury to the Government. The determination that the procurement for the above item/service is an urgent and compelling requirement is based on the following:

1. Date on which the requirement was first identified:

2. Required delivery date/period of performance:

3. Explanation of why delivery/commencement of services by the date mentioned above is required.

4. If appropriate, include any additional pertinent information.