NITAAC JEFO CEMS TOAD licenses_Redacted.pdf

CUI

Justification for an Exception to Fair Opportunity

“Source Selection Information – see FAR 2.101 and 3.104”

1. Identification of the agency and contracting activity:

Federal Agency and contracting activity

Agency:

United States Air Force (USAF) Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) Propulsion Integration Division (LPZ) Comprehensive Engine Management System (CEMS) 3001 Staff Drive, Suite 2AB1 88G Tinker Air Force Base, OK 73145

Contracting Activity:

Erin Flynn Pacifico, Contracting Officer National Institute of Health (NIH) Information Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center (NITAAC) Bethesda, MD 20892-7511 Phone: 301-451-0212

Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) Information.

2. Nature and/or description of the action being approved:

Acquisition purpose and objectives.

The CEMS Program Management Office (PMO) is seeking an immediate increase in the ceiling for materials (ODCs), allowing for the purchase of the Tool for Oracle Application Developers (TOAD) license. TOAD is a database management and development software toolset created by Quest Software. It helps database developers, administrators, and data analysts build, manage, and optimize relational and non-relational databases.

TOAD is critical to the CEMS task order as it provides the Database Team with an advanced, reliable, and efficient platform for database development, administration, performance tuning, troubleshooting, and operational support. As CEMS continues to rely heavily on Oracle databases to support mission-essential business processes, TOAD enables database administrators and developers to rapidly analyze data structures, write and optimize /PL/SQL code, validate database changes, monitor performance, and resolve production issues with greater speed and accuracy. This

“Source Selection Information – see FAR 2.101 and 3.104” capability directly supports system stability, data integrity, audit readiness, and timely mission support by reducing manual effort, improving visibility into database activity, and enabling faster diagnosis and remediation of database-related issues. Adding TOAD to the Concept Plus task order will ensure the CEMS Database Team has the necessary tooling to sustain, maintain, and enhance the database environment that underpins core CEMS application functionality.

Project background.

On March 27, 2025, the NITAAC contracting office awarded the CEMS task order 75N98125F00001 under the Concept Plus, LLC governmentwide acquisition contract (GWAC) HHSN316201200156W for work in support of the Air Force ‘Core’ Engine System CEMS program management office, AFLCMC/LPZ, Tinker Air Force base.

The task order was awarded competitively, with solicitation C-119466-SB released to contract holders on the CIO-SP3 SB vehicle. The CEMS PMO is responsible for the entire lifecycle management of the CEMS IT system. As a mission-critical system, CEMS must maintain 24/7 availability to customers. These sustainment support services are necessary to support the PMO and ensure the technical expertise and resources are in place to support the ongoing operation, maintenance, and modernization of the CEMS IT system, including its associated hardware and software. This encompasses activities related to system sustainment, technical refreshes, and continuous improvement efforts, ensuring consistent operational performance without degradation.

Under HHSN316201200156W / 75N98125F00001, Concept Plus serves as the single focal point to the Air Force (AF) CEMS PMO, AFLCMC/LPZC, providing comprehensive development and sustainment activities as directed. This includes all IT development, maintenance, and sustainment activities for CEMS IT software, ensuring system functionality, availability, reliability, manageability, maintainability, auditability, and responsiveness to the DoD and AF Propulsion community at a level exceeding system availability. Additionally, the scope involves ongoing identification and implementation of best practices and innovative technologies to enhance system performance and improve business processes.

The first justification for an exception to fair opportunity (JEFO) under the CEMS task order was approved on 09/19/2025 for a total estimated increase in the task order ceiling of from to (including the optional FAR 52.217-8 extension). The task order currently has a total ceiling of based on negotiated increases under the scope of the first JEFO.

The need for the TOAD license was not foreseen at the time of award or in the ceiling increase under the first JEFO because the legacy PL/SQL developer tool was

“Source Selection Information – see FAR 2.101 and 3.104” compliant with the Air Force Evaluated Products List (EPL) and met baseline database administrative needs. However, the legacy tool has since been removed from the EPL, restricting its operational boundary to a localized ISSM risk-acceptance approval within the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud environment. To support ongoing operations, CEMS requires the superior functionality of TOAD, which delivers advanced SQL optimization, automated code formatting, robust debugging, and schema comparison capabilities absent in the legacy software, thereby ensuring necessary developer throughput and system availability.

3. Description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs (including the estimated value).

This requirement for the TOAD license is deemed critical to the operation of the CEMS task order. The purchase of the TOAD license applies to the following Performance Work Statement (PWS) sections:

Primary Support:

3.1.2 – Generalized Software Sustainment Process: the TOAD license will support database analysis, troubleshooting, SQL/PLSQL updates, and validation of database changes required for sustainment activities.

3.1.3 – Maintenance and Sustainment Environment: the TOAD license will provide the database management and development capabilities required to maintain and support the CEMS operational environment.

3.1.5 – Database Administration: This is the primary area supported by TOAD. TOAD will provide database administrators and developers capabilities for database management, performance tuning, SQL development, troubleshooting, and operational support.

Additional Supporting Sections:

3.2 – Technology Refresh: TOAD will support database upgrades, migrations, compatibility assessments, and modernization activities.

4.2.2 – Development: TOAD will support development and maintenance of SQL, PL/SQL code, stored procedures, and database objects.

4.2.3 – Test: TOAD will enable validation and troubleshooting of database changes prior to deployment.

4.2.4 – Production: TOAD will support production database monitoring, analysis, issue resolution, and operational sustainment.

4.3 – Configuration Management: TOAD will support controlled database object changes and validation during configuration updates.

“Source Selection Information – see FAR 2.101 and 3.104”

4.4.1 – Testing Support: TOAD will support database-related test activities and verification of application/database interactions.

4.4.3 – Regression Testing: TOAD will assist with validating that database changes do not negatively impact existing functionality.

4.4.4 – Product/System Integration Testing: TOAD will support verification of database functionality within the broader CEMS application environment.

Currently, these efforts are being performed with a legacy PL/SQL Developer. CEMS now requires the augmented capabilities and improved efficiency provided by TOAD.

Provide the following information:

i. Requirement type:

Support services (non-research & development) Supplies/Services Information Technology (IT) or Electronic and Information Technology

Construction Architect-engineer (A-E) Services Design-Build Research & Development (R&D) R&D Support Services Other (specify):

ii. Type of action:

New requirement Follow-on Other (specify): Scope modification (increase ceiling)

iii. Proposed contract/order type

Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) Other Firm-Fixed-Price (Specify, e.g., fixed-price award-fee, fixed-price incentive-fee):

Cost-plus-fixed fee Other cost reimbursement (Specify, e.g., cost-plus-award-fee, cost-plus-incentive-fee Time and Materials (T&M) Labor Hours (LH) Indefinite Delivery (Specify whether indefinite quantity, definite quantity, or requirements)

iv. Acquisition identification number:

“Source Selection Information – see FAR 2.101 and 3.104”

Acquisition authority.

(A) The agency need for the supplies or services is so urgent that providing a fair opportunity would result in unacceptable delays.

(B) Only one awardee is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services ordered are unique or highly specialized.

(C) The order must be issued on a sole-source basis in the interest of economy and efficiency because it is a logical follow-on to an order already issued under the contract, provided that all awardees were given a fair opportunity to be considered for the original order.

(D) It is necessary to place an order to satisfy a minimum guarantee.

(E) For orders exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, a statute expressly authorizes or requires that the purchase be made from a specified source.

Demonstration of the proposed contractor(s) unique qualifications to provide the required supply or service.

(A) Name of the proposed contractor(s).

Concept Plus LLC

(B) Nature of the acquisition and proposed contractor(s) unique qualifications.

Concept Plus was initially selected for contract award based on a demonstrably superior technical approach that aligns strongly with the Department of War’s (DOW) long-term IT strategy. The contractor currently provides all maintenance, sustainment activities, development, support and updates for CEMS. Their proven performance has resulted in system availability to date.

The TOAD licenses are for exclusive use on the CEMS task order and are in scope of the task order, which allows for materials under other direct costs.

Alternative software products are technically unsuitable for CEMS sustainment because basic database tools lack TOAD’s advanced, automated SQL optimization and static code analysis engines, which are critical for preventing system performance degradation and enforcing mandatory coding standards across a mixed workforce. Unlike other commercial alternatives that lack an established Authority to Operate (ATO) on Air Force networks, TOAD is already widely approved and deployed across the DOW enterprise.

Selecting any unapproved alternative would necessitate a lengthy software security evaluation, introducing unacceptable schedule delays and risking

“Source Selection Information – see FAR 2.101 and 3.104” immediate, mission-critical sustainment operations. The CEMS task order is in direct support of multiple defense weapon system programs in sustainment.

5. Determination by the ordering activity Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to be fair and reasonable.

Multiple quotes will be obtained for the TOAD license by Concept Plus and provided to the contracting officer to support a fair and reasonable price determination.

6. Any other facts supporting the justification.

No additional details to add.

7. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers that led to the exception to fair opportunity before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services is made.

It has been determined that TOAD is the only software solution that meets the requirements of the Air Force for the CEMS task order and has an existing ATO across the DOW enterprise. For future requirements, the Air Force will re-evaluate whether pursuing alternatives is in the best interest of the government. These efforts may include contacting knowledgeable individuals in government and industry regarding market capabilities, and reviewing the results of recent market research undertaken to meet similar or identical requirements.

“Source Selection Information – see FAR 2.101 and 3.104” Title

CUI

11. Competition Advocate signature.