RT00107-24 EXata Justification Review Document_rev2 (13 Mar 2024) KO signed_Redacted.pdf

CUI/SP-SSEL

CONTROL NUMBER: MZB-B-J&A24-1740

Justification Review Document for Other than Full and Open Competition – FAR Part 6

Contracting Activity: The U.S. Army Contracting Command-Redstone, Attention: CCAM- MZB-B, Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898-5000

2. Description of Action: The Technology Development Directorate (TDD) of the Combat Capabilities Development Command, Aviation and Missile Center, (DEVCOM AvMC), Redstone Arsenal, Alabama requests a new firm-fixed price contract for the acquisition of software updates and maintenance for EXata Software to support the Tactical Engagement Network Simulator (TENS). The Government projects award for March, Fiscal Year 2024. Fiscal Year 2024, Army Research Development Test and Engineering funds will be used for this acquisition.

3. Description of Supplies/Services: The below requirements shall be met.

EXata Base Network Emulation Software Quantity (1)

TIREM Propagation Interface for QualNet or EXata Software USB portable, software support subscription.

Quantity (1)

Military Radios Library for QualNet or EXata Software (ITAR) USB portable, Quantity (1)

Joint Network Emulator Library for EXata Software (ITAR) USB portable, Quantity (1)

Federation Interfaces Library for QualNet or EXata Software USB portable, Quantity (1)

4. Authority Cited: 10 U.S.C 2304(c)(1) as implemented by FAR 6.302-1 - Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

CONTROL NUMBER: MZB-B-J&A24-1740

Reason for Authority Cited: EXata software is the only software that meets the Government technical requirement. The performance verification of the AvMC customer network solutions requires the modeling and high-fidelity emulation of various waveforms and network scenarios. The waveform library currently used by AvMC is a Government Owned Product library referred to as the Joint Network Emulator (JNE) waveform library. JNE runs on the commercially provided simulation environment EXata supported by Keysight Technologies. The Army, and other military services, have invested millions of dollars to provide high fidelity legacy (e.g., Enhance Position Location Reporting System (EPLRS), Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS), LINK-16, LINK-11, Satellite Communications (SATCOM), Amplitude Modulation / Frequency Modulation (AM/FM), Cellular, etc.) and high fidelity emerging (e.g., Joint Tactical Radio System Wideband Network Waveform (JTRS WNW), Joint Tactical Radio System High band Network Waveform (JTRS HNW), Joint Tactical Radio System Network Centric Waveform (JTRS NCW), Mobile User Objective System (MUOS), etc.)

waveform emulation support to its developers within the EXata/Joint Network Emulator (JNE) tools set. No other software simulation environment has this unique capability.

5. This requirement is for the maintenance of software already purchased by the Government, to acquire new software would be cost prohibitive. The EXata software license key is a unique product only produced by Keysight Technologies. Alternate software packages do not provide the same capabilities and would be incompatible with currently owned government software products and network performance support equipment.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: Riverbed Technology, www.riverbed.com, previously known as OPNET Technologies, has been surveyed and doesn’t provide the capabilities and/or the software maintenance key to operate the EXata product. Cisco, www.cisco.com, has been surveyed and also doesn’t provide the capabilities and/or the software maintenance key necessary to operate the EXata product.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: In the future, any new developments in this technology area will be evaluated to determine whether the requirement can be procured under full and open competition.

8. Market Research: Market research has been conducted for this acquisition by John Fleischman, Senior Electronics Engineer in TDD. A Search of DoD ESI, https://www.esi.mil, was negative, CHESS ITES-SW2 RFQ Number 475985, the software was not available SONA 216798083 was issued from CHESS. GSA was searched and the software is not available there. The following market research techniques were used: Personal knowledge in procuring supplies/ services of this type along with internet searches completed and no other companies produce this specific software maintenance key. The EXata software license key is a unique product only produced by Keysight Technologies. It has been determined that Keysight