Redacted CATR - SAP CJA 22-0140 FINAL.pdf

CJ&A Number: 22-0140

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY

NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER AIRCRAFT DIVISION

22347 CEDAR POINT ROAD UNIT 6

PATUXENT RIVER MARYLAND 20670-1161

CLASS JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1. Contracting Activity.

Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Patuxent River, MD

2. Description of the Action Being Approved.

This Class Justification and Approval (CJ&A) authorizes and approves the issuance of a Firm-Fixed Price contract action on a sole source basis to NSI-MI Technologies LLC, 19730 Magellan Drive, Torrence, CA 90502, to provide preventive and corrective maintenance services and calibration, mid-tier repairs and replacements (as required), software version updates, system training, and the latest basic radio frequency (RF) instrument drivers in support of proprietary components for Compact Antenna Test Range (CATR), services which are only available from the original provider. Authority to act under this CJ&A expires in conjunction with the five-year ordering period of the resultant contract, with an expiration of 30 April 2027.

3. Description of Supplies/Services.

The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Webster Outlying Field (WOLF) Airborne Systems Integration (ASI) Division provides design, development, integration, testing, evaluation, certification, maintenance, and logistics support of naval electronic and communications equipment, subsystems, and systems. The Program Executive Office for Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS) has tasked the Multi-Mission Data Link Systems Engineering Branch within the ASI Division to be the Acquisition Engineering Agent, Design Agent, and In-Service Engineering Agent to support the introduction and life cycle management of the AN/SRQ-4 Radio Terminal Set that is part of the Light Airborne Multipurpose System Mark III Weapon System. As part of this tasking, the ASI Division will break down, evaluate, and repair/refurbish the directional antenna of the AN/SRQ-4. After reassembly, the completed antenna will be tested and certified at the NAWCAD WOLF ASI Division CATR to ensure it meets performance specifications needed for Navy fleet operations.

This effort includes preventive and corrective maintenance services and calibration, mid-tier repairs and replacements (as required), software version updates, system training, and the latest basic RF instrument drivers for the CATR, which were installed by NSI-MI Technologies LLC. There are four pieces of equipment modified by NSI-MI Technologies LLC that require calibration and maintenance and four other pieces of equipment, also modified by NSI-MI Technologies LLC, that require maintenance. In addition, NSI-MI Technologies LLC developed a proprietary software, MI- 3000 Arena Data Acquisition Software, which is utilized to ensure the mechanical and electrical components all

In addition, NSI-MI Technologies LLC’s technicians have the requisite knowledge, experience, and technical expertise to continue maintaining the equipment and training ASI personnel. The Government and NSI-MI Technologies LLC have spent the past 10 years working to maintain the CATR functionality for C Band antennas, while preparing for the introduction of possible Ku band antennas in support of mission needs from PEO IWS.

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

Market research was conducted utilizing various methods to obtain current information for vendors that would be capable of fulfilling the requirement via internet search engines. Such searches revealed a few vendors that were experienced with CATRs, but none that were familiar with NSI- MI Technologies LLC’s proprietary software, MI-3000 Arena Data Acquisition Software, or NSI- MI Technologies LLC’s specially-modified equipment.

A Sources Sought was posted on the Beta System for Award Management (beta.SAM.gov) website on 17 February 2021 to survey the marketplace for additional sources capable of providing the required services. The Sources Sought closed on 04 March 2021. One (1) response was received to the Sources Sought Notice from T.H.E. Company Inc. A review of the response was performed by the Procurement Group, and it was determined that the vendor is not capable of executing the requirement. T.H.E. Company Inc. is an employment agency that works to pair individuals with government requirements, but the vendor did not exhibit specific experience with the requirement, nor did the vendor identify any individuals that would be capable of fulfilling the requirement.

Given the lack of responses to the Sources Sought announcement and additional market research that was performed by the ASI Division, the Procuring Contracting Officer (PCO) determined that a sole source procurement is in the best interest of the Government so as to avoid duplication of cost and schedule. As documented on the Small Business Coordination Record (DD-2579) on 26 January 2021, the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP) concurred with the PCO’s decision. Based on the above, this procurement will be issued on a sole source basis.

7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost.

In accordance with FAR 13.106-3, the Contracting Officer shall ensure that all supplies and services provided under this contract are procured at a fair and reasonable price. The Contractor will submit a formal price proposal with sufficient information on which to base price reasonableness. The Contracting Officer shall utilize market research, historical comparisons, current price lists and/or catalogs, or any other reasonable basis to support an assessment of price reasonableness.

8. Actions to Remove Barriers to Future Competition.

As stated in Section 5 above, the Government intends to utilize NSI-MI Technologies LLC for maintenance, calibration, and software support for the CATR that was installed as a result of contract N68335-14-C-0361 and further maintained on N00421-21-P-0207. The current equipment is expected to be supportable for several years. Once it is deemed that supportability of the current equipment is no longer advantageous to the Government, a new full and open competition can be conducted to establish a new design and upgrade of the CATR. This approach will foster greater interest from industry and has the opportunity to yield additional bidders.

For the reasons stated in paragraph 5, only NSI-MI Technologies LLC can provide the required services to meet this requirement. The Government will continue to monitor Industry to determine if any other vendors are advancing CATR capabilities beyond those available today.