REDACTED_FY26 HNI BNJ_Redacted.pdf

Justification and Approval (J&A) for Other Than Full and Open Competition

August 2023 Page 3 of 6August 2023 Page 3 of 6 contract, is an item peculiar to one manufacturer. Brand-name specifications shall not be used unless the particular brand-name, product, or feature is essential to the Government's requirements and market research indicates other companies' similar products, or products lacking the particular feature, do not meet, or cannot be modified to meet, the agency's needs. The License and Support Renewals are essential to the Government's current requirements.

HNI designs the Air Force Information Network (AFIN) by defining technical engineering requirements and awarding integration contracts. Integrators build the network by selecting COTS products and integrating them together to satisfy technical requirements. This results in many systems, which together make up the larger AFIN.

After deployment, HNI sustains these systems to ensure the continual operation of the AFIN. These systems feature hardware and software from OEMs that require annual licensing and support renewals, which this class BNJ addresses. . Other OEMs do not have the technical data rights in order to write patches and perform other OEM specific work. In order to maintain existing AFIN capabilities, no other software could be used without new integration, testing, and authorizations for the simple maintenance of a complex internet ecosystem. The systems that make up the AFIN are re-evaluated at various inflection points that occur roughly every five years. The inflection points include when their are drastic pricing changes, when there are capability updates to include functional replacements and modernization, when there is a change in mission set, and when market research reveals industry has developed a new capability and the government would like to incorporate it. These inflection points are not on a set schedule, but occur throughout the Fiscal Year and the life of the system.

Functional Replacements will occur when an OEM discontinues product support. This drives a need for the most updated version of said product in order to prevent obsolescence and continue uninterrupted system operations.

Per the Functional Replacement Internal Process Guide (IPG), approved by the HNIB Materiel Leader in 2021, if there is no additional capability required, then the upgrade will be treated as a sustainment action, and HNI will use the same OEM. When a system reaches end of life, HNIB will seek to modernize the platform. This occurs about every 5 years, or when a capability upgrade is needed. This follows a standard acquisition process, to include and AF Form 1067 and a formal source selection. The source selection is for an integrator, not individual components of the AFIN. The integrator selects the commercial components that will be used. This is where the competition takes place and is separate from the annual License and Support Renewals that this BNJ addresses.

Outside of the inflection points above, HNI does not hold competitions for reconsideration of all OEMs.

Changing or adding a system of systems with so many dependencies creates substantial unknown 2nd and 3rd order effects. The integration process includes, at a minimum, a Security Impact Assessment that could include an Authority to Operate (ATO) depending on the scope of the change. Changing previously fielded systems would require lab testing, an engineering change evaluation, Technical Order (TO) publications, Type 1 training for the operators, and Operational Acceptance of the new system. Costs of these changes

. Since multiple systems are part of the AFIN, using other software licenses or support that are not already implemented in the system would create a duplication of cost that will not be recovered through competition.

Substituting like or similar products also creates a degradation to organic proficiency that creates additional risk in our ability to maintain the availability, security and cyber health of the network. In order to win in the cyberspace frontier, our airmen must be both proficient and efficient at maintaining the network. The AFIN is a complex, integrated system as evidenced by the number of OEMs currently existing in our system. It is not feasible nor logical to continuously increase the number of products that need to be learned, operated and sustained.

Similarly, it is beneficial to the 688th Cyberspace Wing, who defends the governments cyberspace domain, to have a limited number vulnerabilities that result from adding OEMs to the network. The government must balance between needing more than one service provider, but not so many that we are exposing ourselves to unnecessary risks.

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The renewals of the annual licenses and support for numerous brand name products identified from previously incorporated OEMs listed herein are essential to the Government's requirements because only the OEM can provide support to its hardware and software. Developing, compiling, integrating, and deploying vulnerability patches and updates require proprietary source code and proprietary knowledge, which is only available through the OEM. Therefore, other companies' products can not be modified to meet the Government's needs. Market research was conducted to determine market availability of licensed resellers.

The Orders awarded as a result of this J&A eliminate these costs in both time and resources by continuing to provide the same level of product support as is currently provided on fielded equipment and weapon systems. The License and Support Renewals are critical to maintaining the operational capabilities that AFLCMC/HNI provides to the Air Force Information Network (AFIN).

V. Description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under

FAR 5.202 applies.

Solicitations for these requirements will be posted to DAF ELA, DOD JELAs DoD ESI, 2GIT in accordance with the priorities and processes described in AFMAN 17.1203 3.6.3. These orders are against an existing contract that was previously synopsized and are therefore exempt from synopsis per FAR 5.202(a)(11). If market research indicates none of the aforementioned vendors are viable options, the government will consider Other Vendor Authorized Sources such as NASA SEWP, which is an IDIQ. Per FAR 5.202(a)(6), orders placed on IDIQ contracts are exempt from synopsis, and therefore these will not be synopsized.

If there are not any existing contract vehicles available, the government will synopsize requirements in accordance with FAR Subpart 5.2 and solicit on the open market. Market Research will be completed for each of these renewals to ensure that there are at least 2 or more qualified offerers that are capable of fulfilling the Government's requirements.

To gain insight from industry for the AFIN systems themselves and possible alternatives, the government issued a sources sought, specifically an RFI titled Annual AFNET License support (AFNET-RFI-2025) on 12 September 2025. General descriptions of the current OEMs in use, as well as a broad description of their capabilities, was provided via the GPE. No responses were received to this RFI.

The government will continue to perform strategic market research and will create individual Market Research Reports to be submitted with each requirements package that is within the scope of this class BNJ. Since the requirements covered under this BNJ are for the sustainment of existing systems, the ability to potentially replace one of the governments current components will not automatically result in the cancellation of the current sustainment requirements. In order to maintain existing AFIN capabilities, new integration, testing, and authorizations would need to be put in place to accommodate any changes to the baseline.

VI. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable.

Based upon (1) adequate price competition found within the federal supply schedules being utilized, (2) price competition from other vendor authorized resellers in the commercial marketplace, and (3) the comparison of proposed prices to historical prices paid for the same or similar items, the contracting officer expects they will be able to determine that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable.

In accordance with DoD Class Deviation 2014-O0011- Determination of Fair and Reasonable Prices When Using Federal Supply Schedule Contracts, "Supplies offered on the schedule are listed at fixed prices. Services offered on the schedule are priced either at hourly rates, or at a fixed price for performance of a specific task (e.g., August 2023 Page 5 of 6August 2023 Page 5 of 6 installation, maintenance, and repair). GSA has determined the prices of supplies and fixed-price services, and rates for services offered at hourly rates, to be fair and reasonable for the purpose of establishing the schedule contract.

GSA's determination does not relieve the ordering activity contracting officer from the responsibility of making a determination of fair and reasonable pricing for individual orders, BPAs, and orders under BPAs, using the proposal analysis techniques at 15.404-1. The complexity and circumstances of each acquisition should determine the level of detail of the analysis required."

VII. Description of the market research conducted and the results, or a statement of the reasons market research was not conducted.

As the items listed herein are commercial License and Support Renewals, AFLCMC/HNIB conducts market research primarily through the review of mandatory-use multiple award schedules to understand availability, competition and where the Government would obtain the best value. The requiring office also contacts the OEMs directly prior to finalizing their requirements packages to confirm the most up to date information about authorized resellers.

The market research conducted as part of the annual License and Support Renewals is limited to resellers who are authorized to provide the support from the OEMs listed in Attachment 1. Reconsidering the OEMs themselves is beyond the scope of this annual renewal process. Market research for additional OEMs that could meet the needs of AFNET requirements is conducted by HNIB at the program level at the inflection points discussed in paragraph IV.

These evaluations have led to the discovery of duplicities, cost increases, and irrelevant equipment and functionalities that were ultimately removed from the network.

HNI engages in strategic market research by reviewing publications from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), issuing regular Requests for Information (RFIs), and engaging with industry through industry days and other touch points. RFI's are often used to remain up to date on industry best practices, as well as opportunities to improve the systems currently in place. These RFIs are not issued on a set schedule, but as the questions arise, which occurs numerous times throughout the year. Responses to these RFIs are tested by engineers in various parts of the AFIN to verify ability and understand what impact there would be to the AFIN. These tests are used by HNI leadership to determine what updates to pursue and to inform future plans.

Market research and historical program data indicate that impact on small businesses would be negligible. The same mandatory sources described above would continue to be utilized for the 12 months of this J&A. DOD ESI reported that their vendor pool is 54% small businesses. Of those small businesses, 20% Veteran Owned Small Business, 18% are Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses, 12% are HubZone, and 8% are Women Owned Small Business. Similarly, the 2GIT vendor pool is 67% small business, and the NASA SEWP vendor pool is 74% Small Business. In FY24, 30 of the 50 OEMs that received contracts from HNI for License and Support Renewals were small business. As of 1 May 2025, 19 of the 41 OEMs that have received awards thus far have been small businesses. There would likely be no change from the current level of contracts awarded to small businesses through the annual License and Support Renewal program.

VIII. Any other facts supporting the use of Other Than Full and Open Competition.

The Air Force Information Network (AFIN) is a multi-billion dollar portfolio of AF programs that ensure an effective worldwide, fixed-base, high-speed, high-capacity, reliable and secure digital communications infrastructure.

The AFIN system consists of enterprise-wide tools, equipment and media that provide traditional and wireless base network infrastructure, network monitoring and network defense at Active Duty Air Force (ADAF), Air Force Reserve (AFR), and ANG bases worldwide. The AFIN infrastructure provides the Warfighter with full access to real-time C2 information for day-to-day operations and contingencies. The items included in this BNJ are a part of the AFIN. Maintaining the applicable licenses and support agreements needed to keep the AFIN operational and secure

August 2023 Page 6 of 6 allows for uninterrupted operations across the DAF. Any lapse in licenses will have critical impacts on the workforces ability to access and use any program supported by the AFIN. This J&A will help streamline the HNI OEM renewal process, which will allow members to use more time on additional Air Force priorities.

IX. List of any sources that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition.

To gain insight from industry for the AFIN systems themselves and possible alternatives, the government issued a sources sought, specifically an RFI titled Annual AFNET License support (AFNET-RFI-2025) on 12 September 2025. General descriptions of the current OEMs in use, as well as a broad description of their capabilities, was provided via the GPE. No responses were received to this RFI.

X. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisitions for the supplies or services required.

While changes to the baseline configuration of the affected weapons systems are limited by DISA and JITC, AFLCMC/HNI conducts ongoing market surveillance to understand industry best practices and to seek instances that would benefit from competition. HNIK will encourage future systems to be modular to the extent that engineers deem this practical.

XI. Certification by the Contracting Officer.

As evidenced by my signature above, I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

XII. Certification by the technical/requirements personnel.

As evidenced by my (our) signature(s) above, I (we) certify that any supporting data contained herein, which is my (our) responsibility, is both accurate and complete.