Redacted JA.docx

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1. Contracting Activity.

Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWC-AD) Lakehurst, NJ

2. Description of the Action Being Approved.

This Justification and Approval (J&A) authorizes the procurement of Comrod Inc. (Comrod) brand name Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) Satellite Communications (SATCOM) antennas in support of the Family of Special Operations Vehicles (FOSOV) Program of Record (PoR). The resulting contract will be a fixed price Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) type contract for a five-year period.

3. Description of Supplies/Services.

The NAWCAD Special Communications Mission Solutions (SCMS) Division (AD-4.11.4) has been tasked by the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) to procure Comrod brand name MUOS SATCOM antennas for the FOSOV. The antennas are required to support both legacy and MUOS capabilities including simultaneous voice, video, and mission data transmission and receipt on a high-speed Internet Protocol-based system. MUOS radio terminal users can connect into the Global Information Grid as well as into the Defense Switched Network, providing worldwide Department of Defense communication. The Comrod brand name, vehicle mounted, MUOS SATCOM antenna will be used in conjunction with the current Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Combat Systems, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) suite installed on the FOSOV platforms. To ensure interoperability with existing systems, FOSOV requires a SATCOM antenna capable of supporting legacy ultra-high frequency and MUOS SATCOM systems.

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open Competition.

10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

5. Rationale Justifying Use of Cited Statutory Authority.

The MUOS SATCOM antenna identified is the only known antenna which meets the unique combination of requirements for enhanced capabilities and operational effectiveness. To ensure uninterrupted communication between Special Operations Forces (SOF), the FOSOV program requires an antenna with the latest SATCOM capabilities, including the ability to operate at legacy and MUOS frequencies. The requested Comrod brand name antenna will serve as a replacement for the FOSOV legacy antenna (AV-2091), which is not MUOS-capable, as well as a previously integrated MUOS-capable antenna, manufactured by RAMI. The RAMI antenna was found to be deficient after use in the field when it could not transmit or receive legacy SATCOM communications at low look angles. Not being able to receive or send transmissions at all times puts the SOF mission at risk. After further testing, it was discovered that the inability of the integrated antenna to transmit on the legacy SATCOM frequencies at low look angles is due to the radiation pattern of the antenna. As part of SOF Tactical Communications (STC) program, the DoD awarded a single-award IDIQ contract (contract H92222-17-D-0021) to Harris Corporation to develop the next-generation multi-channel manpack radios for MUOS SATCOM. The contract consists of radios, amplifiers, vehicular systems, antennas, and accessories that support transmission via legacy and MUOS SATCOM frequencies, including the development of the requested Comrod brand name antenna. The Comrod brand name antenna has a quadrifilar helix radiation pattern that effectively facilitates both legacy and MUOS SATCOM transmissions at low look angles. The requested Comrod brand name antenna is the only known solution which meets this unique combination of requirements.

Should the Government elect to procure another manufacturer's MUOS SATCOM antenna, the Government would incur irrecoverable costs and schedule impacts. The Comrod brand name MUOS SATCOM antenna was incorporated into the PoR and is currently undergoing system testing and validation for the required certifications and accreditations. Testing to validate the Comrod brand name MUOS SATCOM antenna’s ability to transmit and operate with the currently integrated C5ISR equipment was conducted. To support the new Comrod brand name antenna, the Government designed a mount. As part of the incorporation in to the PoR, the Government updated a drawing package for each of the FOSOV platforms which included the Comrod brand name antenna. To revise and update the drawing packages for each platform due to the use of an alternate antenna would be an additional cost to the Government as well.

Furthermore, additional testing, solution analysis, design modification, training, and technical documentation updates would cause a delay in schedule impacting the fielding of the required antenna. If an alternative source is selected for this requirement or if procurement is delayed, secure SATCOM communications between SOF will be compromised. The Harris next-generation multi-channel manpack radios for MUOS SATCOM developed IAW contract H92222-17-D-0021, are currently in the field in a limited release. Without the requested antenna, the radios will be unable to transmit SATCOM communications beyond line of sight during the duration of any delay. Loss of communication due to the operational deficiencies of the fielded antennas will render the FOSOV systems non-mission capable and could lead to mission failure and potential loss of life.

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

Market research was conducted to identify commercially available MUOS SATCOM antenna solutions compatible with the FOSOV fleet. A search by nomenclature “Antenna Vehicle, Rigid Base” was conducted through the search engine Google and yielded several manufacturers of this type of equipment, such as Panorama Antennas, Laird Technology, Inc., Cooper Antennas Ltd. and Comrod. However, only Comrod provides a MUOS SATCOM antenna which meets the FOSOV requirements. Further market research revealed that Comrod has several authorized resellers.

Required sources such as National Stock Number (NSN) Inventory were also checked and there was not enough inventory to satisfy the request of this procurement. General Service Administration (GSA) Advantage was checked by part number and yielded no results. A National Aeronautics and Space Administration Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement V search was conducted, but the requested part number and model number are not available.

7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost.

The Contracting Officer shall ensure that the price negotiated for this acquisition is fair and reasonable IAW FAR 15.4. An independent government estimate has been provided for this effort. The contractor will submit a formal price proposal with certified cost or pricing data and sufficient information to support the accuracy and reliability of the estimate. The proposal will be reviewed by experienced technical personnel at SCMS and the Contract Specialist. The Contracting Officer will utilize price analysis in accordance with FAR 15.404-1, including a review of historical data and commercial price lists, as the basis for negotiating a fair and reasonable price.

8. Actions to Remove Barriers to Future Competition.

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY

NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER AIRCRAFT DIVISION

At this time, Comrod is the only known manufacturer that offers a product which meets the FOSOV program requirements. The FOSOV program and SCMS will continue to monitor the market for technological advances that may drive changes to the system design and potentially increase competition. If a candidate emerges during the solicitation phase, other manufacturers can be considered and evaluated. However, they must comply with all form-fit-function standards detailed with the PoR accreditation.

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