SAMDA JOFOC Extension_Final.pdf

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

(JOFOC)

For SUPPORT OF ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE, MODELING, AND DATA

ASSIMILATION (SAMDA) Contract # NNG17HP01C

1. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.303-2(b)(1) – Identification of the agency and the contracting activity, and specific identification of the document as a “Justification for other than full and open competition.”

This document is a justification for other than full and open competition prepared by the

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center

(GSFC).

The procuring agency is NASA, and the contracting activity is GSFC.

2. FAR 6.303-2(b)(2) – The nature and/or description of the action being approved:

This justification provides the rationale for using other than full and open competition to continue the services provided under the Support for Atmospheric Sciences, Modeling and

Data Assimilation (SAMDA) contract number NNG17HP01C, with Science Systems and

Applications, Inc. (SSAI) for a period of eighteen (18) months with six (6) one-month option periods, which is beyond the current contract expiration date of August 31, 2022, either as a contract extension or bridge. It is anticipated that a follow-on contract will be awarded by

March 2024, with a 45-day phase-in period commencing in March 2024, and a contract effective date in May 2024.

3. FAR 6.303-2(b)(3) – A description of the supplies or services required, to meet the

Agency’s needs (including the estimated value):

This justification provides the rationale for using other than full and open competition to award a bridge or an extension to contract NNG17HP01C with SSAI for providing support to the GSFC scientists in the Earth Science Division (Code 610). Specifically, the contract supports the full range of research and development activities of the Earth Sciences Division

– Atmospheres (Code 610AT) and the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO, Code 610.1), and the operational activities of the GMAO. The areas where support will be provided include: (1) Instrumentation, (2) Data Processing and Analysis, (3) Earth System

Modeling and Analysis, (4) Documentation and Presentation, (5) Education and Public

Outreach, and (6) Mission Science. Specific elements within the mentioned areas include:

design, develop, test, maintain, calibrate, and operation of sub-orbital instruments for atmospheric and solar observations; processing and analysis of data collected by instruments observing the Earth atmosphere or solar radiation from spacecraft, sub-orbital platforms, or the ground; development, testing, operation, improvement, and documentation of computer models that describe Earth system processes; support project scientists in the formulation, implementation, and operation of satellite missions; support the preparation of research proposals, refereed journal publications, manuscripts for symposia, and provide communications of research objectives and results both to the general public and NASA

Management in a formal and informal way. This contract also provides support to the

GMAO including development and use of models and assimilation systems with the goals of advancing satellite data in weather and climate prediction, and using satellite data to advance the environmental modeling capabilities of the United States. The Contractor shall provide support services in all aspects of: (1) design, development, testing, maintenance, calibration and operation of instruments; (2) processing and analysis of data; (3) development, testing, operation, improvement, software optimization, and documentation of computer models that describe Earth systems; (4) preparation of research proposals, refereed journal publications, manuscripts for symposia proceedings, and presentations; and (5) formulation, implementation and operation of satellite missions.

NASA GSFC is proposing to increase the contract maximum ordering value by an amount of

$80M and extend the current contract effective ordering period by an additional eighteen (18) months with six (6) one-month option periods for a total of no more than twenty-four (24) months to allow for new and continued performance and continuation of mission critical services under the SAMDA contract.

The contract bridge or extension periods were determined based on the anticipated time needed to complete the award of the follow-on contract, SAMDA II. The bridge or extension period will allow sufficient time to complete the follow-on activities and factors in enough time to include discussion, if needed.

The SAMDA contract bridge or extension ensures continuity of technology development, system operation and system maintenance activities performed by the GMAO for the

Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) Data Assimilation System (DAS). The DAS provides assimilated data products to instrument teams for use in their retrieval algorithms, and generates products in support of NASA field campaigns and various international projects, including routine inter-comparison with analyses and forecasts made at Numerical

Weather Prediction (NWP) centers around the world. The DAS also provides reanalysis products focused on the climate record, by reprocessing historical data streams throughout the satellite era, which are openly available online through the Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC). Products that support international projects and field campaigns are generally available through the data portal of the NASA Center for

Climate Simulation (NCCS). Model simulations are also generated for scientific analysis and are available for collaborating scientists.

Also, the contract bridge or extension provides continuous program support to the full scope of research and development activities of Code 610AT which conducts a comprehensive atmospheric science research and technology development program directed towards observing, monitoring, characterizing, modeling, understanding, and advancing knowledge of the Earth’s atmosphere. The research program is aimed at understanding the structure, dynamics, and radiative properties of clouds, aerosols, and precipitation; understanding atmospheric chemistry, especially the role of natural and anthropogenic trace species on the ozone balance in the stratosphere and troposphere; understanding the influence of solar variability on the Earth’s climate; and advancing our understanding of the physical properties of the Earth’s atmosphere including its interaction with the Earth surface. These research activities are carried out in collaboration across GSFC organizations and with domestic and international partners in universities, private industry, and other government agencies. All this work supports and is consistent with the NASA mission in Earth Science. There would be a considerable impact to the science collaborations and data products development if there were any interruptions in the support provided to these activities caused by the absence of a contractor. The current personnel engineers have developed expertise and experience to meet the ongoing, research and technology development activities. SSAI has been supporting this work for five (5) years. Not extending this contract or awarding a bridge contract to another contractor poses an unacceptable risk to NASA projects as well as international scientific collaborations. Also, the amount of time needed to train new personnel to perform the work requirements would be considerable since interruptions in services may occur due to unfamiliarity with the ongoing activities.

Without an increase to the maximum ordering value, NASA GSFC would be precluded from continuing current ongoing support requirements and issuing further new short-term task orders for services under this contract bridge or extension. An interruption and restart of those tasks with a new contractor that is unfamiliar with the NASA GSFC environment and the specific requirement of the SAMDA contract would greatly jeopardize the success of

NASA GSFC’s implementation of critical and highly visible Agency programs.

4. FAR 6.303-2(b)(4) – An identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition:

The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 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 (10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1)).

5. FAR 6.303-2(b)(5) – A demonstration that the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited:

The rationale supporting the use of 10 U.S.C. 2304(c) (1) is that a sole-source bridge or extension to Science Systems and Applications, Inc (SSAI) is necessary due to the nature of the work to be performed, the continuity of research and development activities, and because

NASA currently has a competitive follow-on procurement underway.

As the incumbent contractor, SSAI, has become uniquely qualified to provide services required during this bridge or extension since they have been doing it for five (5) years.

Contractor support is needed for a period of time until the 5-year follow-on contract is awarded. SSAI is able to continue providing support without requiring a transition period and/or the normal learning curve typically encountered by new incoming contractors. Should these activities be interrupted, NASA will be unable to produce critical data products required by other NASA’s projects in order to remain on schedule. In determining a solution that represents the least amount of risk to the government, stability and continuity are considered to be critical factors. SSAI is considered the only contractor that can meet GSFC’s needs given the ongoing nature, complexity and uniqueness of the activities that will be performed under the bridge or extension period of the contract.

The SAMDA II Request for Proposal (RFP) was released on July 27, 2021; however, during this solicitation period a NAICS Code protest was filed by Applewood Engineering. This decision led to the SAMDA II final request for proposal’s NAICS Code being amending from NAICS

541715, Guided Missiles and Space Vehicles Exception (1250 employee size standard) to

NAICS 541715, Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Science

(except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (1000 employee size standard). Consequently, the due date for proposal receipt was extended to October 28, 2021.

On October 28, 2021 the Government received two (2) proposals for evaluation from SSAI, Inc.

and Adaptive Intellect, LLC (AI). The Source Evaluation Board completed its initial evaluations on February 4, 2022 and presented their findings to the Source Selection Authority (SSA) on

March 3, 2022. The SSA selected (SSAI) as the apparent successful offeror for the SAMDA II procurement. Overall, the SSA found that the SSAI proposal excelled in both Mission Suitability

Subfactors, had the lowest proposed and probable costs, and had more relevant, high-quality past performance. Also, according to the evaluation findings, the AI proposal was determined technically unacceptable. Shortly thereafter on March 18, 2022, the Contracting Officer requested a formal size determination with the Small Business Administration (SBA) in accordance with 13 C.F.R. §121.1001 to which a ruling was made. Concurrently AI also filed a similar protest to SBA. On April 28, 2022, SBA ruled that SSAI, Inc. was deemed a Large

Business and therefore ineligible for award. These events left NASA with no viable offerors and necessitating the cancellation of the solicitation.

A sole source award is necessary for uninterrupted continuation of mission critical support, to avoid duplication of cost if competed, and avoid unnecessary schedule delays to the numerous

NASA/GSFC programs listed in this document. SSAI personnel perform work critical to

NASA and other Federal customers (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

(NOAA), National Science Foundation (NSF), United States Geological Survey (USGS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Air Force, etc.) through reimbursable agreements. This work includes ongoing and upcoming multi-agency airborne field campaigns, algorithm maintenance and processing of operational satellite data (e.g., Global

Precipitation Measurement (GPM), Aura, etc.), development of algorithms and instrumentation support for on-going Flight projects (e.g., Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean

Ecosystem (PACE), Atmosphere Observing System (AOS), Global Ecosystem Dynamics

Investigation (GEDI)), support for NASA Research and Analysis (R&A) funded technology development, and maintenance of the GMAO real-time global modeling and data assimilation systems. Interrupting these activities would prevent the Earth Sciences Division from meeting schedules and deliverables set by Headquarters and by Federal customers.

SSAI is considered the only contractor that can meet NASA/GSFC’s continuing needs under the

SAMDA contract for this bridge or extension period.

6. FAR 6.303-2(b)(6) – A description of the 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 5.202 applies:

A notice to the Government Point of Entry (GPE) website (beta.sam.gov) was published on

July 19, 2022 in accordance with FAR Subpart 5.2. This posting informed potential sources of NASA’s intent to award this sole-source bridge or extension to Science Systems and

Applications, Inc. The results of this synopsis are summarized in Section 10 below.

7. FAR 6.303-2(b)(7) – A determination by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable:

The Contracting Officer’s signature on this document indicates that the Contracting Officer has determined that the anticipated cost to the government will be fair and reasonable. The

Contractor shall be required to submit a proposal to be evaluated and negotiated by the

Government. Prior to execution of the contractual instrument, a proposal analysis will be performed. The proposal analysis will ensure that the final agreed-to price for the contract action is fair and reasonable.

The SAMDA contract was a competitively awarded IDIQ contract with work authorized by individual task orders, which are priced using the labor categories and fully burdened direct labor rates established in the contract under Attachment B. These established rates are on an annual basis and cover the remaining ordering period. Calendar year 6 and 7 rates will be requested and received from the contractor for the extended ordering period. In addition, the

Contracting Officer’s Representative and the Contracting Officer will review the contractor’s task plans and estimates to determine that the direct labor rates, direct labor hours, skill mix, other direct costs, indirect costs, and fee(s) are fair and reasonable prior to each task being issued, as is the practice with the current contract.

8. FAR 6.303-2(b)(8) – Description of the market research conducted, and the results, or a statement of the reasons a market research was not conducted:

Given the urgency of the need, and the immensity and complexity of the requirement, no in-depth market research was conducted for this request for bridge or extension. Within this limited time frame for implementing this contract bridge or extension, NASA GSFC does not believe any alternate sources can take on full contract responsibility without risk of an unacceptable delay to the Earth Science work performed under the SAMDA contract. The

Government would unnecessarily incur significant additional cost if another contractor were to perform this effort. A competitive contract is expected to be awarded by the end of this proposed contract bridge or extension, if not sooner. An assessment of other existing current contracts was made with the conclusion that no viable contract vehicles existed that could reasonably support the requirement.

9. FAR 6.303-2(b)(9) – Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition:

Since these functions are to be continued for the proposed contract bridge or extension, detailed knowledge of the existing SAMDA contract greatly aids the Contractor’s ability to effectively and efficiently manage the tasks in a timely manner during the proposed bridge or extension period, with no undue schedule delays. This will benefit the Government through lower technical risk and staying on mission critical schedules. It is anticipated that an award to any other source for this bridge or extension period would result in unacceptable delays in fulfilling NASA/GSFC’s requirements.

10. FAR 6.303-2(b)(10) – A listing of the sources, if any, that expressed an interest in writing in the acquisition:

A notice of NASA’s intent to award this sole-source action was synopsized on the GPE website (beta.sam.gov) per FAR Subpart 5.2 (See Section 6 above) on July 19, 2022 and closed on August 3, 2022. One response was received from Adaptive Intellect LLC, who did not substantiate sufficient capability to perform the technical requirements for the bridge or extension period.

11. FAR 6.303-2(b)(11) – A statement of actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required:

The Agency will continue to examine the market in the future for alternative solutions or new sources before executing any subsequent acquisitions for the same requirements. The

Government is in the process of conducting a competition for the follow-on competition.