SBS0031_JA_SIGNED_Redacted.pdf

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND

OPEN COMPETITION (OTFAOC)

Purchase Request Number: SBS0031 Contract Number: To be determined Task/Delivery Order Number: Not Applicable Procurement Title: 55th Electronic Combat Group (ECG) Airborne Communications

Service Estimated Value:

Statutory Authority: 41 United States Code (U.S.C.) 1901 and Federal Acquisition

Regulation (FAR) Subpart 13.5

Justification for OTFAOC Number: Not Applicable (N/A)

Upon the basis of the following justification, I, as Contracting Officer, hereby approve the use of other than full and open competition of the proposed contractual action pursuant to the authority of 41 U.S.C. 1901 and FAR Subpart 13.5.

1. REQUIRING AGENCY AND CONTRACTING OFFICE:

(a) Requiring Agency:

55th Electronic Combat Group (55 ECG) 5340 S Herky Blvd, Bldg 220 Tucson, AZ 85707

(b) Contracting Activity:

Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization (DITCO) Mobile Satellite Section (PL8221) 2300 East Drive, Building 3600 Scott Air Force Base, Illinois 62225

2. NATURE/DESCRIPTION OF ACTION(S):

This acquisition is to establish a new firm fixed price (FFP) contract with Viasat, Inc. (Viasat), a large business, for Viasat’s Global Broadband Services and private multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) terrestrial backhaul to one location in support of 55 ECG and EC-130H Compass Call aircraft.

Fiscal year 2021 operations and maintenance funding will be used for this effort. 55 ECG does not anticipate any sharing or ceiling arrangements.

3. DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES:

55 ECG operates ten EC-130H combat-capable Compass Call aircraft, supporting worldwide contingency operations. Reliable beyond line of sight (BLOS) communication is essential to

SBS0031 - 55 ECG Airborne Communications Service maintaining situational awareness and effective mission accomplishment. Compass Call’s BLOS communication system uses Viasat’s Ku-band Spread Spectrum (KuSS) service to connect to the Viasat Global Network (VGN/VGNet). This capability will be used to train crews and support world-wide contingency operations. The weapon system does not support any alternative BLOS broadband connections due to the need for compatibility with the ArcLight VMBR-1500 modem and private MPLS circuits between Viasat’s networks and the Compass Call Datalink Ground Station (CCDGS) location. Each aircraft requires access to KuSS service.

The contract will include four subscriptions (simultaneous connections) of VGNet Ku Basic level service (providing up to 1 megabit per second (Mbps) for the forward link (FL) and up to .5 Mbps for the return link (RL)), with portability capability among all ten aircraft, as well as a private MPLS circuit for KuSS data forwarding to Waco, Texas. The period of performance is a 3-month period with no option periods, as well as an Option to Extend Services for up to six months in accordance with (IAW) FAR 52.217-8. The total estimated cost (excluding 6-month option IAW FAR 52.217-8) is anticipated to be .

4. IDENTIFICATION OF STATUTORY AUTHORITY:

This Justification is prepared using the format at FAR 6.303-2 (in accordance with FAR 13.501(a)(1)(ii)); however, this acquisition will utilize the procedures in FAR Subpart 13.5 in accordance with 41 U.S.C. 1901.

5. DEMONSTRATION OF CONTRACTOR’S UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS:

55 ECG provides Electronic Attack utilizing the EC130H Compass Call. The airborne communications service for 55 ECG’s Compass Call aircraft was provided under a line item in delivery orders issued under single-award basic ordering agreement FA862015G4030, which was awarded by 645 Aeronautical Systems Group (Big Safari) to L-3 Communications (L-3) Integrated Systems in 2015. These delivery orders provided services November 7, 2018 through November 6, 2020. Under these individual delivery orders with L-3, the KuSS airtime services are provided by Viasat. No other contractor was capable of supporting these services at the time of award, as only Viasat is capable of providing subscription services to the ArcLight VMBR-1500 modem utilized by the EC-130H. The EC-130H weapon system was built to utilize KuSS for critical communications in combat operations; KuSS includes the ArcLight VMBR-1500 modem and the VR-12H antenna system. Aircraft technical data indicates that the KuSS Antenna Assembly has been part of the baseline weapon system since 2014. The procurement cycle baselines (BLs) for weapons system upgrades to the EC-130H indicate that the VMBR-1500 modem and VR-12H antenna system will be utilized through Fiscal Year 2023. The VR-12H will be replaced with the VR-12C antenna system (with initial operating capability planned in 2023). ; therefore, Viasat will remain the only responsible source .

The proposed contractor for this effort is Viasat, Inc. Viasat is the only provider of global coverage using the VR-12H antenna system, which has already been installed on the EC-130H aircraft for satellite communications and, as indicated above, will remain in use on the EC-130H aircraft for several years. The antenna is controlled only by the ArcLight modem, which is

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Page 3 of 5 Pages proprietary to Viasat. Viasat has built a business model utilizing proprietary hardware equipment and communications waveforms that operate only with Viasat subscription services.

The antenna is installed directly on the aircraft fuselage and sends and receives satellite signals via antenna controls provided by the proprietary ArcLight VMBR-1500 modem. The Viasat ArcLight modem uses a proprietary waveform that also makes it compatible only with the service provided through an ArcLight Hub. At this time, Viasat is the only vendor that provides a commercially-available service utilizing an ArcLight Hub. In addition, the Viasat modem sends controls that operate the VR-12H antenna. The coding used to send communications between the modem and the antenna control unit is also proprietary to Viasat, making the entire radio frequency chain (antenna, antenna control unit, and modem) unable to be altered with equipment other than Viasat equipment. The combination of antenna and modem restrictions locks the installed equipment to use only Viasat services, and there is currently no way to bypass these restrictions. 55 ECG is unable to update the current Viasat proprietary system hardware on the EC-130H aircraft. This combined set of equipment was specifically designed to operate as part of the baseline weapon system.

If the Viasat broadband services are not procured, 55 ECG will lack data communications, resulting in mission failure. Alternate data communications such as Inmarsat are not viable options, as 55 ECG has determined that Inmarsat equipment causes electromagnetic interference with the Compass Call equipment. Compass Call utilizes sensitive equipment to perform electronics attack; electromagnetic interference results in diminished mission capability. Not procuring the required services through Viasat, Inc. will directly and negatively impact communications in combat operations.

6. POTENTIAL SOURCES/FEDBIZOPPS ANNOUNCEMENT:

A synopsis for this action will be published on the Government-wide Point of Entry (GPE), as required by FAR Subpart 5.2. The synopsis will completely identify the Government’s minimum mandatory requirements. A Sources Sought notice was posted in September 2019 to determine whether other sources exist to meet this requirement (results described in Section 8 below), and subsequent market research indicates Viasat, Inc. remains the only available source for the required services.

7. DETERMINATION OF FAIR AND REASONABLE COST:

The Contracting Officer will determine whether Viasat's proposed price is fair and reasonable prior to award. Contractor-proposed pricing will be compared to the independent government cost estimate and multiple other contracts for similar services, as well as Viasat’s published General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule pricing for VGNet services. Based on this analysis, the Contracting Officer will determine whether the proposed price is fair and reasonable.

8. MARKET RESEARCH:

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HQ USSF CSCO conducts regular market research that is kept current and has been performed in the last 12 months, including annual workshops and trade shows that include vendor capabilities displays/discussions. Also, as indicated above, a Sources Sought was posted in September 2019 specifically for VGNet KuSS Services. Three vendors responded: Intelsat General Communications LLC (FlexAir service plans), New Tech Solutions, Inc. (NTS), and Viasat. Intelsat General Communications LLC (Intelsat) submitted a comprehensive response highlighting its non-proprietary system and the antenna hardware that supports its FlexAir subscription service. However, review of the solution indicates that it does not meet the Government’s need without significant investment in equipment and/or updates to the aircraft.

The response from NTS offered a variety of technology services, none of which includes a satellite connectivity service to meet the 55 ECG requirement. The response from Viasat reflected that the company can fulfill the requirements enumerated in the Sources Sought without any impact to the schedule, and referenced the current L3 contract to demonstrate its capability.

Evaluation of all market research conducted has verified that Viasat continues to be the only contractor able to provide the required services.

9. ANY OTHER SUPPORTING FACTS: None.

10. LISTING OF INTERESTED SOURCES:

Intelsat General, New Tech Solutions, and Viasat expressed interest in the procurement through responses to the Sources Sought notice posted in September 2019. Analysis of these responses is described in Section 8, and as indicated, Viasat remains the only contractor able to provide the required services. As stated in Section 6 above, a synopsis will be published on the GPE, as required by FAR 5.201.

11. ACTIONS THE AGENCY MAY TAKE TO REMOVE OR OVERCOME BARRIERS

THAT LED TO THE EXCEPTION TO FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION:

HQ USSF, as the office assigned procurement responsibility for commercial satellite communications, conducts ongoing market research, including engagement with industry on an ongoing basis (such as the events noted in the Market Research section), and communication with vendors upon request to learn about available systems. Consideration has been given to the possibility of utilizing service other than the Viasat service; however, use of an alternative service would require replacement of equipment on the aircraft or cause diminished mission capability as described in Section 5 above. Also as described in Section 5, no other vendor offerings are available for the period of performance covered by this acquisition and Justification. A follow-on acquisition is in development for a five-year period beginning after the instant contract expires. Given ongoing evolution of the satellite industry and related technologies, along with the potential capability of future satellite infrastructure, USSF, Big Safari, and 55 ECG will maintain awareness of other contractor antenna systems and modems for future baselines of the EC-130H weapons system, and will consider other contractor offerings should the capabilities, equipment, and funding for replacement become available in the future.

TECHNICAL CERTIFICATION: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance which are included in the J&A are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

NAME: Stephen Sweetnich SIGNATURE:

TITLE/ORGANIZATION: Captain/United States Air Force Air Combat Command

PHONE: 520-228-9198 DATE:

REQUIREMENTS CERTIFICATION: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance which are included in the J&A are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

NAME: SIGNATURE:

TITLE/ORGANIZATION:

PHONE: 520-22 - DATE:

CONTRACTING OFFICER CERTIFICATION: I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. Since this effort exceeds the simplified acquisition threshold but does not exceed $750,000, this certification serves as APPROVAL.

NAME: Jennifer M. Jones SIGNATURE:

TITLE/ORGANIZATION: Contracting Officer/DISA/DITCO/PL8221

PHONE: 618-418-6379 DATE:

ALL QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS JUSTIFICATION ARE TO BE REFERRED TO

Jennifer M. Jones; (618) 418-6379; jennifer.m.jones265.civ@mail.mil.

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15 Jan 2021

15 Jan 2021

January 16, 2021