A02.06 JA TITAN_Revised Redacted.pdf

Control No: AGC-21-0001 Contractor: Strategic Alliance Consulting (SAC)

FAR Part 6 Justification and Approval for Other than Full and Open Competition

1. Contracting Activity:

U.S. Army Geospatial Center (AGC) Contracts Office U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) 7701 Telegraph Rd., Building 2592 Alexandria, VA 22315-3864

2. Description of Action: This is a modification for a period of performance extension under the current Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract W5J9CQ20C0009 for a three-month period with two (2) one-month option periods with Strategic Alliance Consulting Inc. (SAC). The proposed extension will be funded with Fiscal Year 2021 Research Development Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) funds with an estimated cost of . The Government projects modification issuance by February 2021.

3. Description of Supplies/Services: Services include Systems Engineering Services, Radio Frequency/Communication Services and Information Assurance Services in support of the Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node (TITAN). Specific tasks include; 1) developing hardware and software solutions, 2) assessing current TITAN Surrogate GEOINT and SIGINT software applications and processes, 3) assessing current and future interoperability of the TITAN system with national and tactical processes; 4) development of the TITAN Prototype ground station Line of Sight and Beyond Line of Sight recommendations in system development, 5) engineering design processes, 6) identifying and analyzing various communication systems and recommending best fit for the TITAN prototype for interoperability;

and finally develop and prepare the system to include monthly revised DoD security requirements that provide the confidentiality, integrity, availability and authentication necessary to obtain certification and accreditation and receive “Authorizations to Operate” in tactical environments, minimizing the risk of unauthorized access to tactical systems.

Period of Performance: Three-month extension of the base period: 1 March 2021 to 31 May 2021. Two one-month option periods: 1 June 2021 to 31 June 2021 and 1 July 2021 and 31 July 2021.

Total Estimated Value:

4. Authority Cited: 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(5) as implemented by FAR Part 6.302-5 -- Authorized or Required by Statute. (Refer to FAR Part 6.302-5(b)(6), Sole source awards under the Veterans Benefits Act of 2003 (15 U.S.C.657f.)

5. Reason for Authority Cited: As described in FAR 6.302-5, full and open competition need not be provided for when a statute expressly authorizes or requires that the acquisition be made through another agency or from a specified source. The Veterans Benefit Act of 2003 (15 U.S.C.657) as implemented in FAR 19.14, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Procurement Program, allows for sole source award to service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB). Strategic Alliance Consulting, Inc. (SAC) (CAGE 66VE9), a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) concern was awarded the current sole source contract for the SDVOSB requirement. SAC provided support as the subcontractor under prior contracts. SAC has provided exceptional performance as a prime contractor and subcontractor. This action is for a modification to an existing sole source SDVOSB contract.

Alternatives: If unable to proceed with a sole source award the options available are extremely limited. Suspending operations is completely untenable as Army TENCAP is scheduled to deliver the TITAN pre-prototypes and subsequent C-kits starting in 2 QTR FY22. The amount of development and integration will not have the amount of time necessary to meet these delivery dates if further delays continue. Additionally, the amount of available on-site Government personnel is austere. There are not enough Government personnel to accomplish the requisite tasks as well as no qualified Information Assurance personnel to continue the mission. Finally, the use of the existing TITAN Surrogate systems in lieu of completing the pre-prototype work cannot be sustained. Some of the associated components have reached end of life while others simply are no longer available. These TITAN pre-prototypes and subsequent C-kits are the only viable replacement for the remaining TITAN Surrogate systems in the field.

SAC, Inc. has been providing services to the AGC and Army TENCAP for other programs for the past six years. Their services are highly specialized to the unique nature of the TENCAP program and are not such that any other contractor can simply take over provision of the services without a period of training, familiarization and preparation. A break in service, or a transition period from a new contractor, in support of the TITAN program pending award of a follow-on TITAN services contract would unacceptably delay the Army TENCAP’s ability to respond to Department of the Army G2 and other National agencies' intelligence gathering requirements in the current international operational environment. Without contractual coverage for these critical services, Army TENCAP will fail to execute critical aspects of its mission.

1) From past Market Research, it has been historically difficult to find the specialized skillsets necessary to perform duties listed in the TITAN requirements. Based on these factors, the need for a SDVOSB sole source contract modification to SAC, Inc. is required.

2) Army TENCAP is scheduled to deliver two TITAN pre-prototypes to U.S Army Europe and U.S. Army Pacific in FY22. Significant effort remains to meet Army, DA G2, and theater commands needs. Without granting a sole source to SAC, it could conceivably take a competitor up to six months to learn the complexities of the systems involved, work with all of the necessary parties, and gain the requisite knowledge to proceed with the development work. The delay required to train a competitor would cause Army TENCAP to miss both delivery dates, associated fielding and accreditation work and could harm Army readiness and national security.

Disruption of on-going mission support will result in critical mission failure and unacceptable delays in the deployment of intelligence systems to the Warfighter in the field and will stop any progress on the TITAN program working through the acquisition lifecycle. This could also result in significant negative impact Without the sole source award, a gap in technical support will result in unacceptable delays in critical TITAN systems engineering activities, and further delay in performing these activities will limit Army TENCAP’s ability to respond to DA G2, other agencies’ requirements, and ultimately cause the Army TENCAP to fail in executing its congressionally mandated chartered mission.

Failure would result in Theater Commands and subordinate echelons not receiving required capabilities which support collection, exploitation, and dissemination of critical intelligence in Multi Domain Operations. The loss of critical intelligence capabilities could result in a capability gap when facing near peer adversaries that could

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: In accordance with FAR 19.1404 Exclusions, the Contracting Officer reviewed other sources prior to determining an acquisition strategy of SDVOSB sole source. The Contracting Officer researched the Ability One and Federal Prison Industries’ websites to see if these services can be awarded under FAR 8.002 and found that the required technical services are not covered under these Mandatory Sources. Additionally, no Federal Supply Schedules under FAR subpart 8.4 provide for these technical services. This requirement cannot be fulfilled by an order under FAR subpart 16.5. Lastly, as explained above this requirement was released from the SBA 8(a) program. There are no other known SDVOSB that could perform the current effort without substantial transition. Given that the Government anticipates awarding a competitive award in less than five (5) months, it would be counterproductive for the Government to undergo multiple transitions in such a short period and would result in duplication of cost and effort.

a. Effective Competition: The Contracting Officer does not have a reasonable expectation that offers would be received from two or more service-disabled veteran-owned small business concerns qualified to perform the services required due to the short term nature and required transition. In accordance with FAR 5.201(b)((1)(ii) and FAR 5.207(c)(16)(i), the Government’s intent to modify the Contract will be synopsized as a sole source requirement after approval of this justification and responses will be considered.

b. Subcontracting Competition: To ensure SAC competitively awards subcontracts to the maximum extent possible, the current contract contains FAR Clause 52.244-5, Competition in Subcontracting. The contract clause requires the contractor to compete subcontracts to the maximum extent practical.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: The Government issued an RFP for a follow-on effort as a competitive, SDVOSB set-aside on January 22, 2021. The Government anticipates adequate competition through this competitive effort. The extension of the current contract will allow the Government adequate time to complete the source selection process to ensure a fair and reasonable award without any disruption in support.

8. Market Research: Upon the decision to pull the current contract out of the 8(a) SB Program, the AGC began Market Research to determine the availability of SDVOSB concerns capable of meeting the requirements to perform the duties for the TITAN services. In accordance with Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 205.205-71, DFARS 206.302-1(d), and DFARS Procedures, Guidance and Information (PGI) 206.302-1(d), a request for information / sources sought was posted to Federal Business Opportunities on 11 August 2020 for 30 days to determine the availability of SDVOSB concerns which possess the capability to execute the requirements for TITAN services. There were five respondents indicating an interest in competing for these requirements. Of the five interested offerors, only one provided evidence of potential to satisfy the full Army TITAN requirement.

9. Interested Sources: From the RFI/SS issued, the following showed interest in this effort:

1) experience is primarily focused on tactical radios and SATCOM systems with some previous TENCAP experience. The company does have some Contingency Operations SIGINT experience, however GEOINT experience is more geospatially focused without much involvement with the Intelligence aspects and does not meet the

The prior contract, W5J9CQ19C0005, was awarded to Cherokee Nation Strategic Programs, LLC. The Period of Performance of one year beginning on 30 September 2019 and ending on 29 September 2020. The contract was awarded as a sole source 8(a) Small Business set aside as a Firm Fixed Price contract. The competitive status of action was implemented under FAR Part 6.302-5(b)(4) for other than full and open competition.

(2) A summary of actions taken to increase competition in the previous J&A (Control Number SD-20-0013) written are as follows. The requirement was removed 8(a) Program because this highly specialized service requirement was being completed unsatisfactory by the 8(a) prime contractors performing the work. A Request for Information (RFI)/Sources Sought (SS) for the TITAN services were posted on Beta SAM for 30 days. The Government received five responses to the RFI/SS posted. Of those, only one was found fully capable, two were found partially capable and two were found not capable to fulfill the requirements of this TITAN services requirement. As such, the Government determined that only one source, SAC, was capable of fulfilling the requirements necessary to ensure no break in service. SAC was awarded Contract W5J9CQ20C0009. A competitive SDVOSB set-aside acquisition was planned to during this 5-month contract where the Government expects to receive at least two responses to a request for proposal. The results of the action, to increase competition in the previous J&A, are that AGC still anticipates awarding a competitive award at the conclusion of the three-month extension.

(3) Technical Services for TITAN are a recurring need for AGC. A break in service would be detrimental to the program and would cause serious ramifications in the TITAN development cycle. The significant change from the prior justification is that AGC is requesting a three-month extension of service from SAC. AGC requires a three-month extension of the current contract W5J9CQ20C0009 in order to complete a competitive follow-on requirement.

11. Technical Certification: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance which are included in the justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Typed Name: Michael J. Pee Date:

Title: Systems Engineer, AGC Signat

12. Fair and Reasonable Cost Determination: I hereby determine that the anticipated cost or price to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable.

This determination will be made using the following: cost analysis price analysis should cost IGCE audit: _________________ other: _________________

As a part of this basis, certified cost or pricing data:

will be required.

will not be required and the following exception applies (FAR 15.403):

Prices that will be agreed upon are based on adequate price competition.

Prices that will be agreed upon are based on prices set by law or regulation.

A commercial item is being acquired.

A waiver has been granted by the head of the contracting activity (HCA) in accordance with DFARS PGI 215.403-1.

The contract action is a modification to a contract or subcontract for commercial item(s).

The estimated cost of the contract action is less than the threshold for certified cost or pricing data.

Typed Name: L. Maria Finan Date:

Title: Contracting Officer Signatur

13. Contracting Officer Certification: I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Typed Name: L. Maria Finan Date:

Title: Contracting Officer Signature

Approval Based on the foregoing justification, I hereby approve the procurement of Technical Services for the Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node on an other than full and open competition basis pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S.C.2304(c) (5), as implemented by FAR Part 6.302-5 -- Authorized or Required by Statute, subject to availability of funds, and provided that the services or property herein described have otherwise been authorized for acquisition.

L. Maria Finan Date:

Contracting Officer Signature: