Single Source Justification - Accelerate Concealed Comms Capability.pdf

CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION

Single Source Justification (Simplified Acquisition)

CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION April 2021 Page 1 of 2

Section B: Description of the Supplies/Services Required

Section C: Justification for Soliciting from a Single Source or Brand Name

Section D: Efforts to Obtain Competition

Is this a Bridge Action as defined in the AF Bridge Action Reduction Plan? Yes No

Contracting Activity: HQ ACC AMIC/PKAC 300 Exploration Way Hampton, VA 23666

Project/Program Name: Accelerate Concealed Comms Capability

Purchase Request / Local ID Number: F2QF594233AW01

Estimated Contract Cost (including Options): $150,000.00

The Contractor shall develop a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) design that enables legacy radio and data link waveforms to be concealed within the noise floor, while remaining resistant/resilient to jamming. At the conclusion of performance, the Contractor will provide a report that documents empirical data collection, spectral analyses of the waveforms used and preserved through the optical signal conditioning, and the level of concealment enabled.

The critical technology element currently doesn't exist for 'accelerated conceal capability'; it is a custom photonic integrated circuit (PIC) designed by a single commercial vendor. Multi-year research has shown many are pursuing a similar capability using commercial off the shelf (COTS) parts co-packaged via fiber inter-connects, but that approach won't suffice for this need, due to: 1) SWaP (size, weight, power) requirements 2) Survivability requirements and 3) Performance requirements.

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has explored Photonics under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Lockheed Martin and claimed there was no benefit, primarily because they used COTS parts. Lockheed promised to continue exploring solutions, but then did not fund more Photonics work under the

AFRL CRADA.

The Principal Investigator for that research then left Lockheed to work for Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) and was subsequently successful at achieving a high-quality level circuit. The first PIC succeeded in field experiments with the 46 Test Squadron at Eglin AFB. Both the Navy and ACC followed the Principal Investigator's research because she has the vision and engineering background to re-purpose telecommunications capability into new applications for the DoD. She has validated at the concept level a common Photonic package that will work with any U.S. tactical radio, and we are exploring if it will also work for data link - initial testing is very positive.

DCOM authorized up to $2M per year to be allocated to grassroots innovative projects that advance ACC priorities.

The Innovation Enabling Board (IEB), chaired by ACC/A3, ACC/A589 and ACC/ST, maximizes use of this funding by soliciting and selecting nominated projects. Based on the successful experiments with TACP radios at 46 TS, A3J requested $150k of funding from the IEB to accelerate capability. Funding was approved to risk mitigate a new PIC-based capability and see if it has a validated military capability.

Since the funding was specifically approved based on current research and testing done at BAH, a sole source is required to continue that work.

Competition for this requirement is not possible as the funding from the IEB was based on the current work by the Principal

Section A: General Contract Information

CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION

Single Source Justification (Simplified Acquisition)

CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION April 2021 Page 2 of 2

Section E: Steps to Preclude Future Single Source or Brand Name Awards

Section F: Contracting Officer's Determination

Investigator at BAH, and meant to further the testing for this specific capability.

This funding from the IEB will not be a recurring event. The report received from this requirement will be used to shape how to proceed with a prototype, but that work will funded by BAH under a separate research agreement.

I have determined, in accordance with FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), that the circumstances of this contract action deem only a single source is reasonably available.

Date Typed Name and Rank/Grade of Contracting Officer

A. Nicole Black, DAF NH-03

Signature of Contracting Officer BLACK.AIMEE.NICOLE.13872 Digitally signed by

BLACK.AIMEE.NICOLE.1387288127

88127 Date: 2024.08.22 13:29:29 -04'00'