Justification for Sole Source (Simplified Procedures)

This is a Justification for Sole Source procurement document for the United States Naval Academy's Cyber Science Department. The requirement is for Hack the Box (HTB) academy and HTB Labs software subscriptions to support cyber security training and education, with access for 115 seats in the HTB academy and associated laboratories for hands-on practice and coursework. The period of performance runs from 27 June 2026 through 26 June 2027.

The sole source contractor is HACK THE BOX LTD (CAGE Code U1NE0). The justification asserts that HTB is the only source capable of meeting USNA's unique cyber security training needs, citing the platform's integration into the Cyber Operations Major curriculum, its use for final examinations and hands-on lab work, and the critical need for continuity to avoid disrupting midshipmen readiness upon fleet entry. The document notes that the Cyber Science Department's first bachelor's degree class graduated in 2016, with program growth to 89 midshipmen graduating in 2026, making HTB an industry-leading and well-known tool essential for the realistic cyber education labs required. The justification emphasizes that switching platforms would require extensive curriculum rework and severely impact the department's mission. The contracting officer (Cody Witz, NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center, Norfolk Contracting Department, Fleet Directorate) certified on 22 June 2026 that the circumstances justifying a sole source procurement are reasonably available.