A02_CTSF_LinkWay_Hub_FAR-Part6-JA_-_signed.pdf

Version – September 2018 FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

JUSTIFICATION REVIEW DOCUMENT

FAR PART 6 JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL FOR OTHER THAN

FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Program/Equipment: CECOM Central Technical Support Facility (CTSF) requires replacement of end of life LinkWay Modems and replace non-functional Network Control Station on the Test Floor.

Authority: 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1(a)(2) and 6.302-1(c), Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, and brand name descriptions.

Amount: $566,922.00

Prepared by: Mario Gonzalez DSN: 566-7976 Procurement Coordinator Date: 12 Jul 19 Email: mario.a.gonzalezgonzalez.civ@mail.mil

Contracting Officer: Megan Grigas DSN:

Contracting Officer Date:

Email: megan.c.grigas.civ@mail.mil

Technical: Thomas Wright DSN: 566-7249 Chief, CTSF Engineering Services Date: 12 Jul 19 Email: Thomas.m.wright8.civ@mail.mil

Requirements: Thomas Wright DSN: 566-7249 Chief, CTSF Engineering Services Date: 12 Jul 19 Email: Thomas.m.wright8.civ@mail.mil

Reviews: I have reviewed this justification and find it adequate to support other than full and open competition.

Program Manager:

Typed Name: COL Christopher Ford, Director, CTSF

DSN: 566-7378

Signature:

X Right-Click "Signature Setup"

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

1. Contracting Activity: Army Contracting Command-Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC- APG), 6001 Combat Dr., APG, MD

2. Description of Action: Central Technical Support Facility (CTSF) requests to execute a new competitive commercial acquisition for a brand name description product. The Government projects award for September 2019 and fiscal year 2019, Research, Development, Test & Engineering (RDT&E) funds will be used.

3. Description of Supplies/Services: Purchase, delivery, installation, configuration and user’s level training of ViaSat LinkWay Modems and Network Control Station to replace end of life ViaSat LinkWay Modems and non-Functional Network Control Station on the CTSF Test Floor.

a. ViaSat Network Control Station CBM-400/E, Quantity 2.

b. CBM-400 LinkWay Waveform Firmware Embedded NCC License, Quantity 2.

c. ViaSat LinkWay Modem CBM-400, Quantity 10.

d. LinkWay Waveform Firmware License, Quantity 10.

e. LW-NCC-R LinkWay Redundant NCC/NMS Platform, Quantity 1.

f. ViaSat LinkWay Comprehensive Network Operations Training LW-TRN-01-

BASIC and ADVANCED, Quantity 1 each.

Period of Performance: Delivery within 90 days after receipt of order (ARO); 30 days for ancillary services to be rendered after delivery of all items.

Total Value: $ _566,922.00__

4. Authority Cited:

10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1(a)(2) and 6.302-1(c), Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, and brand name descriptions.

5. Reason for Authority Cited:

(a) FAR 6.302-1 (c), Application for brand name descriptions.

1. As described at FAR 6.302-1(a)(2), when the supplies or services required by the agency are available only from one responsible source, or for DoD, NASA and the Coast Guard, from only one or a limited number of responsible sources, and no other types of supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, full and open competition need not be provided for. As further described in FAR 6.302-1(c), an acquisition or portion of an acquisition that uses a brand-name description or other purchase description to specify a particular brand-name, product, or feature of a product, peculiar to one manufacturer does not provide for full and open competition, regardless of the number of sources solicited; and shall be justified and approved in accordance with FAR

6.303 and 6.304.

2. ViaSat’s Commercial Broadband Modem (CBM)-400 became the first-ever software-defined modem to successfully complete the Army Forces Strategic Command (ARSTRAT) certification process. By successfully completing the certification process, the ViaSat CBM-400 modem is now the only software-defined modem authorized to operate on the Wideband Global Satellite (WGS) communications network, which will significantly enhance air, land and sea performance capabilities while reducing overall satellite communications (SATCOM) costs for U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) customers. The CTSF Network Hub must interface with Warfighter Information Network

– Tactical (WIN-T) Increment 1 and Increment 2. WIN-T currently and exclusively uses the LinkWay Modems for NetCentric Waveform (NCW) and Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) Waveform. Therefore in order to have NCW and TDMA on the CTSF Test Floor Network, it must remain ViaSat LinkWay Modems for the sake of compatibility.

3. If ViaSat LinkWay modems are not are not used on the CTSF Test Floor Network, the certified tactical systems may act differently in the field as the Army WIN-T Network use ViaSat LinkWay Modems. CTSF must use representative fielded hardware in the certification testing and the CBM-400 system is currently fielded.

(b) Alternatives: The CTSF also looked into the MPM-2000 Network Centric Waveform (NCW) SATCOM IP Modem manufactured by L3 Communications, as another modem solution that could potentially replace the existing ViaSat LinkWay. The LinkWay is Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) waveform; WIN-T INC 1b uses TDMA waveform in the field which requires a Network Control Station to setup the Mesh Network. WIN-T INC1b has no plans of moving to NCW waveform in the field. WIN-T INC2 uses NCW Modems.

These modems do not require a Network Control Station, as the first NCW modem up controls the remaining modems in the network. While this solution could support one of the WIN-T Increments, it will not support the other. Furthermore, the CTSF must use the exact representative equipment that is used in the field during its Army Interoperability Certification testing, in order to properly validate that the systems under test are certified.

Issuing an interoperability certification to a system tested using WIN-T with one set of modems that later is proven to not interoperate with a fielded WIN-T system that currently uses ViaSat LinkWay modems could result in negative and damaging results to the Warfighters.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: The Contracting Officer shall publish the notices required by FAR 5.201 and any bids or proposals received shall be considered

Effective Competition: Effective competition will be achieved by soliciting quotes from prospective vendors of the brand-name items being sought.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: CTSF will continue to research other vendors for NetCentric Waveform (NCW) and Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) Waveform modems that will compete with ViaSat LinkWay Modems and that may be an acceptable solution to integrate with WIN-T. Furthermore, it has been reported that the Army is working on a near-term solution to replace WIN-T, which may yield a different, more widely available modem technology that may increase competition outside a single brand-name.

8. Market Research: Beginning in FY 19, the CTSF conducted its research of current technologies available to address the testing tools necessary to continue to the operation of WIN-T during Army Operability Certification events after the fielding of increment 2 of this tactical network system. After identifying that the on-hand NetCentric Waveform (NCW) and Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) Waveform modems were aging and obsolete to support the latest version of WIN-T, the CTSF embarked on an effort to find the latest, approved technology to update these. During the course of its market research, the CTSF found that ViaSat’s Commercial Broadband Modem (CBM)-400 became the first-ever software-defined modem to successfully complete the Army Forces Strategic Command (ARSTRAT) certification process. By successfully completing the certification process, the ViaSat CBM-400 modem is now the only software-defined modem authorized to operate on the Wideband Global Satellite (WGS) communications network. Furthermore, the current suite of modems utilize by WIN-T is ViaSat Linkway, and the CTSF must use a representative fielded hardware during the interoperability certification testing. The CTSF has determined that the correct solution is to upgrade its WIN-T satellite modem suite with the same brand currently use by PM WIN-T and its associated equipment in order to properly and accurately carry on the fielded representation of this tactical C4ISR system. While the research showed that ViaSat is the manufacturer of the CBM-400 modems and associated components, they are not the sole vendor.

9. Interested Sources: During the CTSF’s market research efforts, they reached out to two known vendors that could deliver the sought upgrade solution. See table below:

Quoting Company Brand/Model

Quoted

Price

ViaSat Inc. (**Manufacturer of the CBM-400 modems)

CBM-400/E, LinkWay

Waveform, Ext Warranty, Support Services $557,475.00

World Wide Technologies

CBM-400/E, LinkWay

Waveform, Ext Warranty, Support Services $576,368.95

To date, no other sources have written to express interest in the acquisition.

Technical information submitted by both vendors above in response to the market research inquiry has been reviewed by the requiring activity and meet the requirements from the market research RFQ.

10. Other Facts: CTSF Network Engineers are familiar with the operation of the ViaSat LinkWay Modems and Network Control Station, therefore, minimal amount of training on updates will be required.

a. Procurement History

This is the first acquisition of these items and services for the CTSF; no prior history of this or like-items exist from the organization.

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: Thomas M. Wright Date:

Title: Chief, CTSF Engineering Services Signature:

12. Requirements 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: Thomas M. Wright Date:

Title: Chief, CTSF Engineering Services Signature:

13. 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: Megan C. Grigas Date:

Title: Contracting Officer Signature:

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

Typed Name: Megan C. Grigas Date:

Title: Contracting Officer Signature: