A02_-_Simplified_Acquisition_Sole_Source_Justification_-_SALSA_(Clean)_REDACTED_Redacted.pdf

Control No: JA-19-Adel-048 Contractor: Semandex Networks Inc.

Supply/Service: SALSA licenses

JUSTIFICATION REVIEW DOCUMENT FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS

FAR PART 13 SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL FOR

OTHER THAN

FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Programs/Equipment: Eight (8) Semantic Analysis and Linking for Situational Awareness (SALSA) Software Licenses

Authority: 41 U.S.C. 1901(e)(2), implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.501(a) -- Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.

Amount:

Prepared by: tt

Contracting Officer: Fatimata Diallo DSN: 290-5501 Contracting Officer Date: 11/16/2018 Email: fatimata.diallo.civ@mail.mil

Technical:

Requirements: er

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

Program Manager:

X

Signed by:

Supply/Service: SALSA licenses

FAR PART 13 SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL FOR

OTHER THAN

FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1. Contracting Activity: U.S. Army Contracting Command-Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG), Adelphi Contracting Division (ACD), 2800 Powder Mill Rd., Adelphi, MD 20783.

2. Description of Action: The U.S. ARL-SEDD requests a new firm-fixed-price (FFP) contract with Semandex Networks, Inc., 101 College Road East, Princeton, NJ 08540. The Government projects award for December 2018 and fiscal year 2019 Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) funds will be used.

_X_ An acquisition plan is not required because this procurement either does not meet the threshold at Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement 207.103(d)(i), or is an R&D acquisition and does not meet the definition of services in 10 U.S.C. 2330(c)(2).

3. Description of Supplies/Services: The Government requires eight (8) SALSA software licenses, Product # SL-PE+DB-VM416150-VIP capable of simultaneously processing hundreds of camera feeds that require special analytical capabilities. This software will be included in a system of systems (multitude of smaller systems intertwined with each other to create a larger system) approach employed by ARL. The software must handle a minimum of 400 imaging sensor feeds (full motion video) simultaneously which will in turn fuse all information in real-time.

Delivery Date: (perpetual license (valid indefinitely)) Total Value:

4. Authority Cited:

41 U.S.C. 1901(e)(2), implemented by FAR 13.501(a) -- Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.

5. Reason for Authority Cited:

These software licenses are required to be compatible with the system of systems initiated by ARL-SEDD. The required situational awareness software must be capable of integrating into an existing system infrastructure comprised of numerous separate systems that work with each other to produce one (1) large system capable of processing data/information on a much larger scale than if each system was utilized separately. SALSA is the only Integrated Sensor Architecture (ISA) compliant and sensor (air and ground) agnostic analytical software which is the feature that allows this software to be included into the system of systems and appropriately work with the other programs within it.

Furthermore, this software has the ability to semantically organize data in a flexible way based on event models, natural language processing, machine-learning algorithms, and

Supply/Service: SALSA licenses user-defined tags; rapidly discover associations between persons, locations, organizations, and activities; provide imaging sensor correlation and imaging sensor cross-queuing focused on detecting, identifying, and tracking moving objects across an area of interest (AOI); allow additional non-imaging sensors as inputs to software framework to additional correlation of information in fusion architecture; provide sensor correlation and sensor cross-queuing focused on detecting, identifying, and tracking moving objects of interest (MOI) across an AOI; and apply automated analytics and calculate a probability identification index value to all objects of interest within the AOI.

In addition, rewriting the templates used for the current system of systems in order to use a non-SALSA solution would result in an unnecessary duplication of cost to the Government at approximately and take approximately one (1) year to fully implement a software switch of this complexity and magnitude. If another software is used, re-development of the system of systems and re-training of the program stakeholders would be required.

The following are the ARL requirements that can only be met by Semandex Networks, Inc. SALSA software:

1. Compatible with existing system of systems used by ARL

2. Fuse hundreds of video images together simultaneously to determine unique identification and tracking of objects in a complex environment

3. ISA compliant

4. Capable of conducting sensor (air and ground) agnostic analysis

5. In addition, the core components of SALSA are patented and the SALSA software as a whole is copyrighted.

Therefore, it has been determined that Semandex Networks, Inc. is the only capable source of providing the required software licenses which are compatible with an existing Government system of systems, to date there are no other authorized resellers of the SALSA Software.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: Effective competition is not applicable based on the justification provided in section 5 above, and the results of market research performed by the TPOC (see Section 8) and the outcome of the Synopsis posting (see Section 9). As a result of the foregoing information there is no competition for obtaining SALSA software licensing except from the manufacturer themselves, Semandex Networks, Inc. They are the only authorized source that can provide the software because there is no other resellers available in the marketplace.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: The Government will continually seek to explore the market to increase competition by attending conferences/exhibitions, examining trade journals, conducting Internet research, and holding open discussions with industry experts. To date, no vendor has been identified that can meet the Government’s minimum requirement for this software suite’s capabilities that would not require significant retraining of personnel and not result in disruption of current programs. Before future acquisitions, the market will be continually surveyed to determine whether another

Supply/Service: SALSA licenses manufacturer has emerged that could meet the Army’s requirements, thus justifying the need for full and open competition. If the Government becomes aware of other sources with the capability to meet Government requirements, then a determination will be made for suitable competition. If and when another source is discovered, the Government will technically evaluate the response against current systems, and if the new source is deemed capable, then the Government will seek a competitive action.

8. Market Research: Market research was conducted via Internet and General Supply Schedule (GSA) searches, as well as a review of the Computer Hardware Enterprise Software and Solutions (CHESS) website, per AFARS 5139.101-90(a)(1), in November 2018 by , for the . This software is not available via the CHESS program; per AFARS 5139.101-90(a)(2) an Information Technology Approval System (ITAS) Waiver, obtained on 07 August 2018, and a CHESS Statement of Non-Availability, obtained on 16 May 2018, are uploaded to the Paperless Contract Files (PCF) cabinet. To date, no other companies have been found that can provide this software capable of integrating with other software programs included in a system of systems program architecture. There are no resellers that can provide the required SALSA software licenses. Therefore, Semandex Networks, Inc.’s SALSA is the only software capable of meeting the Government’s minimum requirements.

9. Interested Sources: A sole source pre-solicitation synopsis providing notification of the Government’s intent to issue a sole source contract to Semandex Networks, Inc. was published to the FedBizOpps (FBO) website on 07 December 2018. The notification closed on 14 December 2018. To date, no sources have challenged the sole source or expressed interest in fulfilling the requirement. Due to the aforementioned, there are no foreseeable efforts to obtain competition for this procurement.

10. Other Facts:

a. Procurement History

No procurement history exists because this is a first time buy.

Supply/Service: SALSA licenses

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.

Signer’s Title: Research Engineer

Technical Certifier (Tech)

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.

Signer’s Title: Team Lead

Requirements Certifier

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 X Price analysis __ Should-cost

__ IGCE

__ Audit:

__ Other:

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

__ will be required.

X_ 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.

X_ A commercial item is being acquired.

Supply/Service: SALSA licenses

__ 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.

1/9/2019

X Fatimata Diallo

Contracting Officer (KO) Signed by: DIALLO.FATIMATA.1403809434

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

1/9/2019

X Fatimata Diallo

Contracting Officer (KO) Signed by: DIALLO.FATIMATA.1403809434

Supply/Service: SALSA licenses

Approval

Based on the foregoing justification, I hereby approve the procurement of eight (8) Semantic Analysis and Linking for Situational Awareness (SALSA) software licenses, for an estimate of and to be delivered by , on an other than full and open competition basis pursuant to the authority of 41 U.S.C. 1901(e)(2), subject to availability of funds, and provided that the services or supplies herein described have otherwise been authorized for acquisition.