JA_LWWC_15-C-0002_21_OCT_15_Redacted.pdf

Control Number: W91215-15-C-0002

JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Light Weight Weapons Controller (LWWC)

JUSTIFICATION

1. Contracting Activity: U.S. Army Contracting Command-Redstone, Aviation Integration Directorate, CCAM-RDI, Fort Eustis, VA 23604-5577

2. Description of Action: Approval is being sought to award a new Firm Fixed Price (FFP) type contract, W91215-15-C-0002, on a sole source basis to Phoenix Avionics Systems, Gaithersburg, MD (CAGE Code 1YEE5) for the modification of the software in the Light Weight Weapons Controller (LWWC) used in the AH-6M Mission Enhanced Little Bird (MELB) to integrate additional fielded munition systems, add a second existing laser designation mode, and address software deficiencies. The Government will utilize Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 procurement (PROC) funding to resource this effort. The Government’s estimate for this effort is $200,000.

3. Description of Supplies/Services: The proposed action will require labor, travel and material support to perform software maintenance on the LWWC. The LWWC is used on the AH-6M MELB to interface between the Cockpit Management Software (CMS) and all of the weapon systems used on the aircraft. Under this effort, the Contractor will modify the software in the LWWC to add the following functionality:

- Integrate the Hellfire AGM-114R missile with selectable fuzing and off axis modes

- Integrate the Raytheon Griffin® B (BGM-176B) missile

- Update the digital interface to provide the AN/ZSQ-3 FLIR a “missile-away” signal to initiate a “Coast mode” for use with laser guided munitions.

- Integrate Laser Pulse-Interval Modulation (PIM) Codes for all laser guided munitions

- Correct rounds remaining calculations for both GAU-19 and M-134

- Correct HF behavior on Trigger Press Prior to “RDY”

- Modify missile Built-In-Test (BIT) to properly execute the “STARE” mode test

- Correct Active Target range updates with aircraft motion for rockets

- Correct issue with Rocket Type definition when Launcher Type is modified

- Update volatile and non-volatile memory implementation to incorporate user requested changes

- Incorporate any supplier-recommended improvements beyond the above list once approved by MELB PMO.

The total estimated cost of this effort shall not exceed $200,000 and will include an estimated 1,205 man hours, with an estimated period of performance (PoP) of nine (9) months.

4. Authority Cited: 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii), “Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements. For DoD, NASA, and the Coast Guard, services may be deemed to be available only from the original source in the case of follow-on contracts for the continued provision of highly specialized services when it is likely that award to any other source would result in A) substantial duplication of cost to the Government that is not expected to be recovered through competition; or B) Unacceptable Delays in fulfilling the agency’s requirements.”

5. Reason for Authority Cited: The LWWC, including hardware and software, is proprietary to Phoenix Avionics Systems (PAS). The Government does not have data rights to the software, and acquiring them would not be cost-effective. The personnel at PAS have all the technical expertise on the equipment and software. There is no equivalent equipment available.

Phoenix Avionics Systems, Inc 23020 Wild Hunt Dr.

Gaithersburg, MD 20882-1512

(301) 253-6228

CAGE: 1YEE5

a. The Lightweight Weapons Controller (LWWC) was developed under a 1 year fixed price contract that was awarded in 2005. The original cost for the hardware and software development was $87,000. At the same time a 5 year Indefinite-Delivery-Indefinite- Quantity (IDIQ) valued at $917,000 was awarded for the procurement of up to 10 systems.

The initial one year effort took two years to complete, and required significant Government assistance with additional development and testing. The Government established a three man test team and completed multiple ground and flight tests in order to get the required operational capability. A rough estimate of the costs incurred for testing the system was approximately $2M - $3M in labor hours, materials, and laboratory and firing range usage.

The total cost to develop the initial weapons controller capability was $3M - $4M and required two years to complete the effort. The first production system was finally delivered in 2007.

b. In 2009, a Request for Proposal, W91215-09-R-0002, was released for a full and open competition to replace the weapons system controller on the A/MH-6M Little Bird. PAS was one of only two (2) vendors that responded to the solicitation. Phoenix Avionics Systems’ LWWC was selected for award of a $1.537M Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) contract W91215-09-C-0005 in August of 2009 for the procurement of 33 LWWC systems.

c. Contract W91215-09-C-0005 required PAS to modify their software to interface with the Rockwell-Collins Cockpit Management System (CMS) V8.0. Phoenix Avionics Systems and Rockwell-Collins jointly developed a page server interface that was implemented over the MIL-STD-1553 Bus. This interface allowed the LWWC to draw pages on the Cockpit Display Units (CDU) when the weapons system key is pressed. The development of the software and page formats took over one year. Rocket fuze testing revealed issues with the LWWC software which took six months to correct, and multiple ground test iterations. A failure during a hellfire range event revealed a defect in the LWWC software which required a partial re-write of the code and a retest of the software, incurring approximately another $500K of Government investment and a delivery schedule slip of over three years.

The final cost to implement and procure the LWWC on the A/MH-6M was $2.006M and the systems were finally fielded in 2014, 5 years after contract award.

d. The Government has invested over $6M and nine (9) years to develop the capability that resides in the LWWC. Any other vendor would have to start over to develop the same capability without the software code. While some efficiencies might be recognized, and some of the lessons-learned from the previous effort could help avoid the more obvious pitfalls, for all intents and purposes a new vendor would require four to five years and $3M to $4M to duplicate the functionality of the system as implemented on the existing hardware.

e. PAS owns the existing software design data. The cost to modify the existing software design is a fraction of what it would cost to have another vendor develop the capability.

The duplication of cost and the significant delay in obtaining a solution make PAS the only responsible source for this effort.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition:

The acquisition was posted on the Competition Advocate’s Shopping List (CASL) on 23 June 2015. A pre-solicitation synopsis for the requirement was posted on www.fbo.gov on 6 August 2015. A Sources Sought for the proposed action was posted on www.fbo.gov on 24 June 2015.

To date, no sources have contacted the Government to express interest. For the reasons stated in paragraph 5, without owning the exiting software design, no other source could be viable.

7. Actions to Increase Competition:

No additional actions have been taken to increase competition. Future requirements are likely to be unpredictable and there is not business case to support development of a secondary source. In addition, the Government has only a partial understanding of all of the technical data to support a competition.

8. Market Research:

Market Research has been conducted within the last six months IAW FAR 10.002 by Program Manager, Mission Enhanced Little Bird (MELB), using the following techniques; 1) personal knowledge in procuring supplies/services of this type, 2) contact with knowledgeable person in Government and industry regarding the commercial nature of this requirement and standard industry practices in this area of supply/services, 3) Review of Government and/or commercial databases for relevant information, 4) Publication in AMCOM Competition Advocate’s Shopping List (CASL) and 5) other types of research.

, conducted meeting with , Division Chief, PI & Launchers, PEO Missiles and Space, Joint Attack Munitions Systems (JAMS) Project Office on May 2015 discussing existing systems and supplier capabilities.

discussed the software upgrades and the deficiencies at the Overarching Integrated Process Team (OIPT) meeting at Fort Campbell, KY on May 2015. The following individuals were in attendance:

The acquisition was posted on the Competition Advocate’s Shopping List (CASL) on 23 June 2015. A pre-solicitation synopsis for the requirement was posted on www.fbo.gov on 6 August 2015. A Sources Sought for the proposed action was posted on www.fbo.gov on 24 June 2015.

No sources have contacted the Government to express interest.

In May 2015, a Thomas Register search for “Light Weight Weapons Controller”, “AH-6 Weapons Controller” or “MELB Weapons Controller”, resulted in no matches or commercial products that have the capability to perform all of the following functions; fire the Hellfire AGM-114 missile, fire the Raytheon Griffin B (BGM-176B) missile, fire and fuze up to two M260, MJ-19, or M261 folding fin aerial rocket (FFAR) launchers, interface with the AN/ZSQ-3 V1 and V2 FLIR, interface with the Rockwell-Collins Cockpit Management System (CMS), and fire the GAU-19 and M-134 machine guns.

A search of Federal Business Opportunities (fbo.gov) over the past 365 days revealed:

- A search for “LWWC” resulted in no returns

- A search for “MELB Weapons Controller” resulted in 453 returns. A review of the results reveal a wide variety of controllers/valves in many industries including construction, ship/maritime equipment, but no weapons controllers.

- A search for “Light Weight Weapons Controller” resulted in 453 returns. A review of the results reveal a wide variety of controllers/valves in many industries including construction, ship/maritime equipment, but no weapons controllers.

An internet search in May 2015, revealed the following:

- A search for “Light Weight Weapons Controller” resulted in a few websites that referenced the 2009 posting on www.fbo.gov. None of the sites indicate development of a Light Weight Weapons Controller for fixed wing or rotary wing aircraft.

- A search for MELB Weapons Controller resulted in a few websites that referenced the 2009 posting on www.fbo.gov. None of the sites indicate development of a LWWC.

has determined that this requirement cannot be met by commercial items, commercial items with customary or minor modifications, or non-developmental items. Further, a reevaluation has been made in accordance with FAR 10.002(b), and the Government requirement cannot be modified in a way that will allow a commercial item to meet the need. The capability is not currently available in the commercial marketplace. This specific capability to control and fire weapons is currently tailored only for tactical military operations. It is currently unknown if this capability will be useful to commercial companies in the future.

Based on the results of the above research, it is determined that this requirement cannot be met by commercial items, commercial items with customary or minor modifications, or non-developmental items and therefore, FAR Part 12 procedures will not be used. Further, a reevaluation has been made in accordance with FAR 10.002(b), and the Government requirement cannot be modified in a way that will allow a commercial item to meet the need.

9. Interested Sources:

The acquisition was posted on the Competition Advocate’s Shopping List (CASL) on 23 June 2015. A pre-solicitation synopsis for the requirement was posted on www.fbo.gov on 6 August 2015. A Sources Sought for the proposed action was posted on www.fbo.gov on 24 June 2015.

To date, no sources have contacted the Government to express interest. Any source that provides a written proposal will be considered.

10. Other Facts/Other Factors:

a. Procurement History:

W91215-09-C-0005, ACC-RSA CCAM-RDI Aviation Integration Directorate (AID) awarded a firm fixed price contract to Phoenix Avionics Systems to replace the weapons system controller on the A/MH-6M Little Bird using full and open competition. PAS was one of only two (2) vendors that responded to the solicitation. Phoenix Avionics Systems won the competition and a $1.537M FFP contract was awarded in August of 2009 for 33 systems.

b. Acquisition data availability. As documented in paragraph 5 above, the Government only has Government purpose rights to the interface between the LWWC and the missiles. The Government does not have any data rights to the LWWC software and it would incur considerable cost and a schedule delay to procure and /or develop all of the packages.

c. Unusual and compelling urgency. The Romeo model Hellfire missiles are currently available in the Army’s inventory for use in support of combat operations. Modifying the software in the existing weapons controller is the fastest way to get the capability to the Special Operations Forces (SOF). The Rules of Engagement (ROE) require the use of precision guided munitions in the urban environments that SOF are currently decisively engaged. Delaying the fielding of this capability puts highly trained SOF personnel at higher risk and reduces their potential lethality.

d. Subcontracting competition. A small business subcontracting plan is not required because the prime contractor is a small business.