9-23-2019_Justification_and_Approval_......7_Redacted.pdf

Control No: MICC-2019-15 Contractor: University of Maryland, Baltimore County Training Center

WOBC 170D

Version – March 2017 FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

JUSTIFICATION REVIEW DOCUMENT

FAR SUBPART 13.5 SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES FOR CERTAIN COMMERICAL

ITEMS – SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

Program/Equipment: This is a non-personal services contract to provide curriculum development and training instruction for the Cyberspace Capabilities Developer Technician (170D) Warrant Officer Basic Course (WOBC), US Army Cyber School, Cyber Center of Excellence (CCoE), Fort Gordon, Georgia.

Authority: Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items, 41 U.S.C. 1901 as implemented by FAR Subpart 13.5.

Amount: $695,000.00

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

Program Manager:

Small Business Specialist, Small Business Program:

Contracting Office Division Chief:

Typed Name: Trina Wadley

Date: See Digital Signature

WADLEY.TRINA.K Digitally signed by

.1066493349

WADLEY.TRINA.K.1066493349

Date: 2019.09.04 13:07:46 -04'00'

FAR Subpart 13.5 Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items – Sole Source

Justification and Approval

1. Contracting Activity: MICC–Fort Gordon; 271 Heritage Park Lane, BLDG. 35200,FT Gordon GA 30905-5719

2. Description of Action: U.S. Army Cyber School (USACyS) requests a firm-fixed-price contract with University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) Training Centers, Cybersecurity Academy, 1717 Goodrich Street, Augusta, GA 30901. The Government projects award for September 2019. FY 19 Operations and Maintenance Army funds will be utilized.

An acquisition plan is not required because this procurement does not meet the threshold at Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement 207.103(d)(i)(B).

3. Description of Supplies/Services: The United States Army Cyber Center of Excellence (Cyber CoE) and Fort Gordon require Contractor support for the Cyber School Warrant Officer Basic Course (WOBC), 170D. The Contractor will develop Cyberspace Capability Developer Technician course curriculum to meet U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) format requirements, and develop course assessment tools (exams, practical exercises, and quizzes) in which the government will own after the base year. The Contractor shall provide a complete training support package within seventy-two (72) week course training events.

This requirement shall provide:

1) Curriculum development for WOBC 170D training beginning September 2019 (or atcontract start date).

2) All culminating events, practical exercises, or examinations will be assessed based on an individual's work and not group assignments. Primary instruction material for all modules will be up to the UNCLASSIFIED//FOUO Level. The contract curriculum and training outlined in this contract shall provide individuals with the core competencies and demonstrated ability required to perform development using C and Python at the Army and joint level. The Contractor shall provide three new courses that need to be developed:

Intermediate Python, Network Programming in Python, and Introduction to Cryptography.

Each would normally take approximately 102 man-days to create from scratch, but becauseof existing content the time per new course will be shortened to approximately 72.17 man-days on average. The total development time for the three new courses will therefore be approximately 216.5 man-days (12.77% of the total effort).

The period of performance is as follows:

Base Period: 30 September 2019 to 29 September 2020 Value: $695,000.00

4. Authority Cited: Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items, 41 U.S.C. 1901 as implemented by FAR Subpart 13.5, Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.

5. Reason for Authority Cited:

a. The Army has directed the CCoE to create a new 170D MOS. The Cyberspace Capabilities Developer Technician contract is intended to support the new MOS series by creating a Warrant Officer Basic Course. However, this new, non-existing training course has to be developed within a year. This is a time sensitive requirement and the only Contractor found that can develop the training course within twelve months is the University of Maryland Training Center. UMBC Training Center Cyber Security Academy that has the capability and some course content already developed, which will save some time.

UMBC is a dynamic public research university integrating teaching, research and service to benefit the community it serves. As an Honors University, UMBC offers academically talented students a strong undergraduate liberal arts foundation that prepares them for graduate and professional study, entry into the workforce, and community service and leadership. UMBC emphasizes science, engineering, information technology, human services and public policy at the graduate level. UMBC contributes to the economic development of the State and the region through entrepreneurial initiatives, workforce training, K-16 partnerships, and technology commercialization in collaboration with public agencies and the corporate

b. UMBC has a national footprint: Their cybersecurity capabilities and expertise are well-established and well recognized, both locally and nationally. They are dual-designated as an NSA/DHS Center of Academic Excellence for Cyber Defense Education (CDE) and Information Assurance Research and their programs are led by industry insiders and name-recognized faculty who bring the world of ‘cyber’ alive in meaningful ways. They offer smaller class sizes allowing students to build connections with like-minded peers across the professional landscape.

c. 170D WOBC is designed to provide a training, education, and experience gaining opportunity to individuals with an identified aptitude towards learning computer programming.

The contract curriculum and training outlined in this contract shall provide individuals with the core competencies and demonstrated ability required to perform development using C andPython at the Army and joint level. This curriculum and training is not readily available in the US Army inventory. To accomplish this, hands-on application of concepts, tools, and techniques shall comprise 80% of the course content, with lecture comprising no more than 20%. Focus shall be on unclassified concepts, techniques, and information that lend to seamless transition from the classroom to operations in order to reduce follow-on unit training and to improve personnel performance upon graduation from the course.

d. The training concept for the WOBC calls for the development of a progressive 72-week training, education, and experiential based learning plan. While, in some cases, individual courses exist that would provide individuals with similar training outcomes in a specific area, courses are not typically designed to be all encompassing over this long of a timeframe. The training concept for WOBC requires individuals to be able to recall and effectively use information learned anywhere within the 72-week training time. The development timeframe for this 72-week training concept is only 12 months. The familiarity of UMBC Training Centers with this training, education, and experiential learning model through their development of the Tool Developer Qualification Course will enable the CCoE in creating this course within the time constraints given for development of the WOAC training course(s).

e. Alternatives. Alternatives that were discussed included:

(a) Suspend operations – The operational force requires individuals who can create and/or modify capabilities for employment during cyberspace operations. The operational force is required to be ready to conduct offensive or defensive cyberspace operations against adversaries on command. In order to be able to do this, individuals must be trained and ready to develop capabilities able to accomplish the operational requirements. Suspending operations directly impacts the nation’s readiness and ability to support cyberspace operations; therefore, it is not an option.

(b) Use in-house personnel/expertise – The current population of individuals who would be able to create this course are required to perform mission. Pulling any large population of individuals to build this course would severely impact the operational force; therefore, the use of in-house personnel/expertise is not an option to build the course in a timeframe expeditionenough to start training individuals.

(c) Upgrading existing courseware – The current courseware that exists teaches information, but does not factor in previous training or knowledge level expected when taking the course and the government does not own the material. Each course is treated as a standalone course, which would require each course to be restructured and/or rebuilt along the way to meet the requirements; therefore, using existing courseware, as is, is not an option.

f. The following information is noted:

1) At a minimum, UMBC will develop and instruct a 72-week course, designed to train individuals that have an identified aptitude and desire to become a computer programmer fromno knowledge in programming to become an intermediate level programming in the C and Python programming languages. They will ensure that the 72-week course is a progressive course that builds upon itself as the course is taught through culminating events and a final assessment that qualifies individuals to work in Army and joint development centers. The course material delivered will be owned by the Government and instructors will be instructor/writers and update course material as required as errors or improvements are found during instruction and/or feedback. Feedback will be provided to Government representatives through an established mechanism in a timely manner on grades, attendance, and disciplinary or academic concerns.

Instructors will also provide comments on student observations and performance. Government representatives will handle any disciplinary action or academic un-enrollments as well as providing guidance and feedback to the instructors based on student comments or Government representative observations.

2) The time available to solicit other vendors coupled with the timeframe in which to develop the course content before instruction begins and the familiarity of the UMBC Training Centers to develop and teach this type of course led to the sole source determination.

3) This WOBC serves as the foundational course in which to qualify individuals to perform developer function in the new military occupational specialty (MOS) of 170D that is projected to start in the first quarter of FY22. The timeline to develop the courses requires and expedited process to ensure that the class will start during the projected timeline to get qualified individuals to the operational force. Without WOBC Course Development 170D the operational force’s current learning path will be stopped. Any delay in developing the course delays the start of the course which in-turn delays sending qualified individuals to the operational force to meet operational requirements. This delay could also impact the success of the MOS due to the lackof personnel fulfilling requirements.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: A Sources Sought Notice was issued in accordance with the requirements at FAR 5.2 on FEDBIZOPPS on FedBizOpps on 22 August 2019 with a draft copy of the PWS. Nine (9) responses were received and evaluated for technical capability in accordance with the PWS posted with the PWS posted with the Sources Sought Notice. The results of the evaluation are found in Table 1 below:

Vendor Name

Technically Capable or Not Technically Capable

Technical Comments: Explain if Not Technically Capable

Not Capable Documented experience with networks, but nothing else onthe advertised course topics. No thoughts on developing the course.

Not Capable Their proposal talks about all the contracts that they currently have and that they believe they can meet any task given to them, but it does not state how they are going to or can meet the requirement from the

PWS.

Not Capable There is no current experience or plan to develop the course material.

No demonstrated understanding or previous work in computer programming, operating systems, networking.

Not Capable No documented experience in any of the advertised knowledge areas.

No plan on how they would build the course.

Not Capable Insufficient documentation on the course topics that were advertised.

No plan on building the course.

Not Capable No documented Cyber Knowledge or experience in the advertised course topcs. No plan for the course.

Not Capable No documented experience in the advertised course topics. No thoughts on building the course.

Not Capable Documented introductory programming/scripting experience, but nothing beyond beginning all of the relevant experience listed comes from a course already taught in the Cyber School that is not sufficient for the CCDT. No plan on building the course.

Not Capable No documented experience in the course topics that were advertised.

No plan on building the course.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: To increase competition the MICC-Fort Gordon will continue to synopsize and conduct market research to ensure there are other vendors that can provide the requirement. The Government will issue a sole source synopsis and address any responses accordingly.

8. Market Research: The Cyber Center of Excellence is continually researching sources of information and services to enable to acquire and maintain up-to date training courses. Market research consists of internet research, literature reviews and face to face discussions with vendors, and other professional resources. If CCoE identifies a similar requirement, every effort will be made to compete it to the maximum extent possible. Extensive research was conducted (Internet, searches, telephonic communication, electronic communications, and literature searches) to determine the availability of Contractors that can provide instruction of the Cyber School Cyberspace Capabilities Developer Technician (CCDT) Curriculum Development, Revisions, and Instruction Contract.

9. Interested Sources: To date, no other sources have written to express interest inthe acquisition.

10. Other Facts:

a. Procurement History: This is a new effort.

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 andbelief.

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 andbelief.

13. Fair and Reasonable Cost Determination: 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 price analysis. As a part of this basis, certified cost or pricing data is not required because the item and/or services being acquired are considered commercial. Prices that will be agreed upon are based on adequate price competition.

Date: See Digital Signature Typed Name: Trina Wadley Contracting Officer

WADLEY.TRINA.K.1066 Digitally signed by

493349

WADLEY.TRINA.K.1066493349

Date: 2019.08.29 12:20:41 -04'00'