A09_-ReDact_JA_MR18-2628_-KO_Level_Redacted.pdf

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Humphreys Engineer Center Support

Activity

SERDP Project MR-2628 “Meshfree Modeling of Munitions Penetration in Soils”

Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition

10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), as implemented by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii) “Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services

Will Satisfy Agency Requirements”

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

1. Contracting Agency: United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Humphreys Engineer Center Support Activity (HECSA), 7701 Telegraph Road, Alexandria, Virginia 22315.

2. Description of Action: Approval is requested for a follow-on, cost type research and development contract to support Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) Project MR18-2628 entitled “Meshfree Modeling of Munitions Penetration in Soils” to be performed by the University of Illinois, Chicago (UIC). The anticipated cost of the work under this contract action is $ over a 36 month period of performance.

3. Description of Supplies/Services: The services requested are to further investigate methodologies for modeling projectile munitions penetration in soils. This is a follow on effort to contract W912HQ-16-P-0002, which was a SERDP Exploratory Development (SEED) project completed in FY 17. SEED solicitations are limited proof-of-concept research projects that are eligible for follow-on funding if they result in a successful initial project. The goal is to further develop the robust numerical framework that resulted from the original effort, and create a set of accurate and reliable tables for probable depths of munitions based on soil conditions, projectile type, and firing conditions.

4. Authority Cited: 10 United States Code 2304(c)(1) as implemented in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii); Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

5. Reason for Authority Cited: SERDP is the Department of Defense’s (DoD) environmental science and technology program, planned and executed in partnership with Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency, with participation by numerous other federal and non-federal organizations. SERDP invests across a broad spectrum of basic and applied research, as well as advanced development.

During World War II, the US Armed Forces engaged in several years’ worth of munitions training for service members at numerous locations spread over the United States. Most of these munitions ranges were located on military installations, but many were not. Citizens in areas surrounding designated training facilities also donated the use of their land for the purpose of munitions training. The result was an abundance of unexploded ordinance on both private and Government lands that served as former range sites. Unexploded ordinance poses a physical threat to the environment in numerous ways, most notably in the contamination of ground water, and needs to be located and removed. For years, the DoD has been employing various proven technologies to accomplish this remediation, most notably electromagnetic induction, under the assertion that the maximum depth for projectile munitions penetration is approximately three feet. However, environmental regulatory bodies at the state and federal levels are not convinced of the DoD’s claims, and request proof that remediation efforts limited to this depth are adequate.

The previous SEED award to UIC explored simulation and modeling techniques to verify the efficacy of current DoD efforts to locate and remove this unexploded ordinance from the environment. The two-field meshfree code developed by UIC under W912HQ-16-P- 0002 has been employed to simulate the penetration process into soil and predict the final penetration depth under different penetration angles. These results are detailed in the final report which was received by SERDP on December 8th, 2017. While two other SEED projects were initiated at a DoD laboratory and a university to investigate this subject area, neither of those institutions could meet the specific modeling requirements set out in the statement of need. Only UIC’s results showed enough promise to warrant further investigation and funding.

As the originator of the proof-of-concept research effort, UIC is uniquely qualified to conduct further research into the fields of computational mechanics, meshfree and particle methods, and penetration modeling. If a different source were awarded this follow-on contract, it would result in a substantial duplication of cost and effort that would not be recovered through competition, and would result in unacceptable delays to the completion of this project.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: The proposed contract action results from successful completion of contract W912HQ-16-P-0002, which was competitively awarded under Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) BAA-15-0002. The Justification and Approval document will be posted to the Federal Business Opportunity website (FBO.gov), in accordance with FAR 5.207(15), and will include a statement that all responsible sources may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation which shall be considered by the Agency.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: It is not possible to compete the continuation of this research project. The scientific research topic is so narrow and specific that opening it up to competition would not result in any foreseen cost savings that would offset the loss in continuity of data and process from the prior contract. Therefore, the Government will not attempt to compete this requirement in this instance. Any subsequent acquisitions will be solicited under a BAA using full and open competition.

In the interest of full transparency, a notice of intent was posted to FBO.gov for a period of 15 days notifying interested sources of the Government’s intent to issue a sole source award. No interested sources replied to the post.

8. Market Research: SERDP conducts extensive market research prior to issuing a BAA solicitation. No additional market research was conducted for this follow-on effort.

As stated above, the initial SEED call for proposals resulted in three awards. The other two projects did not come close to achieving the ultimate goals of the statement of need. This contractor, UIC, has made significant progress and has demonstrated that there is a path forward to meeting the goals of the government.

9. Interested Sources: In accordance with FAR 6.302-1(d)(2), a notice of intent was posted to FBO.gov for a period of 15 days notifying interested sources of the Government’s intent to issue a sole source award. Interested sources were encouraged to submit capability statements; however, to date, no other sources have written to express interest.

10.Other Facts:

a. Procurement history.

(1) Contract numbers and dates of the last several contracts. Order W912HQ- 16-P-0002, awarded to UIC on February 26, 2016 in the amount of $149,302.00, was the only previous award for this requirement.

(2) The competitive status of these actions. The prior award was the result of full and open competition via BAA number BAA-15-0002.

(3) Authority previously cited if less than full and open competition was used.

Not applicable.

(4) If a justification was prepared to support the procurement made before this one, a summary of the contents of paragraph 7 of the justification for that procurement and an explanation of the results. Not applicable.

(5) If any prior contract for this requirement was accomplished using full and open competition, include a detailed explanation of the changed circumstances causing this action to now limit the sources. Order W912HQ-16-P-0002 was awarded to University of Illinois, Chicago via full and open competition under BAA-15- 0002 for limited proof-of-concept research. The potential for additional funding for follow-on work to successful SEED projects was solicited within the BAA Statement of Need (SON). As the originator of the proof-of-concept effort, UIC is uniquely qualified to conduct further research into this area of study.

(6) An explanation of any unusual patterns that may be revealed by the history, e.g., several consecutive, urgent buys. Not applicable.

(7) If a justification was prepared to support the procurement made before this one, briefly describe the circumstances justifying the procurement and whether there have been any significant changes. Not applicable.

b. Other facts. Not applicable.

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.

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.

13. Fair and Reasonable Cost Determination: I hereby determine that the anticipated cost to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable based on the procedures found at FAR 15.404-1(c)(2)(iii)(E). The estimate of is based on comparison of costs proposed by the offeror for individual cost elements with forecasts of planned expenditures. The exemption for providing Certified Cost and Pricing data found at DFARS 215.403-1(c)(4)(D) also applies.

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

APPROVAL

Based on the foregoing justification, I hereby approve the procurement of SERDP Follow-On Project MR18-2628 on an other than full and open competition basis in the amount of , pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), as implemented by the Federal Acqusition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii) “Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements”, subject to availability of funds, and provided that the services and property herein described have otherwise been authorized for acquisition.