A02.05_ERDC_19-1477_JA_Skyraider.pdf

ERDC-19-1477

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

Justification Review Document For Other Than Full and Open Competition

Requirement: SkyRaider RD80 Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Authority Cited: 6.302-1(a)(2) -- Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements

Amount: $427,988.00

Prepared By:

Melissa Keen Phone: 601-634-4880 Contract Specialist

Email: Melissa.A.Keen@usace.army.mil Signature:

Technical Representative:

Jennifer Laird Phone: 601-634-2554 Lead Principle Investigator Email: Jennifer.G.Laird@usace.army.mil

Office of Counsel:

Email:

Signature:

Phone: 601-634- Signature:

Contracting Officer:

Chelsea Whitten Phone: (601) 634-4679 Contracting Officer E-mail: Chelsea.M.Whitten@usace.army.mil Signature:

u4oc9tjm Typewritten Text Thomas Morrissey u4oc9tjm Typewritten Text Thomas.J.Morrissey@usace.army.mil u4oc9tjm Typewritten Text

Justification and Approval For Other Than Full and Open Competition

1. Contracting Activity: The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Contracting Office located at 3909 Halls Ferry Road, Vicksburg, MS 39180-6199.

2. Description of Action: Execute a new sole-source, firm fixed price contract with Aeryon Defense USA, Inc. for two SkyRaider RD80 Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) using 21 2040 Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation, Army funding.

3. Description of Products: The Environmental Laboratory (EL) has a requirement for two SkyRaider RD80 Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the estimated amount of $427,988.00 to provide encrypted data acquisitions and on board computing for support to military programs. Delivery is estimated to take approximately 60 days.

4. Authority Cited: 10 United States Code (U.S.C.) 2304(c)(1) as implemented in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1(a)(2) -- Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements

5. Reason for Authority Cited: The proposed procurement meets the criteria for exclusion from full and open competition under the authority cited above based on the following:

a) Background: The Environmental Laboratory requires the procurement of the Aeryon Defense SkyRaider RD80 UAS. The technical and business case analysis strongly supports the acquisition of the SkyRaider RD80 (equipped with HD30x zoom RGB and EO/IR payloads) UAS system. The acquisition will provide a capability that is not presently filled with existing inventory of aerial imagery within all of USACE, specifically within USACE-ERDC- Environmental Laboratory. This UAS system provides the capability to fly in GPS denied environments, communicate with other UAS for swarming abilities, send encrypted data to ground convoys for situational awareness and provide onboard processing that is not currently available on any of the previous systems deployed by this team. The SkyRaider RD80 is a multirotor quadcopter UAS made in the United States and only sold to DoD and federal government agencies. This system has already obtained a waiver exemption for airspace operations. Operators will be trained to safely and proficiently operate the system in accordance with the USACE-ERDC-EL UAS Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). The SkyRaider RD80 includes an extensive safety feature set and all operators will receive vendor/manufacturer training on the UAS and its software operations. The UAS will be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendation.

b) Justification: Specific characteristics of the SkyRaider RD80 UAS that limit the availability to a sole source are the military grade AES 256 bit encryption, ability to function in GPS denied environments, on board computer processing, threat detections computed by algorithms, laser altimeter, embedded STANAG 4609 KLV Metadata, IP-53 compliant, HDZoom 30x EO and EO/IR MK-II sensors, ability to customize needed payloads specific to project operations and specific operating parameters. Only Aeryon Defense can furnish the requirements, to the exclusion of other sources, because the system in question is intended to optimize the requirements to complete current military research program specifications. This system will allow for increased data collections and optimization of identifying threats or maneuverability obstacles to provide situational awareness to ground convoy commanders, ability to take off and land in confined spaces, and currently used in the field by soldiers. Other UAS instruments were not able to meet the requirements outlined.

c) Impact: This procurement is critical to ERDC’s ability in providing aerial imagery and sensor assistance to military research programs. The acquisition of this system is imperative to the advancement of the Mobility in Complex Urban Environments (MCUE) military engineering program at the ERDC. The procurement of this UAS will insure that the ERDC Environmental Laboratory will have the necessary capabilities to detect maneuverability obstacles for ground convoys in urban environments, provide situation awareness to soldiers and provide real time data feeds to operators to ensure solider safety in the field. The inability to award this requirement to Aeryon Defense will result in the Environmental Laboratory not being able to provide requested data by: a) Military Engineering Program, and b) the Next Generation of Combat Vehicles program. It is important that the SkyRaider RD80 UAS be purchased in order to meet the needs of the MCUE program and future convoy progress.

d) Possible alternatives include: (1) procurement of different system – although no other source has been identified which can meet the requirements identified, and (2) suspension of the project.

The ERDC’s requirements for this program are met by the SkyRaider RD80 system and there are no other systems available on the market that meet these requirements. The option to suspend this project is unacceptable due to the fact that substantial investments have been previously devoted to this research project. It is a project that has been funded by Military Engineering for 5 years and this is the 3rd year of the program. There are no other vendors who have the system available with the needed requirements to complete the missions. Therefore, contracting with Aeryon Defense for the procurement of a UAS, which are not available at ERDC or other vendors, is critical to the success of this project.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: A sources sought was posted at the Government point of entry, FedBizOpps on 6 February 2019. No responses were received. A presolicitation notice will be publicized IAW FAR 5.2.

7. Actions to Increase Competition: Due to the swift advancements applicable to research and development, ERDC must remain watchful for new and innovative technology, products, services, and capabilities that become available which could be used to satisfy or improve similar future requirements.

The Government will continue to review the current literature, monitor university laboratory websites and review vendor abilities to meet this requirement in the future.

8. Market Research: Market research was performed principally through the use online searches for other companies who developed UAS but none of these platforms meet the basic requirements that are available on the SkyRaider RD80 system. Based on this research, Aeryon Defense has been identified as the only known source that can meet all of the requirements which include expertise that will ensure the ERDC Environmental Laboratory will have the necessary capabilities to collect aerial imagery as needed to feed into the system architecture of the other pillars in the program and future research development capabilities to integrate new sensors and computer processing capabilities on a UAS.

9. Other Facts:

a) Procurement History: This is a new ERDC requirement. Therefore, there is no procurement history for this action.

b) Acquisition data availability: A description of requirements has been developed and will be used for this contract.

c) Unusual and compelling urgency: N/A

d) Subcontracting Competition: Aeryon Defense USA, Inc. is a small business under NAICS code 336411 – Aircraft Manufacturing, with a size standard of 1,500 employees. In accordance with FAR 19.702(b) (1), a subcontracting plan is not required from small business concerns.

Subcontracting opportunities are not considered substantial, however, where the opportunity for subcontracting arises, the use of other small businesses will be encouraged and pursued to the extent possible.

10. Interested Sources: A sources sought was posted at the Government point of entry, FedBizOpps on 6 February 2019. No responses were received.

11. Technical and 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:

12. Fair and Reasonable Price Determination:

I hereby determine that the anticipated cost or price to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable. Cost analysis will be performed to determine that costs are fair and reasonable.

Certified cost or pricing data will not be required since this action is beneath the $2,000,000 threshold.

13. Procuring Contracting Officer Certification:

I certify that this justification is accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Jennifer Laird Signature:

Lead Principle Investigator

Chelsea Whitten Signature:

Contracting Officer

Chelsea Whitten Signature:

Approval:

Based on the foregoing justification, I hereby approve the procurement of SkyRaider RD80 Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) for the Environmental Lab on an Other than Full and Open Competition basis pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1) as implemented in FAR 6.302- 1(a)(2) subject to availability of funds, and provided that the products herein described have otherwise been authorized for acquisition.

Chelsea Whitten Signature:

Requirement: SkyRaider RD80 Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS)