Engineering Services

Added: Sep 29, 2011 6:27 pm
II. Nature and/or Description of the Action Being Approved: This is a follow-on order under the basic IDIQ ATSP3 contract, H94003-04-D-0003 (GD-AIS) to enhance the capabilities of the SDS that is currently operationally supporting the B-2 RF signature diagnostics system (SDS) maintenance process. The purpose of this follow on task is to enhance the capabilities of the B-2 RF signature diagnostics maintenance process.
III. Description of the Supplies/Services or Nature of Construction:
Enhancement of the capabilities, including Spiral 9, of the SDS that are currently operationally supporting the B-2 RF signature diagnostics maintenance process. The enhancements will improve the speed of the database thus being more responsive to user requests. The estimated period of performance is (18) eighteen Months After Receipt of Order (MARO).
FAR 16.505(b)(2)(B), Exceptions to fair opportunity process Limited Source J&A (Only one awardee is
capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the
supplies or services ordered are unique or highly specialized).
SDS is a data management system with hardware and software elements that are used to assess the day-to-day radar cross-section (RCS) of operational B-2 aircraft The effort defined under this CET is a follow-on phase 2 capability development of SDS. GD-AIS is the only reasonable SDS enhancement supplier for the following reasons:
Security
Technical familiarity -- GD-AIS developed the hardware requirements and all of the software used in the SDS through Spiral 3. GD-AIS performed all of the software development tasks for the follow-on SDS development effort for Spirals 4 through 9. A separate contractor will require at least 6 months to gain sufficient familiarity with the SDS architecture to ensure their enhancement actions do not impair system performance. GD-AIS already has the necessary knowledge of the system and can immediately operate at 100% effectiveness. In addition to gaining familiarity with the SDS architecture, a loss of technical synergy between the developing and maintaining efforts will occur unless an additional technical integration effort is added to either this effort or the follow-on Spirals 4 through 11 development effort. Utilizing GD-AIS for the SDS enhancement effort will ensure that the developers and maintainers operate efficiently for software upgrades
Infrastructure Cost
Total system performance System performance could be degraded unless the SDS contractor is kept fully up to speed on the nature of the system changes. Keeping a contractor other than GD-AIS aware of the follow-on development and how those system changes will affect the hardware-software interactions on the deployed system will require additional systems integration effort. At a minimum, a separate contractor would need to attend the quarterly SDS follow-on technical interchange meetings and analyze the effect those changes will have on the system.
If this J&A is not approved, the Government will be forced to take on unnecessary schedule, technical and cost risk to award this program via DMEA's Fair Opportunity process for limited competition. The SDS enhancement development program would be put in jeopardy because it would take any other contractor other than GD-AIS a great deal of time to develop the skills and facilities necessary to perform the task at substantial, additional costs to the Government.
In accordance with FAR Part 10 and FAR Part 12.101, the project manager researched other sources to perform the development of the Signature Diagnostics System (SDS) prior to providing DMEA the funds for the Spiral 4 through 9 contract in August 2007. The results of the market research showed that no similar capability existed at the time the SDS contract was established. That also remains true today
The project manager and engineer reviewed of the SDS draft SORAD (Supplemental Operational Requirements Agreement Document), System Requirements Document (SRD) and statement of work (CET) for Spiral 10. After reviewing these documents a determination was made that no commercial or non-developmental item exists that can meet the requirements of the SDS Spiral 10.