Notice of Intent to Sole Source: SDA Tranche 3 (T3) Ground Segment Development (GSD)

The Space Development Agency (SDA) intends to award a sole-source contract to General Dynamics Mission Systems (GDMS; CAGE 1VPW8), for the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) Tranche 3 (T3) Ground Segment Development (GSD) effort.  GDMS shall provide the systems engineering (SE), development and deployment, and operations of ground segment capabilities sufficient to enable the T3 Tracking space vehicle mission capabilities and associated space vehicle performer ground system interfaces to be integrated and interoperable within the PWSA GS architecture, and enable minimal SDA Custody Layer interface development to support mission status and health related activities within the PWSA GS.  The T3 GSD effort will leverage the existing platform/ framework; development, test, and operations environments; and mission applications developed under the current GDMS awarded PWSA Ground Management and Integration (GMI) contract, enabling development within the existing software baseline and the continuous integration (CI) continuous delivery/deployment (CD) pipeline.  This iterative enhancement of the existing PWSA GS software baseline will ensure development and test resources are available at the appropriate maturity and timeline to support Space and User Segment needs and activities within an aggressive integration, test, and launch readiness campaign.

A sole source award to GDMS is justified in accordance with 10 U.S.C. § 2304(d)(1)(B), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(ii), as it is likely that award to any other source would result in substantial duplication of cost to the Government that is not expected to be recovered through competition and unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency’s requirements.  An organizational assessment of pre-existing Conflict of Interest (COI) exclusions, aligned with the GMI contract award, also supports the determination of sole source award to GDMS.  The planned cost-plus contract is anticipated to be awarded in February 2026.  The contract will consist of a three (3)-year base period with one (1)-year option period. SDA has solicited industry inputs through a Broad Area Announcement, to identify approaches to develop and transition from the existing PWSA GS framework/platform and mission applications to enable a future open competition of the Ground Segment to multiple vendors/performers.

This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals and no solicitation will be issued.   Any responses to this notice must demonstrate clear and convincing evidence that competition would be advantageous to the Government and would not hinder the timeline or mission objectives of the T3 GSD effort.  Any response shall include the following information:  1) the business’ demographic information showing responsibility and qualification in accordance with FAR Part 9; 2) specific exception to the intent to procure on a sole source basis; 3) technical data showing the capabilities of the respondent to perform the work listed above.  The response must provide clear, convincing and unambiguous evidence to substantiate the capability of the respondent to provide the required services as listed above.   A request for documentation or additional information or submissions that only ask questions will not be considered an affirmative response to this notice. 

The determination not to compete this proposed contract action is solely within the discretion of the Government. Any responses received will be assessed for the purposes of determining a compelling basis to conduct a competitive procurement.  The Government will not be responsible for any costs incurred by responding to this notice. Responses, to include capability statements, proposals or quotations, shall be sent via email only to beatriz.a.estrada.civ@mail.mil (cc: richard.t.downs.ctr@mail.mil ), no later than 18 August 2025, at 1:00 PM ET.  The e-mail shall contain the following within the subject line: Response to Notice of Intent to Sole Source SDA-SN-25-0024.  It is the responsibility of the respondent to contact the Government to confirm receipt prior to the above due date and time. Responses submitted after this deadline will not be addressed.