Redacted Simplified Acquisition Sole Source Justification

Control No: JA-19-Adel-048

Contractor: Semandex Networks Inc.

Supply/Service: SALSA licenses

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JUSTIFICATION REVIEW DOCUMENT FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS

FAR PART 13 SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL FOR

OTHER THAN

FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Programs/Equipment:

Awareness (SALSA) Software Licenses

Authority:

13.501(a) -- Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will

Satisfy Agency Requirements.

Amount:

Prepared by:

8

Contracting Officer:

Contracting Officer Date: 11/16/2018

Email: fatimata.diallo.civ@mail.mil

Technical:

8

Requirements:

8

Reviews:

and open competition.

Program Manager:

X

Signed by:

Control No: JA-19-Adel-048

Contractor: Semandex Networks Inc.

Supply/Service: SALSA licenses

2

FAR PART 13 SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL FOR

OTHER THAN

FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

1

Proving Ground (ACC-APG), Adelphi Contracting Division (ACD), 2800 Powder Mill Rd.,

Adelphi, MD 20783.

2. Description of Action:

(FFP) contract with Semandex Networks, Inc., 101 College Road East, Princeton, NJ

08540. The Government projects award for December 2018 and fiscal year 2019

Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT & E) funds will be used.

_X_ An acquisition plan is not required because this procurement either does not

meet the threshold at Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement

207.103(d)(i), or is an R & D acquisition and does not meet the definition of

services in 10 U.S.C. 2330(c)(2).

3. Description of Supplies/Services:

software licenses, Product # SL-PE+DB-VM416150-VIP capable of simultaneously

processing hundreds of camera feeds that require special analytical capabilities. This

software will be included in a system of systems (multitude of smaller systems

intertwined with each other to create a larger system) approach employed by ARL. The

software must handle a minimum of 400 imaging sensor feeds (full motion video)

simultaneously which will in turn fuse all information in real-time.

Delivery Date: (perpetual license (valid indefinitely))

Total Value:

4. Authority Cited:

41 U.S.C. 1901(e)(2), implemented by FAR 13.501(a) -- Only One Responsible Source

and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.

5. Reason for Authority Cited:

These software licenses are required to be compatible with the system of systems

initiated by ARL-SEDD. The required situational awareness software must be capable of

integrating into an existing system infrastructure comprised of numerous separate

systems that work with each other to produce one (1) large system capable of

processing data/information on a much larger scale than if each system was utilized

separately. SALSA is the only Integrated Sensor Architecture (ISA) compliant and sensor

(air and ground) agnostic analytical software which is the feature that allows this

software to be included into the system of systems and appropriately work with the other

programs within it.

Furthermore, this software has the ability to semantically organize data in a flexible way

based on event models, natural language processing, machine-learning algorithms, and

Control No: JA-19-Adel-048

Contractor: Semandex Networks Inc.

Supply/Service: SALSA licenses

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user-defined tags; rapidly discover associations between persons, locations,

organizations, and activities; provide imaging sensor correlation and imaging sensor

cross-queuing focused on detecting, identifying, and tracking moving objects across an

area of interest (AOI); allow additional non-imaging sensors as inputs to software

framework to additional correlation of information in fusion architecture; provide sensor

correlation and sensor cross-queuing focused on detecting, identifying, and tracking

moving objects of interest (MOI) across an AOI; and apply automated analytics and

calculate a probability identification index value to all objects of interest within the AOI.

In addition, rewriting the templates used for the current system of systems in order to use

a non-SALSA solution would result in an unnecessary duplication of cost to the

Government at approximately and take approximately one (1) year to fully

implement a software switch of this complexity and magnitude. If another software is

used, re-development of the system of systems and re-training of the program

stakeholders would be required.

The following are the ARL requirements that can only be met by Semandex Networks,

Inc. SALSA software:

1. Compatible with existing system of systems used by ARL

2. Fuse hundreds of video images together simultaneously to determine unique

identification and tracking of objects in a complex environment

3. ISA compliant

4. Capable of conducting sensor (air and ground) agnostic analysis

5. In addition, the core components of SALSA are patented and the SALSA software as

a whole is copyrighted.

Therefore, it has been determined that Semandex Networks, Inc. is the only capable

source of providing the required software licenses which are compatible with an existing

Government system of systems, to date there are no other authorized resellers of the

SALSA Software.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition:

justification provided in section 5 above, and the results of market research performed by

the TPOC (see Section 8) and the outcome of the Synopsis posting (see Section 9). As a

result of the foregoing information there is no competition for obtaining SALSA software

licensing except from the manufacturer themselves, Semandex Networks, Inc. They are

the only authorized source that can provide the software because there is no other

resellers available in the marketplace.

7. Actions to Increase Competition:

the market to increase competition by attending conferences/exhibitions, examining

trade journals, conducting Internet research, and holding open discussions with industry

experts. To date, no vendor has been identified that can meet the Government's

minimum requirement for this software suite's capabilities that would not require

significant retraining of personnel and not result in disruption of current programs. Before

future acquisitions, the market will be continually surveyed to determine whether another

Control No: JA-19-Adel-048

Contractor: Semandex Networks Inc.

Supply/Service: SALSA licenses

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manufacturer has emerged that could meet the Army's requirements, thus justifying the

need for full and open competition. If the Government becomes aware of other sources

with the capability to meet Government requirements, then a determination will be made

for suitable competition. If and when another source is discovered, the Government will

technically evaluate the response against current systems, and if the new source is

deemed capable, then the Government will seek a competitive action.

8. Market Research:

Schedule (GSA) searches, as well as a review of the Computer Hardware Enterprise

Software and Solutions (CHESS) website, per AFARS 5139.101-90(a)(1), in November

2018 by , for the . This

software is not available via the CHESS program; per AFARS 5139.101-90(a)(2) an

Information Technology Approval System (ITAS) Waiver, obtained on 07 August 2018,

and a CHESS Statement of Non-Availability, obtained on 16 May 2018, are uploaded to

the Paperless Contract Files (PCF) cabinet. To date, no other companies have been

found that can provide this software capable of integrating with other software programs

included in a system of systems program architecture. There are no resellers that can

provide the required SALSA software licenses. Therefore, Semandex Networks, Inc.'s

SALSA is the only software capable of meeting the Government's minimum

requirements.

9. Interested Sources:

the Government's intent to issue a sole source contract to Semandex Networks, Inc. was

published to the FedBizOpps (FBO) website on 07 December 2018. The notification

closed on 14 December 2018. To date, no sources have challenged the sole source or

expressed interest in fulfilling the requirement. Due to the aforementioned, there are no

foreseeable efforts to obtain competition for this procurement.

10. Other Facts:

a. Procurement History

No procurement history exists because this is a first time buy.

Control No: JA-19-Adel-048

Contractor: Semandex Networks Inc.

Supply/Service: SALSA licenses

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11. Technical Certification:

which are included in the justification are accurate and complete to the best of my

knowledge and belief.

Signer's Title: Research Engineer

X

Technical Certifier (Tech)

Signed by:

12. Requirements Certification:

which are included in the justification are accurate and complete to the best of my

knowledge and belief.

Signer's Title: Team Lead

X

Requirements Certifier

Signed by:

13

cost or price to the Government for this contract action will be fair and reasonable.

This determination will be made using the following:

_ Cost analysis

X Price analysis

__ Should-cost

__ IGCE

__ Audit:

__ Other:

As a part of this basis, certified cost or pricing data:

__ will be required.

X_ will not be required and the following exception applies (FAR 15.403):

__ Prices that will be agreed upon are based on adequate price competition.

__ Prices that will be agreed upon are based on prices set by law or

regulation.

X_ A commercial item is being acquired.

Control No: JA-19-Adel-048

Contractor: Semandex Networks Inc.

Supply/Service: SALSA licenses

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__ A waiver has been granted by the head of the contracting activity (HCA) in

accordance with DFARS PGI 215.403-1.

__ The contract action is a modification to a contract or subcontract for

commercial item(s).

__ The estimated cost of the contract action is less than the threshold for

certified cost or pricing data.

1/9/2019

X Fatimata Diallo

Contracting Officer (KO)

Signed by: DIALLO.FATIMATA.1403809434

14. Contracting Officer Certification:

complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

1/9/2019

X Fatimata Diallo

Contracting Officer (KO)

Signed by: DIALLO.FATIMATA.1403809434

Control No: JA-19-Adel-048

Contractor: Semandex Networks Inc.

Supply/Service: SALSA licenses

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Approval

Based on the foregoing justification, I hereby approve the procurement of eight (8)

Semantic Analysis and Linking for Situational Awareness (SALSA) software licenses, for

an estimate of and to be delivered by , on an other than

full and open competition basis pursuant to the authority of 41 U.S.C. 1901(e)(2), subject

to availability of funds, and provided that the services or supplies herein described have

otherwise been authorized for acquisition.

X

I certify that this justification is accurate and. Fair and Reasonable Cost Determination: I hereby determine that the anticipatedI certify that the supporting data under my cognizanceI certify that the supporting data under my cognizanceA sole source pre-solicitation synopsis providing notification ofMarket research was conducted via Internet and General SupplyThe Government will continually seek to exploreEffective competition is not applicable based on theThe Government requires eight (8) SALSAThe U.S. ARL-SEDD requests a new firm-fixed-price. Contracting Activity: U.S. Army Contracting Command-AberdeenI have reviewed this justification and find it adequate to support other than fullerFatimata Diallo DSN: 290-5501tt41 U.S.C. 1901(e)(2), implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)Eight (8) Semantic Analysis and Linking for Situational.