Justification and Approval – Minot AFB, ND Missile Alert Facilities

Notice Type: Justification and Approval

Posted Date: 03-FEB-14

Office Address: Defense Information Systems Agency; Procurement Directorate; DITCO-Scott; 2300 East Dr.Building 3600 Scott AFB IL 62225-5406

Subject: Minot AFB, ND Missile Alert Facilities

Classification Code: D - Information technology services, including telecommunications services

Contact: Angela K. Zang, Contracting Officer, Phone 6182299435, Email [email protected] 6.302-1

Description: Defense Information Systems Agency

Procurement Directorate

DITCO-Scott

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION (OTFAOC) FAR Part 6 Justification, Supporting Procurements under FAR Part 12, FAR Subpart 13.501, and FAR Part 15 Purchase Request Number: NA Contract Number: DCA200-01-C-5012 Task/Delivery Order Number: P00024 Procurement Title: Missile Alert Facilities (MAFs) Minot, ND Air Force Base (AFB) Contracting Office: PL8223 Estimated Value: Statutory Authority: 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), FAR 6.302-1

OTFAOC Justification for OTFAOC Number:

Upon the basis of the following justification, I, as Contracting Officer, hereby approve the use of OTFAOC of the proposed contractual action pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S.C. 2304(c). Citations: 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1). FAR 6.302-1. Only one, or a limited number of responsible sources and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements permitting OTFAOC.

JUSTIFICATION

1. REQUIRING AGENCY AND CONTRACTING OFFICE: Requiring Agency: Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC/A6XP) 66 Kenney Ave Building 5576, Ste. 228 Barksdale AFB, LA 71110

Contracting Office: Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA)/Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization (DITCO)/PL8223 2300 East Dr., Building 3600 Scott AFB, IL 62225-5406

2. NATURE/DESCRIPTION OF ACTION(S): This Justification for OTFAOC is submitted for the purpose of issuing a modification to the current contract DCA200-01-C-5012, with SRT Communications, Inc., continuing the firm fixed price (FFP) Minot AFB, ND MAF requirement. The purpose of this contract extension is to ensure the services provided by the Minot AFB MAF Network are uninterrupted during the equipment upgrades and transition to the Networx contract. This contract extension will be awarded to SRT with a period of performance up to 1-year (from 11 January 2014 to 10 January 2015), consisting of 12, one-month options

3. DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES: This contract supports the MAF and 100% of the missile warning communication services for United States Air Force ballistic missile operations at Minot AFB, ND and its remote locations.

Minot AFB, ND supports 15 MAFs with 12, 2-wire off premise extensions, connecting to an Air Force maintained key system. The key system provides additional telephonic and equipment dial-up services at each MAF site. Communications upgrade is required to bring state-of-the-art communications capabilities to the MAFs and improve Minot AFB's ability to monitor and respond to site personnel, security, and associated support requirements.

This modification will extend the period of performance under the current statement of work (SOW) so there will be no break in network support during the contract upgrades and transition period to the new contract. The continuation of contract DCA200-01-C-5012 will ensure outages are controlled, circuits are secured and the interface and telecommunication services are maintained between Minot AFB, ND and each of its 15 associated MAFs during the transition period.

The current contractor, SRT, provides a point-to-point service, providing a secure link between Minot AFB, ND and each of the 15 MAF locations. Point-to-point service contains 12 base telephone extensions for each site. Telephone extensions provide not only base voice service, but fax services and dial-up modems. Dial-up modems allow remote monitoring separate mission and site support services at each MAF location. The Minot AFB MAF Support network is an internet protocol (IP) based network providing digital/IP-based services and must be available for use by AFGSC 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and 365 days per year. At SP locations where the geophysical data is in an analog format, the contractor must provide analog to digital converters to transform the data into a digital format prior to entering the Minot AFB MAF Support communications network. Once the data reaches its destination, it is converted back to analog for final processing.

This Minot AFB MAF Support network cannot be shared or interfaced with other services or networks without the written consent of the Government. AFGSC requires the contractor to provide a communications network whose common points of entry or exit will not be subject to a failure. Such failure will cause isolation between deployed military forces and the main operating base at Minot AFB. The network must not have single points of failures on satellite equipment, frame circuit equipment, servers, switches, modems and routers at the points of entry into the network.

4. IDENTIFICATION OF STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, 10 U.S.C.2304(c)(1). (FAR 6.302-1/Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement 206.302).

5. DEMONSTRATION OF CONTRACTOR'S UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS: (a)Description of events. Contract DCA200-01-C-5012 was awarded to SRT, Inc. on July 09, 2001. The contract was awarded based on full and open competition. The contract's period of performance is a base period of one year with nine one year options. A modification was accomplished to exercise the 6 month extension clause 52.217-8 on June 10, 2011. In January 2012 the contract was extended via justification for OTFAOC under contract modification P00017, from January 11, 2012 to January 10, 2013, which consisted of a six month base period and six, one-month options. In January 2013, the contract was extended via justification for OTFAOC under contract modification P00020, from January 11, 2013 to January 10, 2014, which consisted of a three month base period and nine one-month options. These extensions were necessary to allow additional time for unexpected delays in transitioning service of the Minot AFB MAF Network to a task order under the Networx contract.

In May 2012, task order GS00T07NSD0038 was awarded under the Networx contract, which is a General Services Administration contract. This Networx task order will supplant contract DCA200-01-C-5012. The government previously anticipated that an eight-month transition period from contract DCA200-01-C-5012 to the Networx contract was sufficient (from May 8, 2012, when the Networx task order was awarded, to January 10, 2012, when contract DCA200-01-C-5012 was set to expire). Installation of services under the Networx contract, however, has been delayed by several unanticipated events. Due to security access requirements by Networx contractors, additional time is needed to validate contractor credentials for access into nuclear command and control areas. To date, eight of the 16 sites are pending wide area network activation. Of the remaining eight sites, seven are pending final extensions by the local exchange carrier (LEC), and one is still awaiting a final technical solution under the Networx contract. The extension of contract DCA200-01-C-5012 will allow for additional time to transition the services to the Networx contract. At this time, it is anticipated that the cutover will take one week per site once service is scheduled to cutover to the Networx contract. Additional delays have been caused by inclement weather. During the winter months (January through March), weather in the areas in which the MAF sites are located has inhibited team member resources. Due to the remote geographical location of the sites, heavy snows can delay or cancel transition of services. Under this extension, the Government will only exercise those option periods necessary to effect a seamless a transition of services to the Networx contract.

(a) Justification: (1) Minimum Government requirements. The purpose of an extension to the current contract is to ensure the services provided by the Minot AFB MAF Network are uninterrupted during the equipment upgrades and transition to the Networx contract. Failure to extend the current contract creates serious consequences to the national defense of the United States. AFGSC requires the ability to monitor and maintain the following network service and site supported systems:

* The pressure monitory response transmitter that provides dial up data for the hardened inter-site cable system.

* The vehicle identification link that provides dialup data on the status of the fuel tanks.

* The remote automated weather station that provides dial up data for weather. This is for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

All service points are critical to mission effectiveness. A 99.5% availability rate must be maintained whenever the network is operational, and not in a state of repair or preventive maintenance. This contract supports the MAF and 100% of the missile warning communication services for United States Air Force ballistic missile operations at Minot AFB, ND and its remote locations. Any break in services caused by a failure to extend the current contract would greatly impact the effectiveness and eliminate confirmation of nuclear missile launch control of the United States Air Force ballistic missile operations at Minot AFB. Any failure to the AFGSC mission would greatly impact the security of the United States.

(2) Proposed sole source contractor. SRT is uniquely qualified to continue the required work because they are the only contractor with their services currently in place. For a new contractor to provide the same or similar services would not be cost effective for the Government or practical for the AFGSC.

(3) Discussion regarding cause of the sole source situation. An award to another vendor would be a substantial duplication of effort and cost to the Government. The services that are being extended by this contract have already been issued on the Networx contract, but have yet to be completed. It is relatively unquantifiable to put a cost figure on the amount it would cost the Government to halt all efforts of communications to award to a new vendor. It would also be duplication of efforts as all the recent investments under the Networx transition would be lost and not be able to be recouped by the Government. Additionally, the downtime of these missile defense circuits, critical to the national defense is not acceptable as there is a basic 99.5% availability rate requirement. Additional transition time is necessary to insure the MAF circuits are transitioned to the Networx vendor without impact to the mission. The cost of mission failure remains unquantifiable and cannot be recouped by the Government.

(4) Demonstration of unique source. AFGSC requires additional time to allow for Networx equipment installation and Air Force mission track to transition to new contact path. SRT is the only source available to continue supporting the MAFSs and 100% of the missile warning communication services at Minot AFB, ND, without causing mission failure. (5) Procurement discussion. The current services were awarded under Networx in June 2013. Due to security access requirements by Networx contractors, services installation has been delayed. Additional time is needed to validate vendor credentials for access into nuclear command and control areas. To date, new 2 X T1 services are being installed and local site active notices are being scheduled by LECs. During the transition to the Networx contract, SRT will continue to engineer, test, install, operate, and maintain end-to-end service of a global, full duplex, communications network connecting multiple Government networks to Service Point at Minot AFB, ND. Prior to the transition of the MAF service at Minot AFB, ND to the Networx contract, an equipment modification is needed on the base telephone switch to upgrade Minot AFB Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service vice the present 180 telephone extension. This will be done via a separate Air Force contract. The Air Force is still planning their acquisition strategy to purchase installation and activate a Virtual Private Network (VPN) solution on all MAF network devices, as the Networx topology is different than provided by the current contractor. All of the Air Force actions have not been accomplished due to end of year funding delays, and are now impacted by weather delays on the North Dakota prairie.

(6) Impact. To award this extension of services to a new third party/non Networx contractor would necessitate new equipment/services that will require additional time for site surveys, power, rack space for equipment and other ancillary services. An additional transition to and from a third party is not practical or even feasible. Additionally, the current contractor would need to remove their equipment while the newly contracted contractor would be required to transition their equipment in place. This would cause various outage concerns and network vulnerabilities; causing mission failures as AFGSC is required to maintain a 99.5% availability rate. 6. FEDBIZOPPS ANNOUNCEMENT/POTENTIAL SOURCES: The modification resulting from this action will be synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities website. The approval authority will be advised of any responses to the synopsis..

7. DETERMINATION OF FAIR AND REASONABLE COST: The prices will be a continuation of the prices on the current contract for the Minot AFB MAF network support being provided as the level of support has not changed. The original prices were based on adequate price competition at the time of the initial contract award and were determined to be fair and reasonable at that time. For this contract extension, the Contracting Officer will make a determination that the proposed prices are fair and reasonable before any contract extension is awarded.

8. MARKET RESEARCH: N/A. Market research was not required as the Government can only continue supporting the Minot AFB, ND MAF requirement through a sole source contract with SRT. This is an extension of the current contract; the incumbent will maintain critical contractor support only until the services being provided under the Networx contract are installed and operational. The transition to the Networx contract was delayed for legitimate reasons and not due to inadequate acquisition planning.

9. ANY OTHER SUPPORTING FACTS: None

10. LISTING OF INTERESTED SOURCES: For the current contract extension, a notice of intent was issued in FedBizOpps on December 11, 2012. To date, no responses from interested parties have been received. It is anticipated that there will be a similar response to the notice of intent posting for the proposed extension.

11. ACTIONS THE AGENCY MAY TAKE TO REMOVE OR OVERCOME BARRIERS THAT LED TO THE EXCEPTION TO FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION.

Procurement History: This is an interim solution until all circuits are transitioned to the Networx Contract. The Networx solution was competed amongst all Networx contract holders.

12. REFERENCE TO THE APPROVED ACQUISITION PLAN (AP): Per Defense Acquisition Regulation Supplement 7.103, a written AP is not required under this dollar threshold.

TECHNICAL CERTIFICATION: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance which are included in the J&A are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

NAME: ______________________ SIGNATURE: _______________________ (Print/Type)

TITLE/ORGANIZATION: _____________________________ PHONE: _______________ (Print/Type) DATE: ________

REQUIREMENTS CERTIFICATION: I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance which are included in the J&A are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

NAME: ______________________ SIGNATURE: _______________________ (Print/Type)

TITLE/ORGANIZATION: _____________________________ PHONE: _______________ (Print/Type) DATE: ________

CONTRACTING OFFICER APPROVAL: I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

NAME: Angela K. Zang SIGNATURE: _______________________ (Print/Type)

TITLE/ORGANIZATION: DITCO Contracting Officer PHONE: 618-229-9435 (Print/Type) DATE: ________

ALL QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS JUSTIFICATION ARE TO BE REFERRED TO Angela K. Zang, Contracting Officer, 618-229-9435, [email protected]

Link/URL: https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DISA/D4AD/DITCO/DCA200-01-C-5012/listing.html