SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- support of USCYBERCOM Operations Directorate - Signed J/A
- Notice Date
- 10/3/2011
- Notice Type
- Justification and Approval (J&A)
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- Defense Information Systems Agency, Procurement Directorate, DITCO-NCR, P.O. BOX 549, FORT MEADE, Maryland, 20755-0549, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20755-0549
- Solicitation Number
- HC102808D2023VC23
- Archive Date
- 11/3/2011
- Point of Contact
- Steven Gagnon, Phone: 2402066085
- E-Mail Address
-
steven.gagnon@disa.mil
(steven.gagnon@disa.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Award Number
- HC102808D2023VC23
- Award Date
- 7/15/2011
- Description
- Signed J/A Military Interdepartmental Purchase Request (MIPR) Number: FIATNW11456001 AMD 01 JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION (OTFAOC) LIMITED SOURCES JUSTIFICATION Justification for OTFAOC Number: JA11-148 Upon the basis of the following justification, I, as the Procuring Activity Competition Advocate (PACA), hereby approve the use of other than full and open competition of the proposed contractual action pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S.C. 2304c(b)(3), FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i)(C) - The order must be issued on a sole-source basis in the interest of economy and efficiency because it is a logical follow-on to an order already issued under the contract, provided that all awardees were given a fair opportunity to be considered for the original order. JUSTIFICATION 1. REQUIRING AGENCY AND CONTRACTING OFFICE: (FAR 8.405-6(g)(2)(i)) REQUIRING ACTIVITY: USCYBERCOM J3 Directorate 9800 Savage Road Ft. George G. Meade, Maryland, 20755 CONTRACTING ACTIVITY: Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization PL61 Building 4215 Roberts Ave Ft. George G. Meade, MD 20755 2. NATURE/DESCRIPTION OF ACTION: (FAR 8.405-6(g)(2)(ii)) The proposed contract action is for a twelve (12) month task order to Northrop Grumman Information Systems (NGIS) via ENCORE II contract HC1028-08-D-2023. The total estimated value of the task order inclusive of options is $12.3M. The task order will be funded with FY11 Operations and Maintenance funding, and a Time and Materials (T&M) type contract is anticipated. 3. DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES : (FAR 8.405-6(g)(2)(iii)) The services to be received under this action include support of USCYBERCOM Operations Directorate (J3) three mission critical lines of operation: 1) Department of Defense (DoD) Global Information Grid (GIG) Operations (DGO); 2) Defensive Cyber Operations (DCO); and 3) Offensive Cyber Operations (OCO). The objectives within each of the three mission lines of operation are currently supported through the various tasks delineated on ENCORE II Task Order HC1028-08-D-2023-VC04. The VC04 Task Order provides information security expertise in support of protection of the GIG. This includes Surveillance and Reconnaissance; Perimeter Defense; Malicious Code Analysis; CND Incident Handling; Vulnerability Management/Reporting; Risk Analysis and Readiness; and Strategic Analysis. This entails 24x7x365 manning, which is currently being supported by the contractor workforce. The nature of cyber operations, defense and offense is unquantifiable. DOD will never be able to measure exactly how much support is required to adequately defend deliberate hackers and malcontents from exploiting networks and introducing malware that does significant damage to DOD and public infrastructures. However, putting an effective contract vehicle in place that enables flexibility and lower costs is possible and desirable. The Secretary of Defense directed the establishment of the sub-unified Combatant Command (COCOM), USCYBERCOM in June 2009. The command was activated in May 2010 when its Commander was confirmed by Congress. However there is still much work to be done with defining the commands mission and authority as well as understanding/refining relationships with COCOMs, Services, Other Government Agencies, Industry, and our Foreign Partners. With an evolving mission, unrefined authorities within the Federal Government, limited access to government workers with highly technical skills, Government Service pay limitations, (same issue applies to military personnel), and inability to determine the scope of support necessary, the use of a Firm Fixed Price contract is not feasible. 4. IDENTIFICATION OF STATUTORY AUTHORITY : The proposed contractual action is pursuant to the authority of the 10 U.S.C. 2304c(b)(3). In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 16.505(b)(2)(i)(C) - The order must be issued on a sole-source basis in the interest of economy and efficiency because it is a logical follow-on to an order already issued under the contract, provided that all awardees were given a fair opportunity to be considered for the original order. 5. IDENTIFICATION OF THE JUSTIFICATION RATIONALE : ((FAR 8.405-6(g) (2)(iv)) USCYBERCOM is a sub-unified combatant command under the United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM). USSTRATCOM is in the process of obtaining government civilian billets to perform the majority of functions currently provided by NGIS, the incumbent contractor. It is impossible to predict which critically manned positions USSTRATCOM will identify as Government civilians or at what grade/level or even when these billets will become available to USCYBERCOM. Until the conversions are made, it is more economical and efficient to maintain the current contractor workforce to meet current mission critical requirements. The purpose of this action is to provide uninterrupted mission critical contractor support to USCYBERCOM while the positions currently manned by contractor personnel are in-sourced to Government personnel. A sole source task order was awarded to NGIS under contract number HC1028-08-D-2023 VC23 on 15 Jul 2011. This order consisted of a 6 month base period and a 6 month option. This order is being converted to a twelve (12) month period of performance. This will allow for continuity of service and avoid any risk to performance in the event funds are not available in FY12. NGIS will provide mission integrity for critically staffed positions supporting the DOD Cyber Operations and Defense mission. USCYBERCOM is extremely limited by the security requirements; personnel must have and maintain a Top Secret/Secure Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) with polygraph for access to government facilities supporting the mission. The clearance process is very time-consuming and can be as long as nine (9) months to clear an individual, which makes a full fair opportunity competition utterly impracticable. Without a TS/SCI clearance, personnel cannot gain access to facilities or network resources leaving them idle for months at a time. In the context of this short logical follow-on task order, the economic waste and inefficiency is obvious. Awarding this effort to another vendor would introduce significant risk to the overall mission as a result of the long lead times for obtaining TS/SCI security clearances and facility accesses in order to perform the effort detailed in the performance work statement (PWS). Significant risk is also involved in the training/situational awareness time necessary to ensure a new contractor is prepared to assume the mission critical functions identified in the PWS. USCYBERCOM and DOD cannot afford the loss of this support for even one day. NGIS, as the incumbent, can maintain mission integrity and provide continuity; no other vendor can provide the same level of support at this time, which is critical in light of the fact that USCYBERCOM does not have full staffing of its authorized military or civilian billets. The existing task order will expire on 15 Jul 2011. Current tasks require personnel trained in highly technical fields, DOD specific Command and Control applications, and TS/SCI clearances with polygraphs. NGIS has been providing the support for the last three (3) years and thus has the knowledge, situational awareness, and hands-on experience for the critical mission requirements of USCYBERCOM J3 operations. NGIS is uniquely qualified to provide the support necessary without disruption until such time that government employees are on-boarded to replace the contractor full-time employees (FTEs). Under these circumstances it was determined that NGIS is the only responsible source that can meet the USCYBERCOM's short term mission critical requirement. 6. BEST VALUE DETERMINATION : ((FAR 8.405-2(d) & 8.405-6(g)(2)(v)) This is a short-term, sole-source logical follow-on to the current task order being performed by NGIS. The anticipated contract type is T&M, which is justified by the volatile changes in task order requirements that will be expected as USCYBERCOM progresses toward its goal of obtaining government civilian billets and reducing its reliance on contractor support. The Contracting Officer will perform a price analysis to ensure the cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable. This information will be ascertained by review of the proposed prices to NGIS' established ENCORE II labor rates and categories as well as comparison to the Independent Government Cost Estimate. The Government shall also closely tailor specific requirements to ensure that only the necessary number and proper category of labor categories will be ordered as requirements arise under the T&M structure of the contract. The price risk of a sole-source acquisition is mitigated by the economy and efficiency of a logical follow-on task order of short duration. The additional cost of a full fair opportunity competition among all ENCORE II contract holders, plus the inefficiency of transitioning to another contractor for a short period, cannot be justified in this context. The Government has a multi-year relationship with the incumbent in the context of this requirement that will help ensure the Government gets the best value. This acquisition represents the best value to the government. 7. MARKET RESEARCH : ((FAR 10.002) & (FAR 8.405-6(g)(2)(vi)) The market research revealed that NGIS was the only vendor that could satisfy the Government's minimum essential requirements under the unique circumstances of this logical follow-on task order. These essential requirements include expertise in the three (3) mission lines of operations and the ability for all contractor staff to obtain and retain appropriate clearance levels/polygraphs to enable immediate access to government facilities at National Security Agency (NSA) Ft. George G. Meade, MD. Only those ENCORE II ID/IQ contract holders currently providing support in NSA facilities were consulted on their ability to meet this requirement due to the timeline associated with obtaining clearances and personnel access to facilities and networks and NSA. It was determined that while initial responses were always affirmative, further discussion revealed the likelihood of contractors substituting resources from other contract vehicles supporting USCYBERCOM in NSA spaces, which would only increase the extra cost and inefficiency of a full fair opportunity competition. Also, other areas within USCYBERCOM would have been impacted by drawing resources away to support this requirement. At this time NGIS is the only known vendor capable of providing uninterrupted/critical support to the USCYBERCOM. Awarding this contract action to NGIS will maintain mission integrity for critically manned positions. Bringing in another vendor at this time would require extensive ramp-up time for clearances, polygraphs, facility access and mission familiarity introducing additional costs and time that USCYBERCOM cannot currently afford. NGIS can maintain mission integrity and provide continuity and no other vendor can be found that can provide the same level of support, which is critical in light of the fact that the USCYBERCOM does not have full manning of its authorized military billets, or full manning of its authorized civilian billets. 8. ANY OTHER SUPPORTING FACTS. (FAR 8.405-6(g)(2)(vii)). None. 9. ACTIONS TAKEN TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO COMPETITION : ((FAR 8.405-6(g)(2)(viii)) •(a) Procurement History. •(1) ENCORE II HC1028-08-2023/VC04. Awarded to Northrop Grumman Information Technology (NGIT), 16 Jan 09; one base year and one option year. Value of contract is $33,503,480. (2) IASSURE DCA200-00-D-5020/57, 59, and 60. Awarded to General Dynamics System Development & Integration Services on 8 Jun, 13 Jul, and 18 Jul 07 respectively as one base year and one option year task order contracts. Task Order values are TO57 - $3,600,899; TO59 - $3,329,328; and TO60 - $6,550,848. (b) Identification of Future Need. USSTRATCOM is in the process of obtaining government civilian billets to perform the majority of functions currently provided by the incumbent contractor. It is impossible to predict which critically manned positions USSTRATCOM will identify as government civilians or at what grade/level or even when these billets will become available to USCYBERCOM to hire into. It is anticipated that a minority of positions will continue to be contractor supported. Once USSTRATCOM identifies these positions, a new requirement will be defined and awarded competitively. USCYBERCOM's contractor draw down plan requests 128 civilian billets and additional FY12 funding to allow for the contractor overlap during civilian hiring actions. However, the intention is to also develop a PWS for a Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) or T&M task order for competition and award that replaces this sole-source bridge and that will enable decreasing the level of contractor support as civilians are hired. 10. REFERENCE TO THE APPROVED ACQUISITION PLAN (AP) PROGRAM PLAN (PP) : (DARS 8.405-6(g)(2)(S-91)) No Acquisition Plan Required. 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: ____________________ TITLE: 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: ___________________________ TITLE: DATE: CONTRACTING OFFICER CERTIFICATION: Include the following determination: "I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief." NAME: FRANKLIN WHEELER, Jr. SIGNATURE: _______________________ TITLE: Contracting Officer DATE: PROCURING ACTIVITY COMPETITION ADVOCATE APPROVAL "I have reviewed this justification and find it to be accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. Since this justification does not exceed $12.5M, this review serves as approval." APPROVED BY: (FAR 8.405-6 (h)(2)) Signature: _________________________________________________PLA, 220-9608, 23 SEP 2011____ANN VAUGHN, Procuring Activity Competition Advocate Organization Phone
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DISA/D4AD/DTN/HC102808D2023VC23/listing.html)
- Record
- SN02601265-W 20111005/111003235327-276f1fbd9d86d679d4e6a07dc40f088a (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
| FSG Index | This Issue's Index | Today's FBO Daily Index Page |