SOLICITATION NOTICE
10 -- Engineering & Research Integration Solid State Laser Test Bed (ISSL-TB)
- Notice Date
- 7/5/2011
- Notice Type
- Justification and Approval (J&A)
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AFRL - Directed Energy Directorate, 2251 Maxwell Ave, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, 87117
- ZIP Code
- 87117
- Solicitation Number
- FA9451-11-R-0006
- Archive Date
- 8/5/2011
- Point of Contact
- Claire M. Roberson, Phone: 505-846-1485, Jill Wodochek, Phone: 505-846-2246
- E-Mail Address
-
Claire.Roberson@Kirtland.af.mil, jill.wodochek@kirtland.af.mil
(Claire.Roberson@Kirtland.af.mil, jill.wodochek@kirtland.af.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Award Number
- FA9451-11-C-0006
- Award Date
- 6/20/2011
- Description
- JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION I. CONTRACTING ACTIVITY: U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Philips Research Site (PRS), Directed Energy Contracting Division (RDK), 2251 Maxwell Street, Kirtland AFB, NM 87117-5773. II. NATURE AND/OR DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION BEING PROCESSED: This action will be awarded as a new cost plus fixed fee contract to Northrop Grumman Space & Mission Systems Corp. (NGS&MSC), One Space Park Blvd, Redondo Beach, CA 90278-1001. The efforts associated with this acquisition provide for the continuation of RDS' (and portions of RDLE) engineering research and support of four integrated solid state laser, when combined, compose the Integrated Solid State Laser Test bed located at Kirtland Air Force Base, NM. III. DESCRIPTION OF THE SUPPLIES/SERVICES REQUIRED TO MEET THE AGENCY'S NEEDS: Under this effort, NGS&MSC will continue to provide onsite technical laser research and engineering advancements for a period of performance of 3 years. NGS&MSC will provide technical laser engineering work on four continuous wave and pulse high energy solid state laser platforms located at Kirtland Air Force Base (KAFB), NM with a contractual option for one laser system located in Maui, Hawaii. NGS&MSC will provide total system level diagnostic reviews, laser system technical analysis and overall laser system adjustments in order to match various designated research and development experiments and efforts. This also includes adjustments to and calibration of internal optical laser components. Research will be focused on improving the integration with the total laboratory and the internal and external output beam characteristics from each laser system. NGS&MSC holds exclusive technical data rights to key components of these laser systems. The estimated cost for the term of the contract is $1.9M over a 36 month period. Air Force Research and Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) 3600 appropriations are committed and reserved to fund program costs associated with this research expansion. IV. STATUTORY AUTHORITY PERMITTING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION: 10 USC 2304(c)(1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1: Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. V. DEMONSTRATION THAT THE CONTRACTOR'S UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS OR NATURE OF THE ACQUISITION REQUIRES THE USE OF THE AUTHORITY CITED ABOVE (APPLICABILITY OF AUTHORITY): A total of four specific laser systems are applicable to the efforts associated with the program. The first, Vesta II laser, was purchased under contract W9113M-05-C-0216. This contract was awarded as a result of a full and open competition under RFP number W9113M-04-R-0013. The other three laser systems, Elektra, Asterope, and Maia, were acquired under contract FA9451-04-C-0158. This contract was awarded as a result of a competitively selected Research and Development proposal received in response to BAA-03-DE-03. In acquiring these four laser systems, the Government accepted limited data rights as part of the contract terms and conditions. The exclusive technical data rights held by NGS&MSC prevents other companies from working on the internal components of the four laser systems as the design and components are considered NGS&MSC proprietary information. Specifically, NGS&MSC data rights protect the laser phasing approach, the fiber front end design, the gain modules, mirror designs and coatings. These aspects encompass critical design aspects that need to be understood and accessible to satisfy the Government's requirements. Further, the technical data held by NGS&MSC encompass proprietary information that is essential to understand how these unique systems operate. Key technology methods were developed by NG at private expense and therefore limited data rights were accepted when these systems were purchased by the AF. These data rights protect key specific technical specifications required for equipment and internal modifications to the system. NGS&MSC and their subsidiaries also manufacture unique equipment that is essential to enable continued operations and research for these laser systems. No other company could produce this unique equipment without access to the NGS&MSC proprietary data. Award to any other source would result in both a substantial duplication of cost to the Government that is not expected to be recovered through competition, as well as result in unacceptable delays in fulfilling Department of Defense solid state laser advancement requirements. Additionally, the four laser systems delivered under the original contracts include developmental processes and limited data rights. The cost to award another contract to develop an alternate specialized laser system with comparable capability is expected to mirror or exceed the original efforts, which are completed, of Contracts W9113M-05-C-0216 and FA9451-04-C-0158, resulting in a 36-month effort and estimated $42M in cost. Delay and expense of this magnitude would seriously degrade AFRL/RDS (and portions of RDLE) optic laser beam research and development activities. Therefore, this acquisition is for continued performance of highly specialized research support. VI. DESCRIPTION OF EFFORTS MADE TO ENSURE THAT OFFERS ARE SOLICITED FROM AS MANY POTENTIAL SOURCES AS DEEMED PRACTICABLE: A Sources Sought Synopsis was published on Federal Business Opportunities on 03 Nov 2010. A single response from an 8 (a) party was received. However, upon evaluation of this company's statement of capability submission, the Air Force concluded that the respondent was not technically capable of performing the work requirements of this effort. This assessment was based upon the fact that the respondent did not have access to the proprietary data necessary to progress the research efforts supporting the various solid state lasers (but would have to try and acquire these technical data rights and would eventually need to subcontract more than 85% of the research expansion efforts to NGS&MSC), did not have access to the software source code, would be forced to purchase equipment through NGS&MSC that would exceed 50% of the contract cost, and did not have any knowledge or understanding of these unique solid state laser systems. VII. DETERMINATION BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER THAT THE ANTICIPATED COST TO THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE FAIR AND REASONABLE: Proposal analysis will be accomplished in accordance with FAR 15.404-1(b)(2)(ii) and FAR 15.404-1(b)(2)(vii). The contractor's proposed costs will be carefully examined and verified to the maximum extent possible using material quotes and cost data. Inputs from the AFRL/RDS Program Manager (technical and cost evaluation) and DCAA (verification of direct and indirect rates) will be used to establish a negotiation objective. Weighted Guidelines will be used to determine a fair and reasonable fee. Thus, it is expected the resulting negotiated cost and fixed fee will be found fair and reasonable prior to award of any contract. VIII. DESCRIPTION OF THE MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED AND THE RESULTS, OR A STATEMENT OF THE REASONS MARKET RESEARCH WAS NOT CONDUCTED: Market assessment, in this case, has been primarily supported by the results of the Sources Sought Synopsis as described in Section VI above. The market assessment confirms that due to the proprietary nature of the data rights and the limited access to this data, no other company (beyond NG and their subsidiaries) possess the expertise to perform the work on the four solid state laser systems. The market assessment confirmed that any other company, other than NGS&MSC, that is interested in performing this work would need knowledge of the systems (hardware and software) and have to acquire the technical data rights from NGS&MSC to properly meet the requirements of the contract. The market assessment confirmed that no other company has access to the data and/or equipment necessary to fulfill the contract requirements associated with this effort. IX. ANY OTHER FACTS SUPPORTING THE USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION: In reviewing the technical requirements of this project, the primary hurdles that limit these efforts to other than full and open competition are derived from the expertise solely possessed by NGS&MSC and their subsidiaries and the technical data rights affiliated with the technical knowledge, inner workings, and software source code, unique to the four solid state laser systems. NGS&MSC and their subsidiaries possess the data rights, coupled with unique advancements and concepts applicable to the four solid state laser systems, that are key to the continued development of this highly specialized equipment. Any company that would attempt to perform this work would be forced to solicit NGS&MSC for data rights, software source code, and would have to reverse engineer the current systems to become proficient and technically acceptable. The costs associated with implementing such efforts far outweigh any cost or schedule savings that might be recouped via unrestricted full and open competition. X. LIST OF SOURCES, IF ANY, THAT EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THE ACQUISITION: There were two respondents that expressed an interest in these efforts. XI. A STATEMENT OF THE ACTIONS, IF ANY, THE AGENCY MAY TAKE TO REMOVE OR OVERCOME ANY BARRIERS TO COMPETITION BEFORE MAKING SUBSEQUENT ACQUISITIONS FOR THE SUPPLIES OR SERVICES REQUIRED: The AFRL Solid State Laser program has been evolving over the last several decades. With this evolution, it has come to the Air Force's attention that part of the research development of this technology has, through time, unintentionally been relinquished to the various Prime contractors that have supported these research advancements. Consequently, the opportunities to convert these research efforts to a competitive environment have been limited by the ownership of data rights and technological expertise. XII. CONTRACTING OFFICER'S CERTIFICATION: The Contracting Officer's signature on the Coordination and Approval Document evidences that she has determined this document to be both accurate and complete to the best of her knowledge and belief. XIII. TECHNICAL/REQUIREMENTS PERSONNEL'S CERTIFICATION: As evidenced by his signature on the cover page of this document, the technical/ requirements personnel have certified that any supporting data contained herein, which is his responsibility, is both accurate and complete.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USAF/AFMC/AFRLPLDED/FA9451-11-R-0006/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Kirtland AFB, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, 87117-5773, United States
- Zip Code: 87117-5773
- Zip Code: 87117-5773
- Record
- SN02489789-W 20110707/110705234636-c8e48c63d49b15e9a0b3db36b7c5f544 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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