Loren Data's SAM Daily™

FBO DAILY ISSUE OF AUGUST 16, 2012 FBO #3918
SOLICITATION NOTICE

J -- Ground Multi-Band Terminal (GMT) Depot Support

Notice Date

8/14/2012
 

Notice Type

Fair Opportunity / Limited Sources Justification
 

NAICS

811213 — Communication Equipment Repair and Maintenance
 

Contracting Office

Department of the Air Force, Air Force Space Command, SMC - Space and Missile Systems Center, 483 North Aviation Blvd, El Segundo, California, 90245-2808
 

ZIP Code

90245-2808
 

Archive Date

9/13/2012
 

Point of Contact

James D. Swartz, Phone: 7195560612
 

E-Mail Address

james.swartz@peterson.af.mil
(james.swartz@peterson.af.mil)
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Award Number

FA8771-04-D-0007
 

Award Date

7/31/2012
 

Description

JUSTIFICATION FOR AN EXCEPTION TO FAIR OPPORTUNITY I. IDENTIFICATION OF THE AGENCY, CONTRACTING ACTIVITY, AND JUSTIFICATION A. Agency: Department of the Air Force, Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC), MILSATCOM Systems Directorate, Logistics and Operations Support Division (SMC/MCL) B. Contracting Activity: SMC/PKL, Peterson AFB, CO C. Justification Type: Logical Follow-on to an Order Already Issued Under the NETCENTS Contract D. This acquisition is conducted under the authority of the Department of the Air Force NETCENTS (Network-Centric S olutions) contract IAW FAR 16.505. II. NATURE AND DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION BEING APPROVED The Government intends to solicit through a Fair Opportunity Exception (FOE) justification and award a one-month bridge task order for Ground Multi-band Terminal (GMT) Depot Support to General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) under the NETCENTS (Network-Centric Solutions) contract IAW FAR 16.505. This requirement is for a Firm-Fixed Price (FFP)/Cost-Reimbursable (CR) standalone NETCENTS task order for a one-month bridge period from 01 August through 31 August 2012 in order to support the Air Force's immediate need to bridge a gap in service from the end of the current GMT depot contract, which expires 31 July 2012. The competitive award of the follow-on contract is anticipated for award by 31 Aug 2012. An FFP CLIN will be used for facilities/labor and a Cost Reimbursable (CR) CLIN will be used for materials/shipping. III. DESCRIPTION OF THE SUPPLIES OR SERVICES TO MEET THE AGENCY'S NEEDS Description The GMT program provides wideband communication services using existing Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) satellites, the new Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) satellites, and commercial satellites. GMT is interoperable with legacy Super High Frequency (SHF) terminals, replaces the aging Ground Mobile Forces (GMF) satellite terminals, and is designed to be upgradable to incorporate new technologies and capabilities in the future. The GMT program consists of 133 terminals and associated antennas, 20 Large Aperture Multiband Deployable Antennas (LAMDA) fielded as part of the initial GMT package and 113 Quad-band Large Aperture Antennas (QLAA) being fielded as part of a GMT improvement package. The GMT depot facility was originally established in Needham, MA under the Theater Deployable Communications (TDC) program for assorted tactical communications systems. The GMT depot was detached from TDC and moved to Colorado Springs, CO as a stand-alone program. The depot operation is basically a stock, store, and issue operation with a moderate level of subject matter expertise required for field support. The contract consists of GMT hardware and software maintenance, secure depot warehousing and logistics to include shipping, receiving, inventory, storage, control, and common fault isolation techniques. Currently GDIT provides GMT sustainment support to eight (8) Major Commands and over fifty (50) organizational units through a 3-month bridge contract task order (TB01) awarded as a centralized task order under NECTCENTS Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract FA8771-04-D-0007 on 30 April 2012 by the Space and Missile Systems Center, Space Logistics Contracting Division (SMC/PKL). Estimated Value of One-Month Bridge The total estimated value of the one-month bridge contract action is $150K. The value is comprised of facility maintenance and sustainment labor costs, facility maintenance and sustainment costs. IV. FAIR OPPORTUNITY EXCEPTION AND SUPPORTING RATIONALE - INCLUDING DEMONSTRATION OF PROPOSED CONTRACTOR'S UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS Fair Opportunity Exception (FOE) The applicable Fair Opportunity Exception (FOE) authority is 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. Logical Follow-on Supporting Rationale - Including Unique Qualifications GDIT, the proposed contractor, is currently performing all required GMT depot support services necessary to continue to meet mission critical requirements. GDIT has the requisite GMT system knowledge necessary to isolate repair requests and to provide help center functions. GDIT has an active lease in place for the fully operational secure depot facility in Colorado Springs. GDIT actively maintains the facility with qualified personnel, in conformance with the contract requirements and the associated DD-254 security requirements. GDIT has a proven past performance record that attests to the company's knowledge of, and experience with, GMT Line Replaceable Units (LRUs). GDIT currently provides the full range of sustainment support for GMT hardware and software maintenance, secure depot warehousing and logistics (including shipping, receiving, and inventory storage/maintenance/control), and common fault isolation techniques required to assist the GMT community in the sustainment of the GMT Satellite Communications (SATCOM) terminals, the Large Aperture Multi-band Deployable Antennas (LAMDA), and the Quad-band Large Aperture Antennas (QLAA). GDIT has extensive experience coordinating with the MILSATCOM operating field unit, the GMT original equipment manufacturer (OEM), and component vendors. GDIT actively manages all necessary actions, tools, spare parts, labor, materials, technical data, facilities, packaging, and transportation to accomplish the repair and delivery of serviceable GMT asset(s) to the Government. GDIT has a successful record in the area of GMT software sustainment, and the company is adept at investigating and resolving problem reports and using technical data and program documentation to assist or provide the MILSATCOM operating field unit with applicable software imaging disks. While other contractors may be capable of and interested in performing the GMT Depot Support in the long-term, in the required near term one-month bridge period it is not expected that another company will be able, or willing, to successfully ramp up and assume/perform all of the required sustainment support services currently managed by GDIT. Any prospective company other than GDIT would be required to obtain a secured warehouse of approximately 3,000 sq ft for parts inventory (including a secured crypto controlled area) within the proximity of Colorado Springs, Colorado for one-month and then staff it for that time period with qualified/experienced personnel with a Secret security clearance. To maintain the current level of service, the personnel would also be required to have sufficient GMT equipment knowledge to immediately provide help desk services and fault isolation guidance to the MILSATCOM operational community. The prospective company would also need to ensure a transparent transition with sufficient administrative processes, databases, and know-how to process immediate and ongoing GMT purchases/replacements/repairs for CONUS, OCONUS, and CCI controlled requests. The current level of depot sustainment would need to maintained, and the prospective company would be required to seamlessly assume the responsibility to package, handle, store, and transport GMT repair materials at the current levels of service. The prospective contractor would also need to immediately and seamlessly implement an expenditures tracking and approval system capable of identifying all charges submitted to the Government. The contractor would be required to concurrently implement a logistics and trending analysis reporting system as well as an Incident Reports processing/tracking system comparable to that in place and managed by GDIT. Thus based on the need to successfully assume and fulfill the above requirements in order to maintain seamless operations for the GMT Depot Support in the short-term period of one month, it is very unlikely that another company would be able, or willing, to accomplish the requirement in the short timeframe while also mitigating the impact of personnel turnover and implementing a fully successful transition. The costs to the prospective contractor would likely be prohibitive. Establishing a new depot capability would require moving the inventory at a significant cost, establishing a new facility lease, and would likely include administrative delays in establishing a new labor force of security-cleared personnel. The prospective contractor is also not guaranteed that they will be awarded the new task after the proposed bridge expires on 31 August 2012. Given these factors and considering the extremely short time before the depot ceases operation on 31 July 2012, the most expedient means for the Government to maintain operational support is to establish a short-term bridge contract with the current contractor, GDIT. Relationship Between the Current Task Order and One-month Bridge in Terms of Scope, Period of Performance, and Value The scope of the one-month bridge follow-on is identical to the scope of the current task order TB01 being performed by GDIT, and GDIT will be expected to perform the identical tasks and services as those currently being performed. As noted above, the required one-month bridge period of performance is necessary to bridge a gap in service from the end of the current GMT contract, which expires 31 July 2012, and the competitive award of the follow-on contract expected to be awarded by 31 Aug 2012. Also, all new orders under the the current NETCENTS contract must be in place by 09 September 2012 per the NETCENTS Ordering Guide, so the bridge will provide adequate time after 31 July 2012 to have the follow-on competitive task order in place by the specified date. The estimated value for the one-month bridge is based on the Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) developed by the GMT Program Office. The estimate was derived from historical data. This is the amount that will have to be duplicated by another contractor to do the required GMT work for the Government. If there are any differences in the value proposed by GDIT for the one-month bridge, they are expected to be slight and attributable to rate differences, transportation/shipping costs increases due to fuel cost increases, and/or changes in lease costs. V. CONTRACTING OFFICER DETERMINATION THAT THE ANTICIPATED COST WILL BE FAIR AND REASONABLE The current GMT NETCENTS task order TB01 and the Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) created by the GMT Program Office will serve as the basis for determining that the anticipated cost will be fair and reasonable. VI. OTHER FACTS SUPPORTING THE JUSTIFICATION FOR A FAIR OPPORTUNITY EXCEPTION The Ground Multi-band Terminal (GMT) three-month depot bridge operations contract expires 31 July 2012. A follow-on GMT sustainment support depot contract cannot be established in time to continue depot operations and provide GMT mission support. When the current three-month bridge was awarded the acquisition schedule for the successor contract allowed offerors seven days to prepare proposals. Due to the fact only one proposal was anticipated it was necessary to extend the offeror's proposal submission to 30 days (IAW OSD "Improving Competition" Memo dated 27 Apr 2011). This impacted the ability to award a new contract by the 31 July 2012 expiration date. If the one-month bridge cannot be established, the GMT sustainment support that GDIT currently provides to the eight (8) Major Commands and over fifty (50) organizational units will end, and $6.5M minimum inventory will be displaced without a storage facility. There is no other alternative available to provide the required GMT sustainment support. VII. STATEMENT OF THE ACTIONS TAKEN TO REMOVE OR OVERCOME ANY BARRIERS TO COMPETITION BEFORE MAKING SUBSEQUENT ACQUISITIONS FOR THE SUPPLIES OR SERVICES A follow-on GMT sustainment support depot NETCENTS task order is planned for award by 31 August 2012, with an effective date of 01 September 2012. This order is currently being competed amongst the eight (8) NETCENTS multiple award contract holders IAW the NETCENTS Ordering Guide and the Fair Opportunity procedures under FAR 16.505. There are two small businesses with contracts under the NETCENTS multiple award contract vehicle. Based on communications between the SMC/PKL Contracting Officer and the two (2) small businesses under NETCENTS prior to the competitive follow-on RFP release, only one of the two small businesses indicated they may propose under the competitive follow-on effort. The other small business indicated at that time to the Contracting Officer that they would not propose. Based on these findings, the SMC/PKL Contracting Officer determined prior to the competitive follow-on RFP release that the follow-on effort will not be conducted as a Small Business set-aside, and a DD2579 documenting this determination was approved and is on file in the competitive follow-on contract file. Since the competitive follow-on RFP release on 24 May 2012, both small businesses under NETCENTS have indicated they will not be proposing under the GMT Depot Support follow-on effort. VIII. CONTRACTING OFFICER'S CERTIFICATION The Contracting Officer's signature on the Coordination and Approval Document of this logical follow-on Fair Opportunity Exception (FOE) justification evidences that the Contracting Officer has determined this document to be both accurate and complete to the best of their knowledge and belief and serves as the Contracting Officer's Certification of this FOE justification. IX. TECHNICAL/REQUIREMENTS PERSONNEL CERTIFICATIONS The signatures of the GMT Program Office on the Coordination and Approval Document of this logical follow-on Fair Opportunity Exception (FOE) justification are evidence that the GMT Program Office's personnel have determined this document - and the supporting data and information relied on to create the document - are both accurate and complete to the best of their knowledge and belief. The signatures are also evidence that the GMT Program Office has verified that the data and information which form the basis for this justification reflect the Government's minimum needs and requirements and support the rationale for the logical follow-on fair opportunity exception. Based on the foregoing, the GMT Program Office's signatures serve as their official certification of this logical follow-on Fair Opportunity Exception justification. X. APPROVING OFFICIALS CERTIFICATION The SMC/PKL (Contracting) and the SMC/MCL (Program Office/Technical) Officials' signatures on the Coordination and Approval Document of this Fair Opportunity Exception (FOE) justification evidences that the Officials have determined that the logical follow-on exception at 16.505(b)(2)(i)(C) applies to the proposed one-month bridge task order for (GMT) Depot Support to General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) under the NETCENTS (Network-Centric S olutions) contract. COORDINATION AND APPROVAL: Logical Follow-on Fair Opportunity Exception CONTRACTING ACTIVITY: SMC/PKL, Peterson AFB, CO PROGRAM/PROJECT: SMC/MCL Ground Multi-band Terminal (GMT) Sustainment Support FAIR OPPORTUNITY EXCEPTION AUTHORITY: 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. ESTIMATED ONE-MONTH BRIDGE VALUE: $150K LOGICAL FOLLOW-ON JUSTIFICATION TYPE: Individual
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/notices/7ff8579d87c2c7b6419a61899892c24e)
 

Place of Performance

Address: Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80914, United States

Zip Code: 80914
 

Record

SN02838091-W 20120816/120814235749-7ff8579d87c2c7b6419a61899892c24e (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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