D -- Open Skies Management and Planning System (OSMAPS) Support

Notice of intent to award a sole source contract. The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) intends to negotiate with Northrop Grumman Defense Mission Systems, 222 W 5th Street, San Pedro, CA 90733 for a five year cost plus fixed fee contract in support of an effort entitled Open Skies Management and Planning System (OSMAPS). THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS. The objective of this effort will be to leverage upon previous work conducted by Northrop Grumman to achieve Final Operational Capability (FOC) of the OSMAPS, and to maintain continuity with other Open Skies systems utilized to support Open Skies Treaty missions. Significant technical problems, to include 55 mission essential Software Problem Reports (SPRs), must still be overcome to achieve FOC. Initial Operational Capability (IOC) was achieved on October 3, 2005. OSMAPS is a highly technical, comprehensive aircraft mission planning and mission management software and hardware system that supports the international Open Skies Treaty. The system is comprised of six fully integrated functional areas to include the Active Overflight System (AOS), Passive Overflight Module (POM), Operational Planning System (OPS), Telephone Notification System (TNS), Transportable Operational Planning System (TOPS), and the Data Preparation Facility (DPF). It is also essential to integrate the new proprietary Auto Router capability developed by Northrop Grumman into OSMAPS. The Auto Router is an automated flight planning tool that considers all of the Open Skies parameters, to include weather, treaty requirements, and objective sites in the database, and provides a recommended flight plan. Implementation of this capability will require integration and addition of some unique Open Skies requirements. Northrop Grumman has recently begun the PC conversion of the Integrated Data Annotation Recording and Mapping System (IDARMS) under another contract. The IDARMS provides a real-time record of flight on the Open Skies OC-135 aircraft, including film annotation details to meet treaty requirements. All aspects of OSMAPS and IDARMS software are interlinked to include the graphical user interface. OSMAPS and IDARMS exchange complex mission data before and after all missions. It is imperative to the success of the new development, and the Open Skies mission, that OSMAPS remains closely aligned with the planned IDARMS development. Northrop Grumman also has specialized experience in the development of a new area mapping capability, which is essential to achieve FOC. This capability will go into a particular geographical area with aircraft, sensor, and flying parameters and automatically develop a mission for the area. This is a vital asset for humanitarian assistance missions that are called upon to take imagery of an area that has been affected by a natural disaster. During this period, there will be ongoing treaty missions, overseas and in the United States, that would be jeopardized without in-depth, real time technical support for the new PC-based system. Mission failure would violate the Government commitment to fulfill its treaty obligations and create significant compliance issues in international treaty fora and potentially endanger mission participants. Northrop Grumman was initially chosen in the early 90's because of their extensive B2 operational planning experience, in-depth treaty experience in Vienna, Austria, and aircraft sensor experience. Today, Northrop Grumman is still the only contractor to combine these three critical planning components necessary to accomplish the Open Skies planning mission. Combined with these components, Northrop Grumman is the only source that has the requisite combined knowledge of the new system, operational requirements, and treaty requirements to be able to complete the effort without disruption to the Open Skies Mission. The Government has determined that a new competitive solicitation at this time would incur substantial duplication of costs during a lengthy transition period that would not be recovered through competition. The Government has also determined that a lengthy transition at this time would cause delivery delays and jeopardize program execution. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS AND NO FORMAL SOLICITATION WILL BE ISSUED AS A RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. Interested parties have fifteen (15) days from the date of publication of this Synopsis, to submit in writing, to the identified point of contact, clear and convincing evidence of their qualifications and/or capabilities. Such qualifications and/or capabilities will be used solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. Responses received after fifteen (15) days, or without the required information, will not be considered. A determination by the Government not to compete this action at this time based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. All inquiries must be submitted in writing to the address or e-mail address stated herein and to the attention of Ms. Elizabeth Colvin, Contract Specialist. Responses to this notice must be received by close of business, January 20, 2006. Responses must include your business name, point of contact, address, and telephone number with area code. Telephone requests or inquiries will not be accepted. Requests may be e-mailed to elizabeth.colvin@dtra.mil. If no responses are received, an award will be made to Northrop Grumman. Point of contact is Elizabeth Colvin, 703-767-3496.