Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase III

SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PHASE III JUSTIFICATION & APPROVAL FOR USE OF OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION 1. Contracting Activity. Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWC-AD) Lakehurst, NJ 2. Nature/Description of the Action Being Approved. This is a justification to award a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase III Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA) order to Innovative Defense Technologies (IDT), LLC, Arlington, Virginia. IDT, Virtual Training and Simulations (VTAS) and QuantaDyn Corporation (QuantaDyn) were awarded SBIR Phase I contract numbers N61339-07-C-0055 on 18 April 2007, N61339-07-C-0053 on 18 April 2007, and N61339-07-C-0051 on 16 April 2007 respectively, resulting from Solicitation 07.1, Topic N07-034. Topic N07-034 was titled "Military Training Systems Acceptance Test & Evaluation." IDT, VTAS, and QuantaDyn were subsequently awarded SBIR Phase II contract numbers N61339-08-C-0025 on 17 April 2008, N61339-08-C-0033 on 10 July 2008, and N61339-08-C-0033 on 19 February 2009 respectively. IDT was awarded SBIR Phase III contract number N68936-11-D-0005 on 16 October 2010. IDT was awarded SBIR Phase II.5 contract number N68335-14-C-0314 on 12 July 2014. IDT was awarded SBIR Phase III BOA N68335-15-G-0039 on 8 August 2015, and eight orders to date have been placed against the BOA. Topic N07-034 sought the development of a standardized and automated approach to acceptance testing for the wide range of complex training systems planned for use in the Navy. The Navy's flight and maintenance training simulators systems were growing in complexity, becoming increasingly dependent on Commercial-Off-The-Shelf Hardware and Software, as well as the successful re-use of software developed from other programs. Despite the advances in development practices and tools, the goals of accelerating the rate at which training systems can be delivered, and accepted, while reducing their costs cannot be met without comparable improvement in the practices and tools for acceptance testing. Training system deficiencies that are not identified and corrected during testing have resulted in reduced performance and training effectiveness. Phase I sought to rapidly accelerate the ability to deliver advanced capabilities of training systems. This was accomplished by significantly reducing the overall acceptance testing timeframe through the use of commercial testing automation tools, which are either existing or emerging, throughout the test and evaluation life cycle. . Phase II sough to develop and engineer an integrated technology suite to accomplish most efficient PMA-281 testing. Developing automatic testing capability across PMA-281 allowed for execution of complex tests and verification of the results in near real-time. Phase III sought the development of software capabilities and processes in support of implementing automated tests using the Automated Test and Re-Test Tool (ATRT) for establishing an automated test program. Initial automated test efforts implemented have proven effective and thus far have shown productivity increases of greater than 75%. 3. Description of Supplies/Services. This Phase III effort derives from the Phase I, II, and III efforts described in paragraph 2, and is to provide advanced test automation support for Joint Mission Planning Systems (JMPS). Initial automated test efforts implemented on the PMA-281 system portfolio have proven effective, and thus far have shown productivity increases of greater than 75%. PMA-281 is dedicated to the precepts of automated testing and would like to realize savings beyond these few pilot projects. PMA-281's desire is to leverage the recent automated testing Return on Investment evaluations for JMPS and transition to automated test and analysis across the program office based on individual program business cases. PMA-281 desires to continue to enhance ATRT functionality such that it more robustly supports automated testing earlier in the software development lifecycle. Support for earlier use in the lifecycle will make the tool more attractive to vendors providing products to PMA-281. Successful completion of this work will result in increased and improved Testing and Evaluation efficiencies, such as improved quality, reliability, and performance across the PMA-281 system portfolio. The focus of this effort is on the JMPS Framework. JMPS provides a well-structured, flexible, scalable, and extensible environment for developing mission planning subsystems / components to support existing and future operational protocols and weapon systems The initial tasks under this contract will include defining and implementing the automation strategy for JMPS at Point Mugu, CA. The requirements also include the following: 1) In cooperation with the JMPS Lead Test Engineer, provide leadership and management of the JMPS automated testing program; 2) Provide onsite and remote engineering support for managing an automated testing center of excellence; 3) Manage ATRT Test Manager upgrades, which include testing the upgrades with existing JMPS ATRT TM models; 4) Continue to build on the existing JMPS automated test program and implementing automated tests, which includes having all automated test models under Configuration Management control. The deliverables of this effort include assessments of the JMPS automated testing program for largest return on investment, onsite support for automated JMPS test implementation, managing the upgrading the automated testing environment, and the continued documentation of ATRT best management practices. Additional documentation includes monthly status and expense reports, automated JMPS regression test and a final report. This effort will be N68335-18-F-0384 4. Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open Competition. 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(5), as implemented by FAR 6.302-5: Authorized or Required by Statute. 15 U.S.C. 638(r)(1) states: "In the case of a small business concern that is awarded a funding agreement for Phase II of an SBIR or STTR program, a Federal agency may enter into a Phase III agreement with that business concern for additional work to be performed during or after the Phase II period." Furthermore, 15 U.S.C. 638(r)(4) states: "To the greatest extent practicable, Federal agencies and Federal prime contractors shall issue Phase III awards relating to technology, including sole source awards, to the SBIR and STTR award recipients that developed the technology." 5. Demonstration that Proposed Contractor's Unique Qualifications or Nature of Acquisition Requires Use of Authority Cited. The nature of the acquisition requires the use of the authority cited. The SBIR/STTR Programs are structured in three phases. Phase I (project feasibility) determines the scientific, technical and commercial merit and feasibility of the ideas submitted. Phase II (project development to prototype) is the major research and development effort, funding the prototyping and demonstration of the most promising Phase I projects. Phase III (commercialization) is the ultimate goal of the SBIR/STTR Programs. Because the Phase III work derives from, extends, or completes efforts performed under Phase I, II, and III, use of the authority cited is required. 6. Description of Efforts Made to Ensure Offerors Were Solicited From as Many Potential Sources as Practicable/Public Notification through Government Point of Entry (GPE). The topic for this effort was included in the Department of Defense Program Competitive Solicitation issued under the SBIR Program. As described above, only IDT is being considered for Phase III award due to the nature of the acquisition. In accordance with FAR 5.202(a)(7), this proposed contract action does not require public notification to the GPE. 7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost. The Contracting Officer will determine prior to award that the negotiated price of the contract executed under this justification is fair and reasonable pursuant to FAR Subpart 15.4. This determination will be documented in a Business Clearance Memorandum, which will be included in the contract file. 8. Description of Market Research or Statement of the Reason Market Research was not Conducted. FAR 10.001(a)(2) indicates that market research appropriate to the circumstances must be conducted. SBIR Phase III procurements are such that traditional market research to identify alternative sources is generally unnecessary. As described above, the Phase III work derives from, extends, or completes efforts performed under Phase I, Phase II, and Phase III. 9. Any Other Supporting Facts. Not Applicable. 10. Listing of Interested Sources. Not Applicable. 11. Actions Taken to Remove Barriers to Future Competition: The Contracting Officer anticipates that competitors will enter the market once the product is commercialized. It is likely that future acquisitions will be competed using full and open competition and commercial item acquisition procedures. The Contracting Officer is not aware of any specific actions that would further remove barriers to competition. 12. Period of Performance. Base: 15 months Option(s): None 13. Total Estimated Dollar Value of the Acquisition Covered by this Justification, with Funding Specified by Year and Appropriation: 14. Actions Attempted to Make Immediate Acquisition Competitive and Cost/Benefit Analysis. No actions were attempted to make the immediate acquisition competitive; no cost/benefit analysis was performed. As described above, only IDT is being considered for Phase III award due to the nature of the acquisition.