Sole Source Award for the Whole Marine Program

Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) intends to award a sole-source Firm-Fixed-Price contract to Horizon Performance LLC, a small business with CAGE code 3HNP9, for the Whole Marine Program, with an estimated value of $12 million. The contract, solicited under H9225726QE002 and posted on June 24, 2026, with a response deadline of July 31, 2026, spans a base year beginning September 16, 2026, and includes four one-year option periods plus a six-month extension, extending performance through March 2032. The work involves continuous maintenance, updates, and operational support for the proprietary GideonSoft software platform, which provides real-time psychological and performance analytics critical to Marine Raider selection and training at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The system integrates with the Sensitive Compartmented Information Environment (SIE), maintains an active Authority to Operate (ATO), and relies on a two-decade longitudinal database exclusive to Horizon Performance, making any transition to an alternative vendor unfeasible due to unacceptable risks to operational readiness and data integrity. Award is justified under FAR 6.103-1, as Horizon Performance is the only entity capable of delivering the required capabilities, including embedded operational psychologists with institutional knowledge, certified software integration, and uninterrupted access to irreplaceable historical data. The contract includes FFP line items for FTE labor, software licensing, and travel, with no competitive evaluation factors formally defined—acceptance is based solely on mission-critical continuity, with price not being a determining factor. Performance occurs at the government site in Sneads Ferry, NC, with final inspection and acceptance conducted by USSOCOM and MARFORSOC. An organizational conflict of interest exists due to Horizon’s exclusive control over the platform and its data, and the government is developing a replacement system to mitigate this in the future. No detailed CLIN breakdown, packaging requirements, or COR designation is provided, but the contract requires compliance with SOF AT&L standards, DFARS PGI 206.304(a)(S-70), and digital submission via SAM.gov with valid electronic signatures.