JA for Other Than Full and Open Competition Redacted

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

SUBJECT: Request for Approval of Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition to enter into Contract HR001126DE001 with Johns Hopkins University (JHU), Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), a University Affiliated Research Center (UARC). 1. Agency and Contracting Activity Identification: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Contracts Management Office (CMO), Arlington, VA. 2. Description of Action being Approved: Authority is required to negotiate and enter into an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract with one (1) contractor, Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL). JHU/APL is a University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) authorized by the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering (OUSW(R&E)).
3. Description of Services Required to Meet the Agency’s Needs, Including the Estimated Value: DARPA relies on JHU/APL to maintain essential engineering, research and development, and test and evaluation capabilities that are uniquely suited to supporting DARPA's technical offices in their functional role. These capabilities are consistent with JHU/APL's unique strengths, as outlined in paragraph 5. The estimated IDIQ ceiling amount is $499,800,000 (maximum quantity) with a 60-month period of performance. The guaranteed minimum is $10,000. 4. The Statutory Authority Permitting Other Than Full and Open Competition: 10 U.S.C. § 3204(a)(3), as implemented by FAR 6.103-3(b)(2), to establish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or development capability to be provided by an educational or other nonprofit institution or a federally funded research and development center. 5. Unique Qualification or the Nature of the Acquisition Dictates Use of the Authority Cited: FAR 6.103-3, which implements 10 U.S.C. § 3204(a)(3), and states that full and open competition need not be provided when it is necessary to award a contract to a particular source to "[e]stablish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or development capability to be provided by an educational or other nonprofit institution or a federally funded research and development center." DARPA requires that the essential capabilities established at JHU/APL be maintained as authorized by 10 U.S.C. § 3204(a)(3). These capabilities are not currently or completely available elsewhere and could not be duplicated without substantial investment over a period of years. The