A -- Six-month Extension in the Period of Performance of Contract HQ0006-02-C-0044

The Missile Defense Agency has a requirement for a six-month extension of the Airborne Infrared Surveillance (AIRS) effort. The extension is to bridge the gap between 31 March 2006, the date the period of performance of Contract HQ0006-02-C-0044 ends, and the beginning date of the period of performance of the planned new AIRS contract vehicle. This effort continues the use of an electro-optic/infrared sensor designed, developed and integrated into the host aircraft by the incumbent contractor, L-3 Communications/Aeromet Division. The sensor is hosted on a Gulfstream II aircraft operated by L-3 Communications /Aeromet and is used as a test asset for data collection by the MDA. The aircraft/sensor combination is called the High Altitude Observatory (HALO) II. The key technical capabilities requiring further demonstration and evaluation are: 1) cued and autonomous search, detection, and acquisition; 2) real-time missile tracking and 3-D state vector generation; 3) real-time discrimination of object(s) of interest; and 4) real-time connectivity with MDAs Command, Control, Battle Management and Communications system. The effort will continue to include data collection, analyses and potential modification of the sensor suite mounted on the HALO II aircraft. The HALO II sensor suite will be used to collect infrared surveillance data against targets of interest to the MDA. This data will be processed in real time on board the HALO II to form state vectors and object sighting messages to be downlinked to the MDA C2BMC system as fire control solutions. The required effort consists of detailed test planning, engineering evaluations, minor modifications, and experiments and demonstrations for the HALO II aircraft and its support equipment. MDA intends to award a contract extension to L-3 Communications/Aeromet for this six-month effort. MDA intends that this contract extension will be cost-plus-fixed-fee, the same contract type as the contract ending 31 March 2006. This contract extension will be awarded to L-3 Communications/Aeromet pursuant to FAR 37.111, Extension of Services and under the authority of 10 U.S.C. 2304(c) (1) and FAR 6.302-1-(a) (iii): only one responsible source. It is improbable that a new competition for a six-month extension could be executed without causing a gap in the AIRS effort. A contract extension to the incumbent Contractor is the only solution to avoid unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agencys requirement.