Intent to Sole Source to Cognetic Technologies

The Department of the Navy, Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC Pacific), hereby publicizes its intention to solicit, negotiate, and award a standalone contract with a 1-year base period and four 1-year option periods to Cognetic Technologies on an other than full and open competition basis in direct support of the Personnel Accountability and Assessment System (PAAS) suite of systems and ultimate DoD PAAS (DoD PAAS) system.

The incumbent, Cognetic Technologies, hereby referred to as Cognetic, is the original company responsible for developing PAAS from the ground up in response to DoD Instruction 3001.02 in the wake of Hurricane Katrina (2005). Since the inception of PAAS, Cognetic has been the sole development team supporting PAAS and garnering an invaluable experience and core knowledge in how the system works at every facet.

PAAS is classified as a Mission Support system, any function failure will severely cripple the Armed Forces and DoD Agencies’ ability to support their personnel during catastrophic real world events. PAAS is in a major developmental transition period as it is being designed and transformed into DoDPAAS. DoD PAAS will combine support for all Armed Forces and DoD Agencies into a single joint PAAS system. Cognetic is the primary architect for the design and development of DoD PAAS.

DoD PAAS is scheduled to meet its initial operating capability in FY27 with final operating capability scheduled for >FY30. Having been the sole developer for nineteen years and being mid-transition from PAAS to DoD PAAS, forfeiting the knowledge and experience that is only available to Cognetic presents an unacceptable risk to the system’s health and the success of the transition.

If Cognetic is not able to continue their performance in service of PAAS, all progress towards DoD PAAS will be halted and possibly squandered, resulting in a Mission Support project floundering and an unacceptable assumption of futility for all of the effort and progress achieved to date. This notice of intent is NOT a request for quote. A determination by the government not to compete based upon responses to this notice is solely at the discretion of the government.

The applicable NAICS Code is 541330 – Engineering Services. The point of contact for this announcement is Ashleigh Becker at ashleigh.n.becker.civ@us.navy.mil. Be advised that the aforementioned information is anticipatory in nature and is not binding. This notice is not a request for quotes; however, any firm believing that they can fulfill the requirement may be considered by the agency. Interested parties may identify their interest and capabilities in response to this synopsis.

Any comments, questions or concerns regarding this notice may be submitted via e-mail to ashleigh.n.becker.civ@us.navy.mil by 22 August 2024 at 0800 PST. Questions by phone or fax will not be considered.