Notice of Intent to Award a Sole Source Contract

Sole Source Intent to Award Contract to Raytheon for Link 22 Modernized Link Level COMSEC (LLC 7M) Devices

AGENCY: NAVAL INFORMATION WARFARE SYSTEMS COMMAND (NAVWAR)

OFFICE: Program Executive Office (PEO) Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I), Command and Control Systems Program Office (PMW 150)

SUBJECT: Notice of Intent to Award a Sole Source Contract

DATE: 23 June 2025

SUMMARY:

The Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR), in support of the Program Executive Office (PEO) Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) and Command and Control Systems Program Office (PMW 150), intends to award a sole source Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contract to Raytheon Company (“Raytheon”), 2000 E El Segundo Blvd, El Segundo, CA 90245-4501, for the production of Link 22 Modernized Link Level Communications Security (COMSEC) (LLC 7M) devices. The proposed contract is for the U.S. Navy, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Improved Link Eleven (NILE), and Third-Party Foreign Military Sales (FMS) cases. This procurement is being conducted under the authority of 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1) and in accordance with FAR 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source. A Justification and Approval (J&A) is expected to be approved and posted to GPE (SAM.gov), as required by Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Acquisition and Logistics Management (DASN A&LM) memorandum “Public Disclosure of Justification and Approval (J&A) Documents for Noncompetitive Contracts,” dated 13 February 2009.

CONTRACT DETAILS:

This requirement will be a new sole source Firm-Fixed-Price/Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (FFP/CPFF) Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contract, under solicitation N0003925R1004. The LLC 7M provides COMSEC services for the Link 22 link-level wireless broadcast infrastructure; each provides TOD (Time-Of-day) based encryption and decryption services for network messages sent over multiple transmission networks. See NATO Military Committee Memoranda (MCM) MCM-0009-2017(INV). Products and services must meet the NSA-certified LLC 7M design requirement to be eligible for award. Under the prospective contract, Raytheon will produce and deliver up to 1,350 LLC 7M devices (unit of issue, each) based on the NSA-certified LLC 7M design.  Performance will occur in Hawthorne, CA. Delivery will occur worldwide at U.S. Navy and FMS Installations.

Efforts under the contract will include LLC 7M production and acceptance testing, as well as LLC 7M sustainment, including warranty provision, spares provision, training, repair, and engineering services. The total value of this acquisition is estimated to be between $50M to $100M and is anticipated to be funded with a mix of U.S., NILE FMS, and Third-Party Sales (3PS) FMS funding. Funding for production orders will be provided separately for each individual Delivery Order. The period of performance is a five (5) year base period, with a five (5) year option period.

PSC: 5820, Radio and Television Communication Equipment, Except Airborne

NAICS: 334220, Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing

JUSTIFICATION FOR SOLE SOURCE:

Current market research has shown that Raytheon is the sole developer and manufacturer of the LLC 7M, a secure COMSEC solution for the Link 22 Tactical Data Link System. The LLC 7M incorporates Raytheon's proprietary KIV-7M (as designated by NSA), modified with KIV-7ML22 nomenclature, additional self-contained hardware and all Link 22-related software required to allow full-capability to operate within the LLC 7M. Raytheon additionally is the sole source manufacturer of the KIV-7M itself, a Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) Type 1 NSA-certified device proprietary to Raytheon and the major hardware and software component of the LLC 7M.  While the NSA controls the COMSEC algorithm, Raytheon controls the KIV-7ML22 and LLC 7M internal software, hardware configuration items and approach to producing the fielded products. Raytheon retains restricted rights to the core KIV-7M software used for the LLC 7M. No other vendor can provide this capability without significant delays and duplicated costs. Awarding a sole-source contract to Raytheon minimizes cost risk and ensures timely deployment for U.S. Navy and FMS customers, as no other product meets the Link 22 COMSEC requirements.

DISCLAIMER:

This notice of intent is published for informational purposes only and is not a request for competitive offers. The N0003925R1004 solicitation will not be made available through the GPE (SAM.gov). Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) will not be used for this solicitation. All necessary technical data will be provided as part of any potential future solicitation.

RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS:

All responsible sources may express their interest and submit a capability statement, which shall be considered by the agency; responses to this notice of intent to award to Raytheon (to include capability statements), though not solicited, are to be submitted in writing directly to the Contracting Office.  A determination by the Government to not compete the anticipated contract based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. 

Written questions regarding this synopsis shall be submitted to the Contract Specialist at ryan.s.conrad3.civ@us.navy.mil with a courtesy copy to the Contracting Officer at sarah.m.murr.civ@us.navy.mil no later than fifteen (15) calendar days after issuance of this synopsis to at Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR), 4301 Pacific Highway, San Diego, CA 92110-32117.