The Department of the Navy Naval Sea Systems Command awarded a $35,000 firm fixed price purchase order to Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University (doing business as Virginia Tech) for wind tunnel testing services. The award is not associated with a set-aside contract vehicle.
The services were procured through a sole-source solicitation, as Virginia Tech was previously involved in developing the specific test models and flow conditions required at the Naval Surface Warfare Center's APPL hypersonic wind tunnel facility in Dahlgren, Virginia. The original solicitation stated that replicating this work elsewhere would result in at least $300,000 in additional costs and a minimum two-year lead time.
Virginia Tech is a public land-grant research university that regularly conducts federal contract and grant work across a wide range of disciplines, including engineering, defense, and scientific research. The university has significant expertise and facilities supporting experimental development and test services for government agencies.