80JSC020P0018 JSC_JOFOC (SHREC) - FINAL.pdf

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION (NASA)

LYNDON B. JOHNSON SPACE CENTER (JSC)

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

For the Center for Space, High Performance, and Resilient Computing

(SHREC) FEDERAL MEMBERSHIP

1. FAR 6.303-2(b)(2) – The nature and/or description of the action being approved:

This justification provides the rationale for contracting by other than full and open competition with the University of Pittsburgh for federal membership for NASA JSC in to the National Science Foundation (NSF) Center for Space, High-performance, and Resilient Computing (SHREC) organization. The total estimated cost of this effort is $440,000 and the estimated period of performance is January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020.

2. FAR 6.303-2(b)(3) – A description of the supplies or services required, to meet the Agency’s needs (including the estimated value):

The federal membership to SHREC will allow the SHREC team to startup a new project called the Avionics and Software Platform for Exploration Capabilities and Technologies (ASPECT), building upon previous efforts of the NASA Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Avionics and Software (A&S) Project. The ASPECT project will be primarily led by a team of graduate students and faculty members in close consultation with other interested SHREC members. ASPECT will provide an implementation of the AES A&S architecture, leveraging NASA’s Core Flight Software (cFS) and Time-Triggered Ethernet (TTE), onboard ISS as a mechanism to exercise the necessary systems and functions to support Gateway and future exploration systems using real ISS data. ASPECT will also serve as a technology development platform to help establish partnerships and collaborations in support of the open avionics architecture. The estimated cost of this effort is $440,000.

Note: The use of appropriated funds to pay for an employee’s membership fees is prohibited under 5 U.S. Code § 5946 and Procurement Notice 16-18. This prohibition applies to the purchase of individual memberships but does not apply to the purchase of corporate memberships. The procurement at issue is for NASA JSC corporate memberships with the NSF SHREC Center.

3. FAR 6.303-2(b)(4) – An identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition:

A sole source acquisition will be conducted utilizing the procedures in FAR subpart 13.5 in accordance with 41U.S.C.1901.

4. FAR 6.303-2(b)(5) – A demonstration that the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited:

SHREC is an NSF Industry–University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) and consortium. SHREC is a national research center focused on high performance and reconfigurable computing and is comprised of three research sites, each a major university with a leading research group in this field. The University of Pittsburgh is the leading university at SHREC. The universities are coupled with approximately 30 leading organizations in the high performance and reconfigurable computing field that combine academic, industry, and government sectors. These universities all have synergistic interests and goals in reconfigurable adaptive computing for broad range of missions, such as satellites and supercomputers. SHREC is a one of a kind research organization that allows academia, industry, and government to collaborate on research and development of new technology in the field of reconfigurable computing. SHREC also has significant prior experience with NASA’s Core Flight Software (cFS) framework as well as TTE technology. SHREC has also has prior experience with developing and certifying systems to fly on the International Space Station (ISS). The combination of expertise and prior experience makes SHREC uniquely qualified to support the development and certification of the ASPECT to fly on ISS, leveraging the SHREC Space Processor (SSP), cFS and TTE, and building off past NASA efforts as part of the Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Avionics and Software Project.

5. FAR 6.303-2(b)(6) – A description of the efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under 5.202 applies:

The procedures in FAR subpart 13.5 will be used in accordance with 41U.S.C.1901 for a sole source award therefore, a solicitation will not be publicized. A notice was publicized on December 17, 2019 on beta.SAM.gov with information describing the government’s anticipation of a sole source award to the University of Pittsburgh.

6. FAR 6.303-2(b)(7) – A determination by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable:

A review/analysis of historical data will be performed. This will be determined once the Government receives a quote from the vendor.

7. FAR 6.303-2(b)(8) – Description of the market survey conducted, and the results, or a statement of the reasons a market survey was not conducted:

It would be very difficult to find another vendor with similar access to commercial avionics providers and government agencies, prior experience in developing and certifying systems to fly on ISS, and experience with cFS and TTE. The estimated duplication cost if we were not able to get federal membership and access to the SHREC and support of ASPECT development is $3,500,000.

8. FAR 6.303-2(b)(9) – Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition, such as:

Not applicable.

9. FAR 6.303-2(b)(10) – A listing of the sources, if any, that expressed an interest in writing in the acquisition:

The procedures in FAR subpart 13.5 will be used in accordance with 41U.S.C.1901 for a sole source award therefore, a solicitation will not be publicized. A notice was publicized on December 17, 2019 on beta.SAM.gov with information describing the government’s anticipation of a sole source award to the University of Pittsburgh. Due to the nature of this very specific membership, we do not anticipate any responses from industry.

In accordance with FAR 6.305 (a), the justification will be made publicly available within 14 days after contract award.

10. FAR 6.303-2(b)(11) – A statement of actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required:

NASA is not aware of any other sources interested or capable of performing this work and fulfilling the specified requirements. NASA’s Technical organization, along with the Procurement office will continue to research and assess the marketplace for alternative sources.

NASA will continue to compare its requirements with the available capabilities to determine industry’s ability to competitively fulfill the requirements.