80KSC019D0032 P00025 Redacted_Sanitized_v3.pdf

Rev.:7/2022

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

Kennedy Space Center (KSC)

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

(JOFOC)

For Liquid Helium for KSC, 80KSC019D0032

This document is a justification for other than full and open competition prepared by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Kennedy Space Center (KSC).

The procuring agency is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the contracting activity is Kennedy Space Center (KSC).

This justification provides the rationale for contracting by other than full and open competition to extend the current contract, 80KSC019D0032, for bulk Liquid Helium (LHe) and the lease of pumps for KSC, with Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (APCI), 7201 Hamilton Boulevard, Allentown, Pennsylvania 18195-1526. The contract modification will extend the contract three months from October 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022.

The current contract expires on September 30, 2022 and the new contract was scheduled to be awarded in early September 2022; however, in July 2022, it was determined that a Procurement Strategy Meeting would be required for the new acquisition. Due to this event, the expected award date is now prior to December 31, 2022. A contract extension is necessary to ensure the large quantity of helium required to satisfy KSC requirements is available until the new contract can be awarded.

The Government requires the delivery of bulk LHe and the lease of pumps at KSC to support a range of activities at KSC and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS).

LHe is converted to gaseous helium (GHe) through a pressurization process using an APCI proprietary LHe pump. The high pressure GHe is in turn pumped into the KSC GHe pipeline and is distributed and utilized by nearly every customer at KSC and CCSFS. Various facilities supported by the KSC high pressure GHe distribution pipeline include Launch Complexes (LC)-39A, LC-39B as well as CCSFS space launch complex (SLC)-37, SLC-40, SLC-41, and SLC-36. GHe is used as an inert purge gas for hydrogen systems and as a pressurizing agent for ground and flight fluid systems. Helium is also used for spacecraft and launch vehicle processing, launch operations, and as a cryogenic cooling agent.

the Agency since 2002. KSC is considered the Subject Matter Expert (SME) for propellants.

The KSC Propellants and Life Support (KPLS) branch and the KSC Office of Procurement are continuously analyzing market capabilities and conditions and have a thorough involved in maintaining cradle-to-grave product expertise, developing acquisition strategies based on knowledge of suppliers and market conditions, and representing NASA at industry, government, and professional associations/conferences. Extensive market research and lease six pumps as a sole source, as mentioned in paragraph 3 of Section 5 above. APCI is the current LHe supplier for NASA/KSC and they have the only LHe pumps that can meet not allow any LHe from a competitor to run through their pumps. NASA/KSC agreed to the terms of leasing the APCI pumps, which included the sole-source purchase of the LHe commodity from APCI as long as the pumps are leased. Based on the studies referenced in has been determined that the Government does not anticipate any benefit from additional market research.

competition:

The KSC bulk LHe to GHe conversion system and the CCF capability that supplies the GHe into the pipeline is a launch critical element supporting space launch operations. It would not be possible to conduct launch operations without it. The GHe provided through the CCF is at very high pressure and flow rates required by the space launch operations that it supports.

All known high pressure LHe pump requirements at KSC/CCSFS have been supported exclusively by proprietary APCI LHe pump systems. The only other current user of APCI LHe pumps is the launch facilities at Vandenburg Air Force Base (VAFB), which is similarly obligated to obtain the LHe commodity that runs through the LHe pumps from APCI. In the past, contractors used APCI LHe pumps at CCSFS SLC-41 (prior to connection to the KSC/CCSFS GHe pipeline that is supplied by the CCF) and SLC-40 (also now supported entirely by the KSC/CCAFS GHe pipeline that is supplied by the CCF). The contractors were also required to obtain their LHe from APCI at that time.

Prior to the integration of the current single leased LHe pump from APCI at the CCF, conventional gas compressors were exclusively utilized. However, these aging compressors (some dating to the 1960s) have required significant increases in maintenance and are becoming obsolete. The studies outlined in Section 5 above, took into consideration investment costs, life cycle costs, energy costs, and operations and maintenance costs to determine how best to upgrade the CCF to support the required increased GHe needs. As a result of the studies, it was determined that an upgrade to new conventional gas compressors would require significantly higher energy, operations and maintenance costs, and would require substantially increased facility space in comparison to being able to obtain the same flow capability utilizing LHe pumps. The LHe pumps would fit into the proposed new footprint of the CCF, would require less energy, and APCI would be responsible for the maintenance costs. As a result, the use of LHe pumps was considered the best option for future Artemis/SLS and other Spaceport support. This fact-based decision to utilize APCI leased LHe pumps in the upgraded CCF has driven the requirement for the sole-source acquisition of LHe from APCI.

writing in the acquisition:

website (Sam.gov) per FAR Subpart 5.2 (See Section 6 above). No responses were received.

overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required:

The Agency continually attempts to overcome barriers to competition by surveying the market to determine if new sources are available that are capable of meeting requirements, and by re-evaluating existing requirements to determine if modifications can be made that will increase competition. However, the knowledge and expertise of APCI, coupled with the lack of a proven operational helium pump from any other known source does not currently lend itself to this goal. Prior to any future acquisition for the same requirement, an assessment will be made whether replacing the existing APCI LHe pumps and competitively procuring the LHe will be in the best interest of the Government.

Amendment I

Section 2.

From: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (APCI), 7201 Hamilton Boulevard, Allentown, Pennsylvania 18195-1526

To: Air Products & Chemicals, Inc (APCI), 1940 Air Products Blvd, Allentown, PA 18106- 5500.

From: The contract modification will extend the contract three months from October 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022.

To: The contract modification will extend the contract two months from October 1, 2022 to November 30, 2022.

Section 3.

From: KSC requires approximately 2,106,000 liters of helium to support requirements for the period of October 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022.

To: KSC requires approximately 2,457,000 liters of helium to support requirements for the period of October 1, 2022 through November 30, 2022.

From: This contract action will extend the contract period of performance an additional three months until December 31, 2002.

To: This contract action will extend the contract period of performance an additional two months until November 30, 2022.

Section 6.

From: This action will result in a modification that extends the period of performance from September 30, 2022 to December 31, 2022.

To: This action will result in a modification that extends the period of performance from October 1, 2022 to November 30, 2022.