80MSFC25D0003_JOFOC-redacted.pdf

Rev.:5/2024

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

GEORGE C. MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER (MSFC)

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

(JOFOC)

FOR CONTRACT # 80MSFC25DA001

TESTING AND ANALYSIS OF PROPULSION SYSTEM MATERIALS &

SPACE SYSTEM MATERIALS FOR MSFC

1. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.303-2(b)(1) – Identification of the agency and the contracting activity, and specific identification of the document as a “Justification for other than full and open competition.”

This document is a justification for other than full and open competition prepared by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), Alabama.

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

2. 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 to award a sole-source contract, contract number 80MSFC25DA001 to Kratos SRE, Inc. (hereinafter “KSRE”) for Testing and Analysis of Propulsion System Materials and Space Systems Materials for MSFC’s Materials and Processes Laboratory. The objective of the contract is to provide testing and analysis for materials of interest to MSFC to support NASA-led activities including support to Space Launch System (SLS), International Space Station (ISS) and other programs where the advancement of human exploration is the goal.

KSRE provides the characterization test plan definition, material property determination, data evaluation and engineering analyses, nondestructive evaluation, environmental conditioning, failure mode determination, microstructure evaluation, and process development and assessments necessary to mitigate risk inherent to human-rated propulsion systems and other NASA programs. The current Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract, 80MSFC20D0003 was awarded to Southern Research Institute (SRI) on June 30, 2020 on a sole-source basis under the authority of FAR 6.302-1, Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements and will end on June 29, 2025.

KSRE acquired SRI in 2022. MSFC has a continued need for launch vehicle propulsion system material testing, analysis and related data generation which are critical in mitigating the risks inherent to human-rated propulsion systems.

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

NASA/MSFC has a requirement for advanced materials testing and evaluation capabilities and experience for propulsion and space system materials that require testing in statistically significant quantities at extreme temperatures and non-standard conditions in support of research and development of ongoing launch vehicle systems and lunar surface materials development. For this effort, NASA/MSFC requires test and analysis under conditions designed to simulate the extreme conditions in application including temperatures up to 6000°F, oxidizing environments up to temperatures in excess of 4000°F, and cryogenic temperatures as low as -450°F at a minimum. This effort, also, requires the capability to conduct material heat treatments and tensile and compressive testing in oxidizing atmospheres from ambient to 10-2 Torr or lower pressures while at temperatures that range from -270 C (-450 F) to 4000 C (7232F) at least. Other specialized capabilities required are bi-axial tension and compression capabilities. Task executed under this requirement include testing of carbon-carbon heat exchange tubes for the fuel element of the Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) engine for Mars transport, evaluation of regolith simulants for potential use as lunar construction materials and materials testing supporting solid rocket motor nozzle designs. This critical work is used to support future crewed missions and must meet stringent NASA and industry specifications and requires the generation of accurate and complete test data which will ultimately be used to support decisions made for NASA programs such as SLS, a Moon to Mars (M2M) Program and the Artemis campaign.

The proposed follow-on contract will be a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee, Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity contract with a five-year ordering period and will include FAR Clause 52.217-8, Option to Extend Services for up to six months. The estimated value of the contract is .

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

The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 10 U.S.C. 3204(a) (1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

5. 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:

The rationale supporting the use of 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1) is as described below.

In 2022, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions procured Southern Research’s Engineering Division, creating KSRE. Southern Research had decades of experience with aerospace/launch vehicle requirements and standard practices and was the only source available to provide a unique combination of services needed to support the NASA/MSFC mission including data understanding (failure mechanisms, component and specimen processing, specimen design and data history), reliability, and components design accuracy to support human-rated propulsion systems. KSRE maintained this knowledge base and experience. This unique testing and data generation requires instrumentation and training that NASA/MSFC and no other testing houses currently possess.

Today, KSRE’s ability to conduct testing and analysis at temperatures up to 6000℉, in oxidizing environments up to temperatures in excess of 4000℉, and in cryogenic temperatures as low as -450℉ makes the company the only available source for this requirement. No other source can provide the extreme temperatures needed for any of these requirements. KSRE has uniquely supported MSFC over the years. For example, KSRE provided specific cryogenic capabilities to characterize Thermal Protections Systems foams, which have been instrumental in supporting NASA programs. Additionally, KSRE’s testing techniques have resulted in the only material property database from room temperature to 5000℉ for graphite throats implemented in the design of the Solid Rocket Booster (SRB), Booster Separation Motor (BSM), and similar solid propellant motors and physical database of tested samples used for assessing failure modes. This database has been used by NASA in failure investigations conducted in support of the Space Shuttle Program.

KSRE’s continues to demonstrate unique capabilities in support of MSFC testing requirements. KSRE is currently testing and analyzing the use of regolith simulants as a potential construction material to be used on the lunar surface. The use of regolith simulants would present an opportunity for cost savings to the Government, due to the affordability in comparison with other potential materials and reduced risk of catastrophic disaster. Testing this material requires the high temperature, cryogenic, and oxidization testing environments to imitate the lunar surface, which only KSRE can provide due to its highly specialized equipment, experience and knowledge.

KRSE has continued to provide these highly specialized services and has added unique additional capabilities. These include 6000°F tensile testing capabilities that are used to test carbon - carbon composites used in application in extreme temperatures. This new capability will provide MSFC an additional capability to understand real behavior of materials at these extreme temperatures. In addition, KSRE has acquired a new one of kind instrument, the Electropuls E20000, which is the first to be installed in the United States. This machine permits more accurate testing and allows for exploration into new testing capability, like torsional or biaxial fatigue, which has previously been unable to be conducted. As MSFC explores new materials for future use, these new testing capabilities open the door to better understanding material behavior in extreme conditions.

Additionally, the ongoing work and collaboration with KSRE are crucial to materials development that will prove essential to accomplish NASA’s goals in exploration and technology development for the future. Their expertise in high temperature testing will be instrumental in the development of new rocket nozzle materials development in support of the Space Launch System maturation for the Artemis Program. These new engine designs can further define capabilities of the launch vehicle as they pertain to deep space exploration toward a sustained presence on the lunar surface. KRSE is uniquely able to support NASA’s goal to develop exploration technologies and enable scalable In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) capabilities on the lunar and Martian surfaces. KSRE is a key partner with NASA in developing the technology needed for future missions using Nuclear Thermal Propulsion and continues to support the testing and maturation of ISRU opportunities for building lunar architecture that will provide significant insight into current and future programs such as Moon to Mars Planetary Autonomous Construction Technologies (MMPACT). In this vein, the high and low temperatures capabilities coupled with unique materials machining has further enabled development of the technology that will be useful for traversing deep space to places such as Mars that can be utilized by the M2M.

6. 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: A Sources Sought/Request for Information notice to the Government Point of Entry (GPE) website (Sam.gov) was published on July 18, 2024, in accordance with FAR Subpart 5.2. This posting informed potential sources of NASA’s requirement and its intent to award this sole-source contract to KSRE if no other sources prove capable of completing the requirement. The results of this notice are summarized in Sections 8 and 10 below, as well as in the Market Research Report.

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

The Contracting Officer’s signature on this document indicates that the Contracting Officer has determined that the anticipated cost to the government will be fair and reasonable. The Contractor shall be required to submit a proposal to be evaluated and negotiated by the Government. Prior to execution of the contractual instrument, a proposal analysis will be performed. The proposal analysis will ensure that the final agreed-to price for the contract action is fair and reasonable. The Government will utilize cost analysis techniques including comparison against historical costs and risk and fee analysis using the NASA Form 634, Structured Approach for Profit or Fee Objective. The analysis will be conducted via actual costs previously incurred by KSRE, previous cost estimates provided by KSRE, and an Independent Government Cost Estimate provided by the technical representative (FAR 15.404-1(c)(2)(iii)). These methods will be used to evaluate KSRE’s proposed labor rates and indirect rates, including Fringe, Overhead, and G&A. In addition, the Government will request historical submissions of indirect rates from audit agencies, such as Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA), to assist in determining whether the proposal is fair and reasonable.

8. FAR 6.303-2(b)(8) – Description of the market research conducted, and the results, or a statement of the reasons market research was not conducted (e.g., urgent, and compelling requirement):

As mentioned above in Section 6, the Government published a Sources Sought notice/Request for Information on SAM.gov on July 18, 2024 for the purpose of market research with regards to commercially available services that meet the Government’s requirements. The notice closed on August 2, 2024. As a result of this notice, the Government received one response proving capability to fulfill the requirement. This response was submitted by KSRE, further confirming that KSRE is the sole source able to complete this requirement. Although , a Native-owned small business, contacted the Government expressing interest, the company did not provide a capability statement. The Government performed further research into and determined that does not have the capabilities to meet these requirements. Public information indicates that provides supplies, such as household appliances, to the Indian Health Service for use in housing quarters at various health centers, and services, such as installation of equipment, construction, and janitorial equipment repair services and did not locate any information regarding capability to perform these specialized requirements. Therefore, the Government deemed that is not a viable source for this effort.

The Government reviewed the NASA Strategic Sourcing Repository. None of the thirteen

(13) available contracts under the appropriate NAICS code (541715) are similar in scope to the work to be performed on the subject contract. The Government also conducted a query of the Federal Procurement Data System-Next Generation (FPDS-NG) regarding similar contracts. Similarly, the Government found no additional sources.

As further market research, the Government reviewed public websites of companies that provide testing and analysis services providing high temperature, cryogenic, and oxidization testing and analysis. For this requirement, MSFC requires testing capabilities that are not provided by any other one source. KSRE is the only source identified with the demonstrated ability to provide the testing and analysis capability requirements and the specialized expertise and knowledge to meet these requirements.

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

Awarding to a new vendor will result in substantial and unnecessary duplication in effort and cost. If this requirement was not approved as a sole-source contract to KSRE, it is estimated that it would require $25 million to outfit any other contractor’s facilities with the necessary equipment, based on the acquisition costs of the state-of-the art equipment required, and a large commitment of time and material from NASA/MSFC to duplicate the testing and analysis capability already provided by KSRE. In addition, a new testing house would require significant additional time and resources to institute NASA standards impacted MSFC’s ability to provide the test and analysis data to support mission schedules and program objectives. The costs were estimated at $16M in 2020, which could now reach $19.5M based on inflationary factors. Beyond those initial outlays, a new testing facility would be required to develop test methods that are unique to providing data on material properties required for NASA design maturity. The Government does not anticipate competition would substantially reduce costs to the Government based on the substantial barriers to entry.

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

A Sources Sought notice was published on the GPE website (Sam.gov) per FAR Subpart 5.2 (See Section 6 above). This notice was published on July 18, 2024 and was closed on August 2, 2024. The Government received only one capability statement as a result of this notice, which was submitted by KSRE, and no other source provided adequate capability to meet this requirement.

11. 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:

There are no known actions which the Agency can take to remove or overcome barriers to competition. These services support the highly specialized and unique requirements needed to support materials testing and analysis for use in future applications in extreme environments which are only provided by KSRE. The Agency will continue to examine the market in the future for alternative solutions or new sources before executing any subsequent acquisitions for the same requirements.

Tawnya Digitally signed by Tawnya Laughinghouse

Laughinghouse Date: 2024 12 02 14:21:41 -06'00'

Hervie Williford

Digitally signed by Hervie Williford Date: 2024.12.02 15:56:46 ‐06'00'

Kristina Parmenter

Digitally signed by Kristina Parmenter Date: 2024.12.12 19:15:36 -06'00'

For Contract # 80MSFC25DA001

TESTING AND ANALYSIS OF PROPULSION SYSTEM MATERIALS & SPACE SYSTEM

MATERIALS FOR MSFC

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

SIGNATURE PAGE

Technical Representative: I certify that the facts presented in this justification are accurate and complete.

Tawnya Laughinghouse/EM01 Director Materials and Processes Laboratory

Contracting Officer: I hereby certify that the above justification is complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Hervie B. Williford/PS20 Division Director Engineering & OSAC Support Office

APPROVAL:

Kristina Parmenter/PS01 Competition Advocate Marshall Space Flight Center