CRYOTE 3 LSJ Yetispace basic - PS - MI Signatures.pdf

Rev.:7/2022

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER (KSC)

LIMITED-SOURCES JUSTIFICATION

for

Flight-Like Propellant Tank Cryogenic Testing

This is a Limited-Sources Justification (LSJ) prepared by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), John F. Kennedy Space Center, Office of Procurement.

This acquisition will be conducted under the General Services Administration’s (GSA’s) Multiple-Award Schedule (MAS) Program (Title 41 U.S.C. 152(3)). This action is for a follow-on firm fixed price order for cryogenic testing on the flight-like propellant tank Cryogenic Orbital Testbed (CRYOTE) 3 and the ongoing development and evaluation of cryogenic fluid technology through studies, concepts and testing for the Launch Services Program (LSP).

It is anticipated that award will be made to Yetispace, Inc. under GSA Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) 47QRAA19D001W, Professional Services, Special Item Number 541380, Testing Laboratory Services.

The total estimated price of the proposed order is $333,300.00 and the estimated period of performance is one year.

Authority Cited and Rationale:

FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(A). An urgent and compelling need exists, and following normal procedures would result in unacceptable delays.

FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(B). Only one source is capable of providing the supplies or services required at the level of quality required because the supplies or services are unique or highly specialized.

FAR 8.405-6(a)(1)(C). In the interest of economy and efficiency, the new work is a logical follow-on to an original GSA FSS order provided that the original order was placed in accordance with the applicable GSA FSS ordering procedures. The original order or BPA must not have been previously issued under sole-source or limited-sources procedures.

FAR 8.405-6(b), Items Peculiar to One Manufacturer. An item peculiar to one manufacturer can be a particular brand name, product, or a feature of a product, peculiar to one manufacturer. A brand name item, whether available on one or more schedule contracts, is an item peculiar to one manufacturer.

Rationale:

Under the Launch Services program, NASA is developing and studying cryogenic propulsion systems to eliminate challenges to launch vehicle operations and performance. Empirical data gathered from these studies improves NASA’s predictive capability for challenges that may emerge from densified cryogenic propellants during spaceflight. Accordingly, this order will cover a series of testing phases utilizing the CRYOTE 3 test article for cryogenic testing and include any combination of the following tasks:

1. Test existing instrumentation on the CRYOTE 3 tank using liquid nitrogen (LN2) to verify operability of the current instrumentation suite and identify which sensor/sensors need replacement.

2. Install replacement and checkout of sensors.

3. Fabricate and install a 3-layer Multi-Layer Insulation (MLI) blanket onto the test article.

4. Design/configure/modify the test article (propellant tank) with the necessary instrumentation and requisite hardware necessary to perform testing in the vacuum chamber at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Test Stand 300 (or other MSFC test location).

5. Verify and report proper installation of the test article in the vacuum chamber of MSFC

Test Stand 300, including all instrumentation pass throughs.

Earlier phases of testing on this article began in 2013 under a non-reimbursable Space Act Agreement (SAA), in partnership between United Launch Alliance (ULA), NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC), and NASA MSFC. ULA is the owner of the CRYOTE 3 test article and in accordance with the SAA, it is maintained at MSFC. The agreement allows KSC and MSFC access to this article for integration and testing.

Since the inception of the CRYOTE 3 concept nearly a decade ago, Yetispace has been the primary support contractor on the CRYOTE 3 test article. They are the only provider with agreements in place with ULA to perform the work, including a nondisclosure agreement (NDA). Across the first phases of this program, Yetispace built the CRYOTE 3 test stand, outfitted it with a si.gnificant amount of instrumentation, prioritized test objectives, and executed all testing to date. As the CRYOTE 3 test article is built using flight-like hardware, it requires specialized handling for which Yetispace is already uniquely familiar. Yetispace’s experience and familiarity with this article allows them to proceed with the requisite test preparation and execution in a timely and cost-efficient manner. If any other contractor were to perform this work, schedule would be severely impacted and there would be significant duplication of cost expended to achieve the specialized proficiency of Yetispace. To understand this additional cost, it can be surmised that since Yetispace constructed the test article and performed all testing to date, another contractor would need develop their own test article due to proprietary limitations with the current article and conduct requisite testing in order to operate at a comparable level of proficiency. The test article alone would be estimated to cost an additional $500K, at least, based on the original price ten years ago of $224K and material inflation costs. When this additional test article cost is coupled with significant increase in labor costs, the additional effort to become proficient with the task at hand would easily increase cost by over $750K.

In summary, Yetispace has gained the unique expertise from their work on earlier phases of cryogenic testing and therefore is the only source that can perform this effort at a reasonable cost.

Determination by the contracting officer that the order represents the best value consistent with FAR 8.404(d):

Pursuant to FAR 8.404(d), GSA has determined the rates to be fair and reasonable. However, in accordance with Procurement Information Circular 14-01, the NASA Contracting Office must determine the price to be fair and reasonable as well. This determination will be made after receipt of the proposal and proposal analysis techniques at FAR 15.404-1(b)(2) will be implemented to determine fair and reasonable pricing. The Government will compare the labor rates of at least three other similar Federal Supply Schedule contractors and evaluate the offer against the previously awarded contracts to determine reasonableness. The Government and contractor will negotiate the overall price of each BPA call, using established rates, and it is anticipated that the arrangement will represent the best value to meet the Government’s needs.

Market Research:

Market research associated with cryogenic fluid technology is on-going via interaction with the Agency cryogenic fluid management (CFM) community, as well as interaction with launch providers (ULA, SpaceX, Blue Origin, etc.). The Technical Representative for this activity, along with others who support him within the Launch Services Program, is considered a leader in cryogenic propellant modeling in flight applications, having led significant modeling activities (and testing of anchoring new modeling techniques) for both LSP and the NASA Engineering and Safety Council (NESC). Additionally, the Technical Representative is in regular communication with the Science Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) CFM project’s Chief Engineer, providing insight into modeling activities and anchoring of various modeling techniques via targeted testing, such as will be demonstrated via this effort.

Market Research for this award considered historical data from previous phases of CRYOTE 3, as well as an earlier request for proposal for this phase that ultimately was not awarded. Each earlier phase of this special study underwent its own market research, before ultimately awarding the work to Yetispace. When conducting the original phase awarded in 2012 for two years of performance, the government identified two contractors capable of performing the work. The second phase, awarded in 2014, was conducted using full and open competition; Yetispace was the only contractor to submit a proposal. Additionally, insight indicates that, although ULA is owner of the test article, they are not interested in performing this work independently.

Other Facts:

This is a procurement off the FAR 8.004 mandatory government sources list. Yetispace is a small business with a GSA schedule contract.

A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers that led to the restricted consideration before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services is made:

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.

Flight-Like Propellant Tank Cryogenic Testing

LIMITED SOURCES JUSTIFICATION

SIGNATURE PAGE

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

Paul Schallhorn Technical Representative

Contracting Officer: I hereby certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. In addition, I hereby determine that the anticipated price(s)/pricing of the order will be fair and reasonable.

Michael Iffland Contracting Officer