JOFOC J6 HVSTP EPRI - Signed.pdf

Revision: A

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC)

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

(JOFOC)

For J6 High Voltage Study Team Procurement - 80GRC0200025.

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) (21000 Brookpark Rd., Cleveland, Oh 44135):

The procuring agency is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the contracting activity is (21000 Brookpark Rd., Cleveland, Oh 44135).

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 with Electric Power Research Institute; not to exceed 1 year.

3. FAR 6.303-2(b)(3) – A description of the supplies or services required, to meet the Agency’s needs ($600,000.00):

NASA has formed a team of NASA specialists, and seeks to augment this team with support from a nationally recognized expert group, the Electrical Power Research Institute (EPRI), identified from market research. The goal of the team is to develop a working theory on root cause as well as formulate a corrective action plan that most effectively reduces the frequency of incident failures, minimizing the potential for extended duration utility outages and/or risk to facilities and personnel.

• Phase 1 – Task 1: will focus on electrical fault data collection captured from electrical meters connected to the high voltage electrical system and the interpretation of this data as a means to analyze what is occurring in the high voltage system at

GRC.

• Phase 1 – Task 2: will focus on the failure analysis (as observed in Phase 1 Task 1) of components such as electrical relays that were in operation during the past failures of the high voltage system. Activities in this task will likely run in parallel with activities in Task 1.

• Phase 2 – will focus on developing systemic causes for the high voltage system outages that have been occurring at GRC and develop recommendations for the GRC high voltage system program management improvements to reduce the potential for similar high voltage outages in the future.

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. 2304(c) (2), as implemented by FAR 6.302- (2) (Unusual and compelling urgency). (10 U.S.C.

2304(c)(2)).

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. 2304(c)(2) is Unusual and compelling urgency.

Significant electrical outages have occurred at the NASA Glenn Research Center, impacting the aeronautics and space research test facilities. Raising questions on the systemic interconnections of the electrical components powering the Center and all facilities, and raising safety concerns for those operating the test apparatus.

There is concern that significant power outages and potential arching can damage the Government facilities, impact the financial planned tests, and causing potential injury to employees. This award is immediately needed to investigate, root causes, and resolve the electrical failures for the safe operation of the facilities and prevention of future damage of the unique testing facilities. NASA is a historical and national treasure, and must be preserved and protected at all costs.

The Substation J suffered damage during a fire, requiring the replacement of the J6 Transformer and associated ancillary equipment and infrastructure. Due to this incident, Our NASA specialists from the NASA Engineering Safety Center (NESC) seeks to augment the government team with support from a nationally recognized expert group, the Electrical Power Research Institute (EPRI), identified from market research.

NASA has the requirement for continuous and uninterrupted electrical power supply to safely run all testing facilities onsite, avoid fires, and maintain Center infrastructure capabilities.

Facilities impacted by the electrical failures include the following test facilities that support the NASA Core Competencies.

Facilities of concern include, The Propulsion Systems Laboratory which is NASA’s only ground-based test facility that can provide true flight simulation for experimental research on air-breathing propulsion systems. NASA’s Wind Tunnel (10×10) is the largest and fastest wind tunnel facility which is specifically designed to test supersonic propulsion components from inlets and nozzles to full-scale jet and rocket engines. The 8- by 6-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel (8×6) operates either in an aerodynamic closed-loop cycle, testing aerodynamic performance models, or in a propulsion open-loop cycle that tests live fuel burning engines and models. NASA’s 9- by 15-Foot Low-Speed Wind Tunnel (9×15) is the most utilized low-speed propulsion acoustic facility in the world. It is the only national facility that can simulate takeoff, approach, and landing in a continuous subsonic environment.

The goal of the J6 High Voltage Study Team Procurement is to develop a working theory on root cause as well as formulate a corrective action plan that most effectively reduces the frequency of incident failures, minimizing the potential for extended duration utility outages and/or risk to facilities and personnel. NASA has the requirement for continuous and uninterrupted electrical power supply to safely run all testing facilities on-site, avoid fires, and maintain Center infrastructure capabilities.

The purpose of this contract is to assemble a team of High Voltage (HV) specialists and consultants that will focus on recent and new faults in the GRC HV system, the team will review collected data and provide technical interpretation on the cause of event. The focus will be on electrical fault data collection and interpretation.

The Agency has commissioned a team to look to determine the cause and develop remedy to solution to the HV infrastructure issues. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) is a collaborative body which conducts research, development, and demonstration projects for the benefit of the public of the United States.

It is an independent nonprofit organization which has a multitude of private and public members which pool resources to aid in affordable electrical solutions. EPRI holds unique skill specializing in all the required tools required to aid GRC in solution with research, investigative services, testing laboratories, and root cause analysis.

Additionally, this team will focus on failure analysis of components involved in some of the past failures. This contract will put the technical team in place that has the expertise to develop systemic causes for the rash of utility outages and suggest program management improvements to reduce the potential for similar incidents in the future.

EPRI brings expertise and one stop shop of all required services are unique and key to support the Agency High Voltage Transient Team. They are a critical key team member to continue to investigate GRC infrastructure needs to aid GRC to return back to full operation to support the NASA mission requirements.

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:

The Contracting Officer has determined that this action is exempt from the notice required in FAR 5.202(a)(2), because unusual and compelling urgency precludes competition to the maximum extent practicable and the Government would be seriously injured if the agency complies with the publicizing and response time periods specified in FAR 5.203.

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.

Work of this nature has never been performed for NASA by EPRI, however they have performed different electrical studies on a small scale and the CO will use that historical information as a data point to determine fair and reasonable. The Contracting Officer will look at the number of employees, their skill sets, number of hours and compared those to available Department of Labor categories and rates.

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

Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) is a collaborative body which conducts research, development, and demonstration projects for the benefit of the public of the United States.

They are a non-profit, research organization that conducts specific research and development related to the generation, delivery, and use of electricity to help address challenges in electricity, including reliability, efficiency, affordability, health, safety, and the environment.

The market research for this procurement was based on various telephone conversations and the exchange of various email messages with subject matter experts regarding EPRI. I spoke with Rob Jankovsky, NESC Chief Engineer at GRC and Chris Iannello, Tech Fellow, Electrical Power, KSC. Both are subject matter experts and provided key information and insight in terms of electrical power systems.

I researched Contract Assessment Performance Rating System (CPARS) and found no information for EPRI. I searched in System for Award Management (SAM) and retrieved their registration information. I also searched in the contacting systems (SAP and PPS) and found older task orders performing different electrical work, which confirmed that EPRI is listed as a vendor in our contract systems.

I also spoke with William Cann, Contracting Officer (LaRC) for the TEAMS 3 contract. I reached out to Bill in an attempt to seek out information regarding EPRI and its past performances on his contract. Unfortunately, Bill could not provide this information as EPRI was determine not to be subcontractor on the TEAMS 3 contract. No other information was provided.

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

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) is a collaborative body which conducts research, development, and demonstration projects for the benefit of the public of the United States. They are a non-profit, research organization that conducts specific research and development related to the generation, delivery, and use of electricity to help address challenges in electricity, including reliability, efficiency, affordability, health, safety, and the environment.

EPRI has a multitude of private and public members which pool resources to aid in affordable electrical solutions. Through this relationship with all major US electrical power utilities, EPRI uniquely has access to and insight on a large volume of failures as well as has the capabilities for forensic analyses. EPRI holds skills specializing in all the essential tools required to aid GRC in solution with research, investigative services, testing laboratories, and root cause analysis. Their expertise and one stop shop of all required services are unique and key to support the Agency High Voltage Transient Team.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity_generation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity_generation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity

Additionally, this team will focus on failure analysis of components involved in some of the past failures. This contract will put the technical team in place that has the expertise to develop systemic causes for the rash of utility outages and suggest program management improvements to reduce the potential for similar incidents in the future.

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

The Contracting Officer has determined that this action is exempt from the notice required in FAR 5.202(a)(2), because unusual and compelling urgency precludes competition to the maximum extent practicable and the Government would be seriously injured if the agency complies with the publicizing and response time periods specified in FAR 5.203.

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:

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.

J6 High Voltage Study Team Procurement

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

SIGNATURE PAGE

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

Sue A. Gaudreau Technical Representative

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

Dawn R. Pottinger Contracting Officer