JOFOC_TSIS-2- FE Redact.pdf

Rev.:5/2024

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

(Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION (JOFOC)

For Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor-2 (TSIS-2) Mission Operations and Data Processing Procurement/Contract # 80GSFC25CA001

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)/Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC).

The procuring agency is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the contracting activity is NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, Maryland.

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 to the Laboratory for Atmosphere and Space Physics (LASP):

NASA is currently under contract with the University of Colorado – Laboratory for Atmosphere and Space Physics (LASP) to deliver the Total and Spectral solar Irradiance Sensor-2 (TSIS-2) instrument. The TSIS-2 Instrument is being delivered and operated (during a 60-day commissioning period) by LASP under Contract #80GSFC19C0069 with the TSIS- 2 Project Code 424 of NASA’s GSFC. TSIS-2 will fly on a free-flyer spacecraft in FY 2025.

Under this action, a sole-source contract would be established for the operations and data processing period of the TSIS-2 instrument.

The anticipated period of performance for this contract is 5 years (1-year base period plus 4 one-year options) and the contract type will be Cost-No-Fee (CNF).

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 is tasked with the acquisition, development and delivery of the TSIS-2 instrument data to continue the key climate measurements of Total Solar Irradiance (TSI) and Spectral Solar Irradiance (SSI). The Total Irradiance Monitor (TIM) and Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SIM) instruments on the Total and Spectral solar Irradiance Sensor-1 (TSIS-1), on the International Space Station (ISS), are currently taking these measurements.

For TSIS-2 the operations efforts are as follows:

a. Develop TSIS-2 command procedures, scripts and command uploads for on-orbit operations of the sensors. The uploads will be a routine weekly effort, but urgent uploads may be necessary for flight anomalies.

b. Validate and transfer command procedures, scripts and command upload to the General Atomics (GA) spacecraft mission operations center (SMOC) for upload to the spacecraft after validation.

c. Receive and monitor sensor operations, health and science telemetry.

d. Analyze sensor performance, including state of health monitoring and long-term trending.

e. Maintain the Spectral Radiometer Facility and the TSI Radiometer Facility with standards for flight model comparisons.

f. Investigate and resolve on-orbit anomalies that affect TSIS-2 performance parameters and/or anomalies that threaten TSIS-2 health and safety.

For TSIS-2 the daily data processing efforts are as follows:

a. Process, manage, analyze, and distribute TSIS-2 science data products.

i. Produce 4 times daily (six-hour average) TIM TSI values and twice daily (every 12-hours) SIM solar spectra values as Level 3 Science data products at rates such that processing backlogs do not accumulate.

ii. Deliver the daily Level 3 TSIS-2 science data products with no greater than a 14-day latency, to Goddard Earth Sciences and Data and Information Services Center (GES

DISC).

iii. Provide Level 0, Level 1, 2, and 3 data products, metadata, ancillary data, and housekeeping data to GES DISC for archiving.

b. Facilitate scientific analysis of algorithms, calibration data, and data products.

c. Reprocess entire or partial mission data sets when algorithms or calibrations have major updates.

d. Maintain all processing software, calibration data, science data products and other information under configuration control.

e. Conduct formal versioned software releases and maintain unique data product versions for each sensor.

f. Maintain traceability between software, calibration data, data products and production job parameters.

g. Provide data backup and archiving.

h. Retain all data products for the life of the mission and demote data that are more than two versions old.

i. Maintain the Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document (ATBD) for the TSIS-2 sensors.

For TSIS-2 the period of performance is from Launch plus 60 days and then for three years plus decommissioning (approximately one month).

For TSIS-2 the estimated cost of this procurement 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. 2304(c) (1), as implemented by FAR 6.302- (1), entitled “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. 2304(c) (1) is as described below.

The fundamental requirement for TSIS-2 on the free flyer spacecraft is to make precise and accurate measurements of Total Solar Irradiance (TSI) and Spectral Solar Irradiance (SSI) and to connect them to the previous TSI and SSI measurements for a long-term climate record. The TIM requirement is to make TSI measurements with an absolute

The TIM baseline stability requirement is to have long-per year after data corrections in post-processing. The SIM requirement is to make SSI the range 200 – ) for wavelengths greater than 400 nm. The SIM baseline stability requirement is to have long-greater than 400 nm after data corrections in post-processing.

LASP has developed and maintains two permanent laboratory facilities that provide calibration to the National Institute of Standards and Technology level 1 TSI and SSI calibration standards. These two facilities, the TSI Radiometer Facility (TRF) and the Spectral Radiometry Facility (SRF) will be used for the TSIS-2 final calibration and can assist in future on-orbit anomaly investigations.

LASP designed, developed, operated, analyzed, and processed the data for the TIM and SIM for the Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE) mission. LASP also designed and developed the TIM for the Space Test Program Satellite-3 (STP- Sat3) mission and performed the same TIM operations and data processing for that mission. LASP has designed, developed, and now operates, analyzes, and processes the data for the TIM and SIM for the TSIS-1 mission.

A set of ground software from previous TIM missions for TIM data processing was designed and built by LASP and fully qualified by the NASA Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) processes. It is unique to the LASP TIM operation and its phase-sensitive detection algorithms. The ATBD for TIM has been fully reviewed by NASA Earth science groups and fulfills the TSIS-2 requirement for an in-place system that produces Level 3 science data products.

LASP has an existing TSIS-1 TIM and SIM Science Operations Center design that will be modified to meet TSIS-2 mission requirements and an experienced staff to operate and process the TSIS-2 data. LASP is the only organization that can understand and operate this Science Operations Center. There is no other potential provider of a TSIS-2 system that can meet the operational and data processing technical and scientific requirements for the TSIS-2 project.

Through the experience of developing and operating the TIM and SIM on SORCE and TSIS-1, and TIM on TSI (Total Solar Irradiance) Calibration Transfer Experiment (TCTE), LASP has acquired the specialized expertise that is critical for successful operation and data processing of the TIM and SIM of TSIS-2. This technical expertise resides in the knowledge of the unique devices, computer software, and instrument designed, developed, and implemented by LASP personnel. An intricate understanding of the relevant hardware and software is crucial to meeting the required performance of the TSIS-2. Only LASP meets the Government's primary requirement for continuity between solar irradiance missions. To provide the needed hardware, software, and test facilities, another contractor would have to develop personnel expertise and experience along with engineering, management, and quality assurance plans, processes, and procedures associated with the design, manufacture, integration, test, and calibration of TIM and SIM instruments. Only LASP possesses these capabilities and specialized experience and expertise from the previous TIM and SIM instrument builds.

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 notice to the Government Point of Entry (GPE) website (Sam.gov) was published on April 3, 2024, in accordance with FAR Subpart 5.2. This posting informed potential sources of NASA’s intent to award this sole source to the “Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics” and provided potential sources with the opportunity to be considered based on their qualifications and capability statements due by April 17, 2024. The results of this synopsis are summarized in Section 10 below.

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 cost for the contract action is fair and reasonable.

LASP shall be required to submit a proposal to be evaluated and negotiated by the Government.

The proposed costs will be evaluated by the contracting officer's representative and the contracting officer to determine that the direct labor rates, direct labor hours, skill mix, other direct costs, and indirect costs are reasonable. This may also include support from external organizations such as the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA), as needed.

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):

In conducting its market research, the Government is relying on its in-depth market knowledge to validate its planned sole-source approach. The TSIS-2 instrument subsystems are unique in which specialized expertise is required to produce, integrate, and troubleshoot anomalies within these subsystems. Although there are other companies that provide Mission Operations Support, LASP is the only vendor that has the unique capabilities to provide this support to TSIS-2 as they are responsible for designing, developing, and providing the subsystem flight hardware, software, test procedures, Interface Control Documents, and operational procedures for the TSIS-1 Instrument currently in operation on the International Space Station (ISS). No other institution has the knowledge of the TSIS-2 instrument operations, flight instrument design and calibration, and anomaly response resolution to be able to continue the mission operations and data analysis phase. This market research is a result of years working with satellite and instrument developers, and involvement in the process of development and on-orbit operations. The project’s past and current experience with the instrument developer have been invaluable in determining the path forward to ensure instrument health and safety. The Government assessed performance of the mission and the effectiveness of other service providers in terms of risk to meeting requirements and minimizing costs. There are no sources other than LASP that have the heritage, expertise, and facilities required to operate and provide data processing and anomaly resolution for the life of TSIS-2.

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

None.

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

As stated above in Section 6, in accordance with the requirements of FAR Subpart 5.2, a notice of NASA GSFC's intent to award this sole-source procurement was synopsized on the sam.gov website. The synopsis notified all interested sources that this requirement will be issued on a sole-source basis and provided them an opportunity to submit their interest and capabilities to the Contracting Officer within 15 days of the synopsis publication. The notice closed on April 17, 2024 and no responses were received.

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:

No actions are anticipated by the Agency to remove or overcome the barriers to competition for any subsequent acquisition of similar services because it is unlikely that subsequent acquisitions will occur. At this time, the need for continued operation of the TSIS-2 instrument beyond the 5-year period of this JOFOC has not been determined. Any future decision for continued operations will be based on the technical/scientific merits of the mission and the availability of funds. If the Agency determines that TSIS-2 shall continue mission operations, then a follow-on sole source contract with LASP may be necessary based on their unique knowledge and capabilities as described above. Any such follow-on contract will be supported by a properly approved JOFOC.

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.

Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor-2 (TSIS-2) Mission Operations and Data Processing Procurement

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

SIGNATURE PAGE

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

John F. McCabe III Technical Representative

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

Jonathon D. Wingerberg Contracting Officer

APPROVED:

Eric Newman Acting Competition Advocate

GSFC

JOHN MC

CABE

Digitally signed by JOHN

MC CABE

Date: 2024.09.24 10:59:38 -04'00'

Jonathon Wingerberg

Digitally signed by Jonathon Wingerberg Date: 2024.09.24 11:22:31 -04'00'

Eric Newman Digitally signed by Eric Newman Date: 2024.10.15 13:19:36 -04'00'