NAMS_JOFOC_Signed.pdf

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Ames Research Center

Moffett Field, California 94035-0001

Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition [FAR 6.303-2(b)(1)]

Summary Information:

Initiating Office: NASA Ames Research Center

Purchase Request No.: 4200489185

Procurement Title: NASA Academic Mission Services (NAMS)

Total Estimated Value: $150M

Period of Performance: Base Period – Sep 15, 2014 – Sep 14, 2016

Option 1 – Sep 15, 2016 – Sep 14, 2018

Option 2 – Sep 15, 2018 – Sep 14, 2019

Statutory Authority:

[FAR 6.303-2(b)(4)]

6.302-3 Industrial Mobilization; Engineering, Development, or Research Capability; or Expert Services

10 USC 2304(c)(3)(B),it is necessary to award the contract to a particular source or sources in order to establish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or development capability to be provided by an educational or other nonprofit institution or a federally funded research and development center.

This Justification for other than full and open competition has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.303 and NASA FAR Supplement

(NFS) 1806.303.

Detailed Information:

A. Nature and/or description of the action being approved. [FAR 6.303-2(b)(2)]

The objective of this procurement is to provide NASA mission-focused research and development (R&D) capabilities to Ames Research Center (ARC) enabled and enriched by the intellectual capital and dynamic experimental environments of academic institutions. The contract will provide basic and applied research support across multiple ARC Directorates including, but not limited to:

- Aeronautics Directorate (Code A)

- Office of the Center Director (Code D)

- Information Technology Directorate (Code I)

- Programs and Projects Directorate (Code P)

- Engineering Directorate (Code R)

- Science Directorate (Code S) http://www.acquisition.gov/far/current/html/Subpart%206_3.html%23wp1086971 http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/regs/1806.htm%236_303

Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition PR No. 4200489185

- Exploration Technology Directorate (Code T)

- Aeroflightdynamics Directorate (Code Y)

ARC proposes to limit competition for this requirement to domestic degree-granting universities, university systems, and non-profit organizations.

The length of the proposed award is 5 years, if all options are exercised.

B. Description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency’s needs (including estimated value). [FAR 6.303-2(b)(3)]

The NAMS contract will provide ARC with expert capabilities to fulfill mission requirements from fundamental research and development through field-test deployments and operational science missions. This contract will provide academic or university-based research support for science and engineering teams at the Center. The Contractor shall utilize effective methods to attract and retain leading edge researchers and facilitate interactive participation and engagement of researchers and students with ARC’s workforce.

ARC requirements for R&D capabilities include but are not limited to:

- Aerospace and Air Traffic Management – Aero Acoustics Engineering and Software, Air Traffic Management Automation, and Unmanned Aircraft Systems;

- Information Technology – Advanced Networking, Cloud Computing, Information and

Data Systems, Cyber Security, Software Engineering and Synthesis;

- Programs and Projects – Space Flight, Program/Project Analysis, and R&D trade studies;

- Science – Space Bioscience, Space Sciences and Astrobiology, Earth Science including

NASA’s Earth Venture Program;

- Advanced Technological Systems – Human Systems Integration, Intelligent Systems, Supercomputing, and Entry Systems & Technology; and

- Aeroflight Dynamics – Rotorcraft Aeromechanics, Human Systems Integration, Experimental Aerodynamics, and Flight Control and Cockpit Integration.

The Government estimate for the NAMS contract is as follows:

$150M - Total $55M - Core $500K - IDIQ Min $95M - IDIQ Max

Government estimate by Fiscal Year:

FY15: $30M, FY16: $27M, FY17: $28M, FY18: $28, FY19: $31M, and FY20: $6M

The Government estimate was developed by utilizing historical and current funding allocations for the existing Ames University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) contract as well as projections for anticipated future work.

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

The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition for this procurement is 10 USC 2304(c)(3)(B), it is necessary to award the contract to a particular source or sources in order to establish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or development capability to be provided by an educational or other nonprofit institution or a federally funded research and development center.

D. Demonstration of the proposed contractor’s unique qualification or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited. [FAR 6.303-2(b)(5)]

NASA is committed to strengthening its ties to the academic community through long-term sustained investment in areas of innovative and long-range technology critical to NASA's future.

Effective relationships with educational institutions are an important part of NASA’s overall strategic goal.

One of the challenges facing ARC is meeting the fundamental research needs in the growing areas of Space, Earth and Life Sciences. The civil servant staff requires the technical support of researchers performing cutting-edge basic and fundamental research to achieve program objectives. Alignment with universities will fill this gap, providing NASA scientists with real-time access to the knowledge being developed by leading experts in basic and applied research for these areas. For example, building new tasks for emerging topics such as Synthetic Biology and Climate Change would best be accomplished by university collaboration where subject matter experts are already in place.

One of the unique qualifications of an academic affiliated research program is the direct access to undergraduate, graduate, and post-Doctoral students. Through this contract, NASA will issue requirements to an organization that has access to world-class researchers and is focused on the integration of its unique research capabilities to support NASA’s mission needs. This program will develop and leverage innovative educational curricula to support Ames’ core competencies in such diverse fields as Information Technology and Computer Science, Nanotechnology, Aerospace Operations, Astrobiology, Biotechnology, and Fundamental Space Biology. The supporting capabilities include:

- Artificial Intelligence/Autonomous Reasoning

- Software Synthesis

- Human Factors/ Human-Centered Computing

- Knowledge Engineering

- High-end Computing and Networking

- Evolvable Hardware and Software

- Biomolecular Technologies and Science

- Nano-electronics and Computing

- Exobiology, Astrophysics

- Planetary Protections Science

- Biology, Genomics

- Proteomics

- Cellomics

- Operations Automation

- System Simulation and Modeling, and

- Engineering of Complex Systems

It is expected that many new discoveries critical to NASA’s mission will emerge from innovative integration among these disciplines. Academic institutions and associated laboratories, with their broad range of departments, are uniquely suited for providing this expertise on such a diverse range of topics.

The majority of technical work on the proposed contract is within the scope of the Aeronautics Directorate in support of the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters;

this effort will comprise the “core” of the proposed contract. To further illustrate the breadth of expertise required, a breakdown of one of these tasks is presented. A major area of support is in the field of Air Traffic Management (ATM) automation. NASA Ames has performed research and development of ATM automation concepts for the United States National Airspace System (NAS) for over twenty years. From initial concept development (Technology Readiness Level (TRL 1) through in situ field tests at operational ATM facilities (TRL 7), Ames researchers in the Aviation Systems Division of the Aeronautics Directorate are central contributors toward the comprehensive transformation of the NAS known as NextGen, for Next Generation ATM.

NextGen is a comprehensive transformation of the NAS to a state that will be safer, more reliable and more efficient, and that will reduce the impact of aviation on the environment. The Aviation Systems Division at Ames performs this research under the NASA Airspace Systems Program, and Center personnel collaborate closely with the Federal Aviation Administration, industry, and many universities. Academic institution expertise is critical to the support of advanced research in aircraft performance modeling, optimal guidance and control, automated operations management systems, avionics, operational human factors, hazardous environment characterization, detection and avoidance systems, ultra-reliable software techniques using formal methods and automated code generation, numerical methods, and meteorology.

The Human Systems Integration Division in the Exploration Directorate will also benefit from academic institutions having expertise in human/computer interaction, controller and flight-deck display design, air traffic control simulation development and integration, procedures development, and training methods for advanced air traffic control technologies. Unlike commercial entities focused on selling specific products and services, universities are uniquely positioned to provide researchers that possess the targeted, fundamental expertise in this broad range of aeronautics topics. Furthermore, as coordinating organizations, academic entities are uniquely and ideally situated to effectively collaborate to build an integrated system of interrelated capabilities.

Because of the unique interrelationships across multiple technical disciplines supportive of the Ames mission as illustrated above, an academically-focused research consortium will dovetail with the culture of research integration at NASA Ames.

As confirmed by the market research discussed in paragraph E below, educational institutions are uniquely qualified to accomplish the NAMS requirements. Only an educational institution has the diversity of basic research capabilities needed to meet ARC's multi-disciplinary research requirements. Many of the country's greatest scientific and technological advances have come from our colleges and universities. Our colleges and universities also produce the leaders that assure our country's scientific and technological future. Educational institutions, in particular research universities, are multi-disciplinary by their nature and uniquely capable of merging diverse core areas of research required by ARC. Furthermore, partnering with these institutions allows for reach back into the educational system to promote the development of necessary human resources in the diverse research areas needed by ARC. Lastly, the ability of an educational institution to grant academic degrees is a critical conduit allowing access to leading-edge research being performed by faculty and students across a broad range of scientific and technological disciplines.

E. Description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by FAR Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under 5.202 applies. [FAR 6.303-2(b)(6)]

On August 22, 2013, as part of market research, a Sources Sought Synopsis was posted on the NASA Acquisition Internet Service (NAIS) and the Federal Business Opportunities Portal (FedBizOpps). The Sources Sought notice provided instructions for interested organizations to submit capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort to the Contracting Officer. Seven capability statements were received, with three considered viable candidates. (See paragraph I below.)

A synopsis stating ARC’s intention to limit competition to domestic, degree-granting universities, university systems and non-profit organizations, was posted on the NASA Acquisition Internet Service on November 7, 2013.

The solicitation for the ARC NAMS will specify that the prime proposing entity shall be a domestic degree-granting university, university system or academic or non-profit organization. Even with this limitation, it is anticipated that there will be competition and a broad field from which the awardee can be selected.

F. A determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable. [FAR 6.303-2(b)(7)]

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. Prior to execution of the contractual instrument, a proposal analysis will be performed in accordance with FAR 15.404. Analysis will include both cost and price analysis techniques.

G. Description of the market research conducted and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted. [FAR 6.303-2(b)(8)]

A Sources Sought Synopsis was posted on NAIS, along with Draft Statement of Work (SOW) on August 22, 2013. Comments/questions were solicited from all interested parties. Additionally, capability statements were requested from those organizations interested in proposing on this procurement. After receipt of these comments/questions and capability statements, the Source Evaluation Board (SEB) did a thorough analysis of the seven responses received to assess the suitability and past experience in management/general requirements and in performing technical requirements. Responses were also assessed for capability in forming academic collaborations, sustainability, and handling of International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) http://www.acquisition.gov/far/current/html/Subpart%205_2.html%23wp1107980 http://www.acquisition.gov/far/current/html/Subpart%205_2.html%23wp1107990 and Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Based on responses to the sources sought synopsis, 2 educational institutions and 1 non-profit organization were determined capable of performing the work. Below are the results of the RFI evaluation:

RESPONDEE SB/CATEGORY Management/ Technical/ Technical/ General Core IDIQ

MetiSpace WOSB Doesn’t meet Doesn’t meet Doesn’t Meet

National Institute Of Aerospace Non-profit Meets Meets Meets

Optimal Synthesis Inc SB Doesn’t meet Meets Doesn’t meet

Science and.

Technology Corp. SDB Doesn’t meet Doesn’t meet Doesn’t meet

Southern University HBCU/Education Institution Doesn’t meet Doesn’t meet Doesn’t meet

The Regents of the University of California Educational Institution Meets Meets Meets

University Space Research Associates Non-profit Meets Meets Meets

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

NAMS includes multidisciplinary requirements involving basic and applied R&D to advance the objectives of multiple Headquarters’ Mission Directorates. Access to leading-edge academic resources is critical to the success of NASA’s mission. Based on the market research conducted and the agency’s need for access to world-class academic resources and partnerships, full and open competition is not appropriate for this requirement.

Under the NAMS contract, the ARC Contracting Officer will direct the NAMS Contractor to perform multi-disciplinary, integrative research and science that is strategically focused to support NASA’s long-term mission requirements. Thus, in this case and as supported by the market research described in paragraph E, the entire relationship, as embodied in the contract, falls within this purpose and, therefore, the competition is limited to domestic degree-granting educational institutions or non-profits.

I. Listing of the sources, if any, that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition. [FAR 6.303-2(b)(10)]

Seven capability statements were received in response to the RFI, as detailed in Section G above. These capability statements came from several types of organizations including university consortia, for-profit companies, universities and non-profits.

J. Statement of the 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. [FAR 6.303-2(b)(11)]

ARC anticipates competition amongst domestic degree-granting universities, university systems, and/or non-profit organizations for the NAMS requirement.