QD JOFOC - REDACTED.pdf

Rev.:4/2023

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

(JOFOC)

For Solicitation No. Quick Disconnects 80JSC023

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) Johnson Space Center (JSC):

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

2. FAR 6.303-2(b)(2) – The nature and/or description of the action being approved:

This justification provides the rationale for contracting for other than a full and open competition to award a sole-source number Quick Disconnects 80JSC023 to a small business, Outpost Technologies, Inc., to provide inspection and testing for a new titanium prototype quick disconnect and to deliver twenty-five (25) matching male/female pairs of stainless steel quick disconnects (QDs), and one (1) matching male/female pair of titanium quick disconnects (QDs).

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):

Currently, the NASA JSC International Space Station (ISS) Program Vehicle Office (OB) is seeking additional quick disconnects for the ISS. NASA JSC is requesting Outpost Technologies Inc mature the QD design developed under Contract No. 80JSC021D0004 with Kitty Hawk, which procured stainless steel QDs. OB currently requires twenty-five (25) matching male/female pairs of stainless steel quick disconnects (QDs), and one (1) matching male/female pair of titanium quick disconnects (QDs) in a suitable final state for NASA fabrication, certification, and usage in a human spaceflight environment. The ownership rights to the final Quick Disconnect design matured in this requirement shall be transferred to NASA at the conclusion of this contract. The period of performance is estimated at approximately one year, and the projected value for this effort 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.

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, Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements as described below.

When the supplies or services required by the agency are available from only one responsible source, or, for DoD, NASA, and the Coast Guard, from only one or a limited number of responsible sources, and no other type of supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, full and open competition need not be provided for. The rationale supporting the use of 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1) is described within the paragraphs below.

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:

When the supplies or services required by the agency are available from only one responsible source, or, for DoD, NASA, and the Coast Guard, from only one or a limited number of responsible sources, and no other type of supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, full and open competition need not be provided for. The rationale supporting the use of 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1) is described within the paragraphs 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 price for the contract action is 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 Contracting Officer will use the Contracting Officer’s Representative Technical Evaluation and historical data to determine that the final agreed-to price is fair and reasonable.

Historically, NASA utilized Kitty Hawk to design, prototyping and production of one stainless steel (1) matching male/female pair of quick disconnects compatible with the matching set required on board the International Space Station (ISS). These requirements took Kitty Hawk almost 1 year to develop, at a cost of to the Government under the NASA JSC Quick Disconnect Contract No. 80JSC021D0004. Under this contract, Kitty Hawk subcontracted the work to Outpost Technologies Inc for these services. For this current proposed work Kitty Hawk informed NASA that they were not interested in submitting a proposal. Given that the original work was actually performed by the small business subcontractor Outpost Technologies, NASA intends to sole source the work.

Contracting with another entity to provide the necessary services and hardware for future quick disconnects would require a design of an overall hardware with similar functionality which could not be completed in time necessary to meet the Government’s requirements.

Moreover, there would be a substantial duplication of cost necessary to develop a comparable to which has already been spent on hardware development that is not expected to be recovered through competition. This procurement is twofold; first for the production of stainless steel quick disconnects that have been proven to be able to be provided by Kitty Hawk given past performance under a previously awarded contract.

Secondly, NASA requests the design and prototype of Titanium Quick Disconnects utilizing what is expected to be similar procedures and processes already deployed when providing similar items using different materials. Therefore, there is benefit to the government in order to do the development of a similar, but different Quick Disconnect with a different contractor while minimizing duplication costs.

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:

A synopsis was posted on April 6, 2023, for interested organizations to submit their capabilities to determine whether to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. No responses to the Synopsis were received.

Therefore, NASA JSC intends to contract with Outpost Technologies Inc., for the Quick Disconnect Prototype services on a sole source basis in accordance with FAR 19.306.

Outpost Technologies Inc. is a is a small business concern. Market research was conducted through the ISS Vehicle Office and the General Services Administration (GSA), and it was discovered that Outpost Technologies Inc., had quick disconnect capabilities.

As a result of the market survey, it was determined there are currently no other small businesses that expressed interest of being capable of providing the requirements.

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

Historically, the ISS Program has procured quick disconnects from four different companies (initially two large businesses, and recently two small businesses). Per the synopsis that was posted for this action, the quick disconnects required are considered to be available from one small business. It is likely that new competition or an award to any other source would result in a substantial duplication of cost to NASA that could not be recovered through competition, and would also result in unacceptable delays in fulfilling the ISS Program’s needs of missions.