SATPC0031961 Tab 10 BNJ Redacted.pdf

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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

NASA SHARED SERVICES CENTER

RECOMMENDATION AND DETERMINATION TO SOLICIT FROM ONE SOURCE

OR BRAND NAME

PICK ONE

Sole Source:

☐I recommend that NASA, NASA Shared Services Center negotiate with Vendor Name only for Enter Supply or Service to be procured. The total estimated cost of this effort is Enter Dollar amount and the estimated period of performance or lead-time for delivery is Date.

OR

Brand Name Justification:

☒I recommend that NASA, NASA Shared Services Center negotiate with only with vendors who can provide the subject band name of Zylon® for Zylon® yarn various densities . The total estimated cost of this effort is and the estimated period of performance or lead-time for delivery is six weeks.

This recommendation is for the acquisition of supplies or services determined to be reasonably available from only one source/only one manufacture. Competition is impractical for the following reasons (please answer the questions below):

1. What are the reasons for soliciting only the suggested source/suggested brand name? Please provide the unique characteristics of the items or services along with the supporting rationale and the market research performed to substantiate your reason for the suggested source/brand name.

Over the past ten years, Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) technology project developed custom soft good products using Zylon® yarn to meet 400 degree C temperature exposure as well as the strength and packing durability requirements for inflatable aeroshells. Thorough testing of several high-performance fibers concluded that Zylon®, a Poly-Benzobisoxazole (PBO) fiber, is the only commercially available fiber capable of meeting the requirements. The recent LeO Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID) project successfully performed a flight test in November 2022 that used Zylon® throughout the inflatable structure. After receipt of the Zylon® fiber, NASA will use it for production of webbing material and reinforcement for flexible hoses. NASA LaRC has invested a significant time and financial resources in testing Zylon® to verify that its properties meet the system performance and packing requirements. The soft good products using Zylon®, webbing and hoses, have also been demonstrated and characterized by extensive ground testing and a flight test. HIAD inflatable aeroshell design and analysis models for structural loads and thermal performance have been based on using Zylon® material properties and test data.

2. What is the impact to the government if another vendor/brand is used? Include any dollar, schedule, or compatibility impacts if possible.

Any PBO fiber other than Zylon® would require a significant amount of testing and development before it can be considered for HIAD and is not expected to meet all of the requirements based on previous investigations. The cost for testing an alternate fiber and soft good products would be several orders of magnitude greater than the cost of the yarn. Over the last ten years, HIAD projects have invested several million dollars in producing Zylon® products, testing components made with Zylon®, and testing of inflatable aeroshell systems constructed with Zylon® that were correlated to structural analysis models.

In addition to significant cost of considering a fiber other than Zylon®, there would be significant project schedule delays (a year or more).

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:

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As a general comment, the yarn procured must be Zylon® fiber as specified to meet the current HIAD project technical requirements, funding constraints, and schedules. Any alternate to Zylon® would be unacceptable.

Technical User Name Date

Title

Office