SATPC0035856 Tab 06 RDSS..pdf

Page 1 V2.0 3-15-2017

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 Acellent Technologies, Inc. only for Acellent SMART Package. The total estimated cost of this effort is and the estimated period of performance or lead-time for delivery is 30 Days ARO.

OR

Brand Name Justification:

☐I recommend that NASA, NASA Shared Services Center negotiate only with vendors who can provide the subject brand name from Manufacture Name for Product being purchased . The total estimated cost of this effort is $Dollar Amount and the estimated period of performance or lead-time for delivery is Date .

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.

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) needs the Acellent SMART package to support a Technical Excellence project led by Michelle Rudd that is of interest to the Vehicles and Space Systems Department. The sensors will be used to investigate a structural health monitoring techniques of lunar structures. These specific vendor’s product is necessary because the sensors are reusable unlike other products which are one time use and we are currently planning to use these sensors on a number of structural health monitoring efforts being conducted at MSFC. The Accellent SMART package is the only company that creates piezoelectric sensors arrays to detect damage which also comes with a data acquisition system and software to assess the data collected by the sensors, and diagnosis damage.

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

If another vendor’s product was selected, we would not have the the ability to collect, diagnosis data and reuse the sensors. Also, other Piezoelectric sensor arrays would not come with a specific software system to post processes the data with the intent to detect damage. Therefore, we would need to hire a subject matter expert in order to develop a program to interpret the data collected by the sensors. Most use advanced algorithms or AI to diagnosis the problem but Acellent SMART Layer systems has the ability to detect and diagnosis impact damage and fatigue failures in metallic and composite structures.

Establishing and qualifying a system that could be used on in-orbit and lunar structures is of extreme importance to the Agency. The main advantage to this system is the post processing of the data collected, and this is not something that is provided by any other company. The ability to create the algorithms to diagnosis damage are advanced, and a subject matter expert would be required to develop an in house product.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: