SATPC0037031 Tab 06 RDSS..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

Sole Source:

☒I recommend that NASA, NASA Shared Services Center negotiate with RPMI Innovations (RPMI) to provide Directed Energy Deposition of Large Scale Aft End JBK-75 Thin-wall Demonstrator. The total estimated cost of this effort is and the estimated period of performance is Seven (7) months.

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.

Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) requires the feasibility deposition of a large-scale RS-25 nozzle aft end component for the Space Launch System (SLS) as a thin-wall demonstrator. This is using the laser powder directed energy deposition (DED) process and the RPMI proprietary process setup and parameters. This nozzle and associated samples are required to characterize the mechanical properties for components being designed and fabricated for testing at NASA in addition to imitating development of a large scale thin-wall channel wall nozzle that is greater than 90” diameter and greater than 100” in height. The deposition of this hardware is essential to be built with a wall thickness of 0.040” with >99.9% density at the aforementioned size. This is essential for material properties and design requirements that are critical to safety margins for Space Launch System (SLS) Liquid Engines Office (LEO) to maintain safety margins. It is recommended that these components are procured through RPMI according to their proprietary standards, custom machine, quality management system, and parameters to meet the total build volume and thin-wall thickness deposited using their proprietary deposition process for the following reasons. The specialty sourcing of these components using the proprietary RPMI DED process and parameters are required to create the near-full density material with responses to the NASA developed heat treatments for proper mechanical properties. The parameters are critical to the wall thicknesses for parts deposited with a critical value of 0.04” to meet thermal and structural margins required for testing. The LP-DED process does not exist at any of the centers and the only vendor capable of this process with the specialty alloys with thin-walled 0.040” thickness at the large scale required.

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

A forward end demonstrator measuring 72” in diameter and over 50” height was previously demonstrated under contract 80NSSC24PA604 and compatibility for mating the parts is required. NASA has previously deposited other samples and components with RPMI demonstrating the DED/LFMT technology on a variety of contracts including 80NSSC24PA285, 80NSSC20P0225, 80NSSC19P1032 and significant partner under 80MSFC19C0010 where thin-walls, components, and samples were fabricated and the material met metallography requirements per NASA inspections. NASA has invested over $8,750,000 into deposition, evaluation, and mechanical testing of components and samples using the proprietary RPMI process parameters and process. These samples for current procurement are required to be built with identical parameters and environments to maintain data consistency and material compatibility to validate existing data that MSFC has invested in. This JBK-75 specialty alloy and components are critical to hot-fire testing planned at NASA-MSFC in support of rapid fabrication freeform additive manufacturing. This data allows for mechanical testing and components developed

Page 2 V2.0 3-15-2017 reduce uncertainty to maintain safety of critical components. Failure to procure this would result in failure to upcoming project and test schedules and cause significant delays.

____________________________ 11/8/2024

Date