SATPC0038212 Tab 06 BNJ_CO_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 Shared Services Center negotiate with vendor only when purchasing the Description of Service/Product. The total cost of this effort is 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 from Wolfspeed for 300 kW 3-phase power inverters. The total estimated cost of this effort is and the estimated period of performance or lead-time for delivery is less than 2 weeks from the receipt of order.

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.

The Hybrid Propulsion Emulation Rig (HyPER) is a test bed facility at the Glenn Research Center for conducting electrified aircraft propulsion research. The test bed utilizes electric motors to simulate the high and low pressure spool shafts of a gas turbine engine; electric motors are coupled to each of the simulation motors to permit the addition or extraction of energy from the motor shafts. Power inverters are required to convert DC power into 3-phase AC power as a supply to each motor. The test bed is accessed, at present, by 3 prominent research projects: HyTEC, TTT, and AATT. These projects rely on the availability of the test bed for the timely completion of their tasked milestones. Any down time to the test bed could result in delays in the achievement of the milestones. HyTEC, in particular, is engaged in a (contracted) collaborative effort with General Electric and the delays could adversely affect the contract’s timetable. The Wolfspeed inverter has the proper specifications for powering the test bed motors (be they Parker or EMRAX motors) and they have been used by other NASA researchers in other test bed applications. The overwhelming reason for singling-out the Wolfspeed inverter is that it is fully interfaceable and permits tremendous latitude in writing codes that dictate how the unit operates. All other inverters can be interfaced, but the algorithms that reside inside those units are proprietary and cannot be altered to change the way the unit operates. Also, the Wolfspeed inverter comes with a customizable graphical user interface that facilitates how Data of interest is presented and used. The consensus is that the Wolfspeed inverters are considered very expert-friendly and they are also very reliable. Digikey is a vendor of the Wolfspeed product and they were used as the source for a quote that would provide an approximate cost, however there are other vendors for the product.

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

As was stated in (1) above, there are several vendors that supply the Wolfspeed power inverters. The SOW document does specify a deadline for receiving the product since it is critical that test bed down time be minimized. Extended test bed down time compromises the timely completion of project milestones. Additionally, purchasing an inverter brand other than Wolfspeed will result in the waste of Government money. Researchers must have the ability to fully control the operational functionality of the

Page 2 V2.0 3-15-2017 test bed in order to obtain the specific data they seek. The Wolfspeed inverter is the only inverter that will permit the total control that’s required.