SATPC0039106 Tab 06 BNJ..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 Vendor Name only for . 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 only with vendors who can provide the subject brand name from Micro-Star International Co., Ltd for MSI GeForce RTX 5080 INSPIRE 3X OC Graphics Cards. The total estimated cost of this effort is and the estimated period of performance or lead-time for delivery is 30 Days ARO .

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 Langley Research Center (LaRC) requires the purchase of twelve (12) MSI GeForce RTX 5080 INSPIRE 3X OC Graphics Cards which satisfies the backward compatibility and research requirements for continued use of simulation tools used in research allowing stable flight capability development.

These simulations include computational fluid dynamics (CFD), real-time virtual prototyping, machine learning model training, and high-fidelity rendering used in advanced flight dynamics studies. This specific brand is needed because provides a specific blend of features and specifications that aligns with existing simulation tools and pipelines already validated at LaRC. Only MSI’s firmware and driver tuning for the INSPIRE 3X OC line ensures maximum GPU utilization while minimizing system crashes or throttling events.

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 brand were selected, it would not be compatible with the existing environment. Also, it would require redevelopment and retesting which would result in schedule delays and increase cost that jeopardizes present and future Crew Systems and Aviation Operations Branch (CSAOB) simulation research. Only the MSI GeForce RTX 5080 INSPIRE 3X OC Graphics Cards will meet the specific performance characteristics, maintain compatibility with existing infrastructure, and operational stability.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:

7/8/2025