SATPC0041224 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

PICK ONE

Sole Source:

☒I recommend that NASA, NASA Shared Services Center negotiate with a.i. solutions, Inc. only for FreeFlyer License and Maintenance Purchase. The total estimated cost of this effort is and the estimated period of performance or lead-time for delivery is 12 Months ARO.

OR

Brand Name Justification:

☐I recommend that NASA, NASA Shared Services Center negotiate with only with vendors who can provide the subject brand name from Manufacture Name 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.

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.

This request is for a license of the FreeFlyer mission design and analysis software to support the NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) Mission Design Center (MDC) in space mission design, trajectory analysis, and concept maturation activities. FreeFlyer provides specialized modeling, simulation, and analysis capabilities that are not available within the MDC’s existing tool suite, enabling the team to perform advanced mission design tasks and evaluate complex mission concepts with greater fidelity and efficiency.

The OEM is the sole source vendor in the United States.

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

The FreeFlyer software package provides advanced capabilities that significantly enhance the Mission Design Center’s (MDC) existing mission design and analysis toolset. In particular, FreeFlyer’s non-deterministic architecture and highly scriptable environment enable the modeling, optimization, and analysis of complex spacecraft behaviors and operational scenarios that cannot currently be performed using the MDC’s existing tools. These capabilities support higher fidelity analysis of spacecraft performance and enable more efficient evaluation of advanced mission concepts. Additionally, FreeFlyer provides the ability to model and simulate autonomous operations, emergent system behavior, and artificial intelligence enabled spacecraft functionality capabilities that are becoming increasingly important in next-generation NASA mission architectures and concept studies. Access to these tools will strengthen the MDC’s ability to support future mission planning activities involving autonomous and adaptive spacecraft systems. Earlier this year, MDC personnel participated in a one-month evaluation trial provided by the vendor to assess the software’s suitability and operational benefits. During the

Page 2 V2.0 3-15-2017 evaluation period, staff gained hands on experience with the software and validated its applicability to mission design workflows. Trial users identified multiple opportunities for significant reductions in analysis and workflow development time compared to current processes, as well as new analytical capabilities not presently available within the MDC’s existing software environment. These findings demonstrated that FreeFlyer would provide both immediate operational efficiencies and expanded technical capabilities in support of NASA mission design and concept maturation efforts. Selecting an alternative brand would likely result in a less efficient operational environment, ultimately increasing long-term costs to the government in the years ahead.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:

Technical User Name Date

Title

Office