Sole Source SCAPE Fabric_Redacted.pdf

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION (NASA)

JOHN F. KENNEDY SPACE CENTER (KSC)

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION (JOFOC)

For Self-Contained Atmospheric Protective Ensemble (SCAPE) Fabric

1. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.303-1(b)(1) – Identification of the agency and the contracting activity, and specific identification of the document as a “Justification for other than full and open competition.”

This document is a justification for other than full and open competition prepared by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), John F. Kennedy Space Center

(KSC).

2. FAR 6.303-2(b)(2) – The nature and/or description of the action being approved:

This justification provides the rationale for contracting by other than full and open competition to award a sole-source contract to Trelleborg Coated Systems US, Inc. for the procurement of Self-Contained Atmospheric Protective Ensemble (SCAPE) fabric. This fabric is used to make SCAPE suits, which are also referred to as Propellant Handler’s Ensembles (PHE). The SCAPE suit is a garment which is worn to protect personnel engaged in the handling of oxidizers and hypergolic propellants. The suit is designed to minimize the risk involved when performing necessary functions in a potentially hazardous environment both by liquid contact and vapor penetration. The suit material is a chlorobutyl rubber coated "Nomex" aramid fabric.

3. FAR 6.303-2(b)(3) – A description of the supplies or services required, to meet the Agency’s needs (including the estimated value):

The proposed action is for the acquisition of 330 linear yards of Chlorobutyl/Nomex material from Trelleborg Coated Systems US, Inc., 715 Railroad Ave, Rutherfordton, NC 28139- 2207, for use in the continued production of the SCAPE suits.

Part Number: YX1003ZOC019 (Chlorobutyl/Nomex) Characteristics: Gauge: .019”

Width: 39” Color: White/Gray Containing no TRIS properties Conforming to MIL-C-38-149A

Quantity: 330 linear yards Estimated Cost: per linear yard Delivery: 16 weeks after procurement is awarded

4. FAR 6.303-2(b)(4) – An identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition:

The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 10 U.S.C.

2304(c)(1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

5. FAR 6.303-2(b)(5) – A demonstration that the proposed contractor’s unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited:

The rationale supporting the use of 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1) is the SCAPE fabric is available only from the original manufacturer, Trelleborg. Any other source would result in a substantial duplication of cost to the Government that is not expected to be recovered through competition and it will cause unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency’s requirements.

Procurement of a different fabric would result in millions of dollars in new fabrication design, new testing, new training, and new maintenance and operational procedures.

The Chlorobutyl/Nomex fabric has been thoroughly tested in accordance with ASTM F2704- 10., which included reactivity, penetration, mechanical evaluation, shock sensitivity, exothermic reaction, and permeability of hypergolic fuels testing for hypergolic fuels including anhydrous hydrazine, anhydrous monomethyl hydrazine, anhydrous unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine, Aerzine 50 and nitrogen tetroxide. This fabric also meets KSC-TA- 9557, Certification Criteria and Test Results Documents for the Propellant Handlers Ensemble, 2008. In addition, NASA drawing 81K00719 specifically calls out for the use of the Trelleborg fabric. Therefore, the above item is the only fabric qualified for use on the

SCAPE PHE.

6. FAR 6.303-2(b)(6) – A description of the efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under 5.202 applies:

A notice to the Government Point of Entry (GPE) website (beta.sam.gov) was published on TBD, in accordance with FAR Subpart 5.2. This posting will inform potential sources of NASA’s intent to award this sole-source contract to Trelleborg Coated Systems US, Inc. The results of this synopsis will be summarized in Section 10 below.

7. FAR 6.303-2(b)(7) – A determination by the contracting officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable:

The Contracting Officer’s signature on this document indicates that the Contracting Officer has determined that the anticipated cost to the government will be fair and reasonable. The Contractor shall be required to submit a proposal to be evaluated and negotiated by the Government. Prior to execution of the contractual instrument, a proposal analysis will be performed. The proposal analysis will ensure that the final agreed-to price for the contract action is fair and reasonable. Reasonableness of proposed price will be established in accordance with FAR 15.404-1(b)(2)(ii), comparison of proposed prices to historical prices paid, whether by the Government or other than the Government, for the same or similar items.

8. FAR 6.303-2(b)(8) – Description of the market research conducted, and the results, or a statement of the reasons a market research was not conducted:

The SCAPE fabric has been thoroughly tested over the last 35 years and is only produced by one manufacturer. This fabric was specifically designed for NASA’s use on the SCAPE Suits and meets the KSC Standard KSC-TA-9557 (Certification Criteria and Test Result Documents for the Propellant Handler's Ensemble) and ASTM F2704-10 (Standard Specification for Air-Fed Protective Ensembles). The manufacturer was contacted on July 20, 2020, and it was confirmed Trelleborg is still the only provider of the required fabric and is available to the public as a commercial item.

9. FAR 6.303-2(b)(9) – Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition:

None

10. FAR 6.303-2(b)(10) – A listing of the sources, if any, that expressed an interest in writing in the acquisition:

A notice of NASA’s intent to award this sole-source action will be synopsized on the GPE website (beta.sam.gov) per FAR Subpart 5.2 (See Section 6 above).

11. FAR 6.303-2(b)(11) – A statement of actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required:

NASA researches and tests new fabrics for the SCAPE suits every 5 to 10 years to find a better performing fabric. As of yet, there has not been a better fabric found since the SCAPE suit inception in the early 1980s. To evaluate and procure similar material from another source, when and if they become available, the extensive testing as well as qualification criteria for use on the PHE could take up to 3 years and would be considered a research and development project.