T0373 SPEED 2_JEFO-Redacted.pdf

This is a Justification for an Exception to Fair Opportunity document for a firm-fixed-price task order issued by NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center under the NASA Suborbitals/Hosted Orbital Flight and Payload Integration Services (FO IDIQ 4) contract vehicle.

The procurement involves integration and flight testing of the T0373 Stratospheric Projectile Experiment of Entry Dynamics (SPEED) payload on a high-altitude balloon (HAB). The order is being awarded to Aerostar International Inc. on a sole-source basis under FAR 16.507(b)(2), justified by the requirement that only one awardee is capable of providing the highly specialized services required. The estimated period of performance extends from award through October 31, 2026. The justification identifies that while two other HAB providers exist under FO IDIQ 4—Angstrom Designs and World View—Aerostar is uniquely qualified due to its capability to support the SPEED payload's 86 kilogram mass (exceeding Angstrom's 2 kilogram limit) and its ability to provide diverse testing across multiple vehicles, terrains, and latitudes. The comparison demonstrates that World View lacks the Chase Plane capability and landing terrain diversity that Aerostar provides. The contracting officer will verify fair and reasonable pricing through price analysis and FAA 15.404 proposal analysis techniques, with standard services priced according to the base contract's calendar year 2026 rates. The competition advocate has approved the exception to fair opportunity based on the substantive evidence presented.