Tab 4 Justification and Approval_Redacted_.pdf

JOFOC-2021-0010

Rev.:01/2021

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC)

FAR SUBPART 13.5 SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL

ITEMS – SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL

FY21 EllipTool® Software License Maintenance Renewal 80NSSC21Q0063

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) NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC).

The procuring agency is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the contracting activity is the NSSC on behalf of Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC).

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, firm-fixed price purchase order to Elliptical Engineering, Inc. for the integrated modeling software analysis products listed below. As noted, the items are required for the t GSFC.

Product Description Quantity Dynamic modeling language 1 Dynamic disturbance analysis 1 NASTRAN interface 1 Induced Vibration model development 1 Stepper motor disturbance analysis 1 Dynamic disturbance analysis 3 Thermal distortion analysis 3 Dynamic modeling language 6 NASTRAN interface 6 Linear Optical Model interface 6

3. A description of the supplies or services required, to meet the Agency’s needs (including the estimated value):

EllipTool software provides a range of technical analysis tools, including modules for evaluating thermal distortion, dynamic disturbance, stepper motor disturbance, and optimization and sensitivity. EllipTool is used with the current integrated modeling needs at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The continued product offering, and software maintenance support

Rev.:01/2021 has an independent government estimate (IGE) of and the purchase order will have a period of performance to commence June 20, 2021, and end June 19, 2022.

4. An identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition:

The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition for acquisitions using the procedures in FAR subpart 13.5 is 41 U.S.C. 1901.

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 41 U.S.C. §1901 as implemented by FAR 13.5, Simplified Procedure for Certain Commercial Items as described below.

This recommendation is made pursuant to FAR 13.501(a)(1)(ii) as only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Contracting without full and open competition is permitted pursuant to 41 U.S.C. §1901 when competing such requirements are impractical.

The EllipTool offers unique software capabilities that fit the current integrated modeling needs at GSFC for the . Integrated modeling (IM) is analysis that includes multiple disciplines and uses a flight observatory model to provide end-to-end perturbation to performance predictions. Several commercially available tools were assessed (by using special studies or trial licenses) for dynamic jitter analysis and structural thermal-optical-performance (STOP) analysis.

The observatory-level Integrated Modeling (IM) dynamic jitter analysis requires detailed modeling of the mechanisms, structural transmittance of the disturbance, and optical responses. There are two primary disturbance sources generated by a typical spacecraft – (1) reaction wheels, and (2) stepper actuators that drive the high gain antenna and/or solar array.

EllipTool is the only commercially available software that offers the jitter analysis capability for both disturbance sources and is directly applicable for space flight applications. One additional company offers a tool that performs reaction wheel jitter analysis. However, it takes significantly longer to use this tool than EllipTool. For a typical low-Earth orbiting spacecraft where the wheel speeds can be kept low, it takes about 3 days to run the jitter analysis, where it takes EllipTool less than 2 hours to complete the same analysis.

Furthermore, no other commercially available software performs the stepper actuator analysis.

There are other disturbance analysis tools that are more widely used for the machinery and auto-mobile industry. While it is possible to adopt such a tool for space flight applications, the overhead is considerable and requires engineers with expert knowledge in these tools in order to perform the jitter analysis. EllipTool has a far simpler user interface than these other tools. Since it is directly designed for space flight applications, the framework is more easily understood by aerospace engineers. Instead of requiring senior dynamic analysts who also have knowledge in mechanisms and optical system to perform jitter analysis, EllipTool allows the projects to use junior-level engineers to perform these complex analyses which can greatly save project cost and reduce technical risk of requiring specialized experts to perform this type of analysis.

No other company can provide the following software capabilities. EllipTool’s incorporation of disturbance, structural (or NASTRAN modal results), and optical models in order to generate end-to-end optical performance induced by mechanical vibrations. The ability to compute response sensitivity data to structural, thermal, optical, controls, and disturbance parameters, facilitate dditionally, EllipTool has the computational capability of supporting GSFC's integrated modeling workflow, EllipTool’s jitter analysis tool has a simplified user interface and allows engineers to perform highly specialized integrated modeling (IM) analyses that are critical to the success of two GSFC missions. . It is scheduled to launch in 2022, extending and improving NASA's over 20-year record of satellite observations of global ocean biology, aerosols (tiny particles suspended in the atmosphere) and clouds.

also uses EllipTool’s multi-disciplinary analysis process to analyze space data along with sharing the data with the worldwide Science community . These projects depend on the EllipTool software to maintain capability for theoretical analyses, exploratory studies and experiments in science. The software tools support the GSFC developmental work for the practical application of investigative findings and theories of a scientific and technical nature.

The replacement cost is estimated to be to include new licensing, 2 years of software development time, data transfer and training. Currently there is no other product on the market that offers the same tool as EllipTool. In order to get the same functionality, we would have to essentially develop the software from scratch. Any selection of another product would involve significant time to transfer, regenerate, and establish the new integrated modeling analysis for use by the Missions and cause missed Mission deadlines at whatever that cost would be.

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 (sam.gov) was published on May 28, 2021, in accordance with FAR Subpart 5.2. This positing informed potential sources of NASA’s intent to award this sole-source purchase order to Elliptical Engineering, Inc. The positing closed on 4 June 2021 and received no responses. The results of this synopsis are summarized in Section 10 below.

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.

As NASA has historical contract information from previous awards with Elliptical Engineering, Inc for EllipTool, there are no anticipated issues that would circumvent a fair and reasonableness price determination. Elliptical Engineering, Inc. will submit a proposal to be evaluated and negotiated by the Government. Prior to execution of the ordering action, a proposal analysis will be performed.

The proposal analysis will ensure that the final agreed to price is fair and reasonable. Since the government has a history of EllipTool procurements over several years, use of this information and accounting for inflation factors, will also help to determine a price fair and reasonable.

8. Description of the market research conducted, and the results, or a statement of the reasons a market research was not conducted:

The Enterprise License Management (ELM) Team conducted a review of Solutions for Enterprise Wide Procurements (SEWP), General Services Administration (GSA) Advantage and a targeted internet search using the specific titles of the EllipTool software tools. This search did not yield any results. A distribution network for the software does not exist and market research has determined the software is available only through a direct sell from the publisher, Elliptical Engineering, Inc.

President of the small business, Dr. Carl Blaurock, confirmed, on company letterhead, that Elliptical Engineering, Inc. is the sole provider of EllipTool software tools. (see attached letter)

9. Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition:

N/A

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 was synopsized on the GPE website (beta.sam.gov) per FAR Subpart 5.2 (See Section 6 above) on May 28, 2021 and closed June 4, 2021. No responses were received.

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:

The Agency will continue to examine the market in the future for alternative solutions or new sources before executing any subsequent acquisitions for the same requirements.

JOFOC-2021-0010

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC)

Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition (JOFOC) FY21 EllipTool Software Standalone Renewal 80NSSC21Q0063

Technical Representative: I certify that the facts presented in this justification are accurate and complete.

Contracting Officer: I hereby certify that the above justification is complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief.

APPROVAL

National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC) Building 1111 Stennis Space Center, MS 39529-6000

CONCURRENCE SHEET

SUBJECT:

ORIGINATOR: DATE:

CONCURRENCES:

ORGANIZATION OR OFFICE

SIGNATURE OF DIRECTOR, MGR

OR AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE DATE

RETURN TO:

REMARKS/COMMENTS:

Attached is the JOFOC that recommends that the NSSC proceed with a sole source purchase order for the Renewal. The request aligns with NASA FAR Supplement 1807.70 Enterprise License Management Team (ELMT) Program

/ 1/21

Justin Fraser Lead Contracting Officer

Jennifer Rawls NSSC Legal Counsel

If you have any question, please

Please review the attached JOFOC and provide concurrence and/or revisions.

15 June 2021

16 June 2021

From: Rawls, Jennifer L. (NSSC-XA000) To: Bang, Megan A. (NSSC-XD042) Cc: Sorrells, Katie M. (NSSC-NSSC)[Service Provider] Subject: RE: EllipTool JOFOC Concurrence Review Date: Wednesday, June 16, 2021 4:05:45 PM Attachments: image002.gif

Hi Megan, I concur. My OS updated and for some reason the pdf is not signable right now.

Jennifer

From: Bang, Megan A. (NSSC-XD042) <megan.a.bang@nasa.gov> Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2021 9:04 AM To: Rawls, Jennifer L. (NSSC-XA000) <jennifer.l.rawls@nasa.gov> Cc: Sorrells, Katie M. (NSSC-NSSC)[Service Provider] <katie.m.sorrells@nasa.gov> Subject: RE: EllipTool JOFOC Concurrence Review

Jennifer

Good Morning.

Can you review and provided concurrent for the attached Justification for GSFC EllipTool Renewal.

Thanks

Megan Bang Contract Specialist NASA Shared Services Center Phone: 228.813.6792 megan.a.bang@nasa.gov

From: Bang, Megan A. (NSSC-XD042) Sent: Friday, June 11, 2021 3:43 PM To: Rawls, Jennifer L. (NSSC-XA000) <jennifer.l.rawls@nasa.gov> Cc: Sorrells, Katie M. (NSSC-NSSC)[Service Provider] <katie.m.sorrells@nasa.gov> Subject: EllipTool JOFOC Concurrence Review

Jennifer

Good Afternoon. Can you review and provided concurrent for the attached Justification for GSFC EllipTool Renewal.

Thanks

Megan Bang Contract Specialist NASA Shared Services Center Phone: 228.813.6792 megan.a.bang@nasa.gov