TPS-SMD JOFOC (JA-FY20-J018)_signed_Redacted.pdf

JOFOC #JA-FY20-J018

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

Ames Research Center (ARC)

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

(JOFOC)

For Solicitation No. 80ARC021R0003 Flight Thermal Protection System for Science Mission Directorate Missions

1. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.303-2(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 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ames Research Center.

The procuring agency is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the contracting activity is the Procurement Office located at ARC. This JOFOC is recorded in the ARC JOFOC Log as JA-FY20-J018.

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 with Fiber Materials Inc. (FMI) in Biddeford, Maine for the fabrication of various flat and curved composite panels of Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA) and Infusion and machining of Heatshield for Extreme Entry Environment Technology (HEEET) preforms. These materials are required in support of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) which is pursing three missions that require an Atmospheric Entry Vehicle: (1) Mars Sample Return – Sample Return Lander and (2) Mars Sample Return – Earth Entry Vehicle and 3) Dragonfly. A single award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) with a mix of Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) and Cost-Plus- Fixed-Fee (CPFF) work items and task orders is anticipated.

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):

NASA’s SMD is pursuing three robotic missions that will require a TPS to protect the payloads from atmospheric entry. The Mars Sample Return (MSR) program requires a NASA-developed TPS for two spacecraft: the Sample Return Lander (SRL) and an Earth Entry Vehicle (EEV). The SRL will deliver payloads to the surface of Mars. The EEV will return samples from the surface of Mars to Earth for detailed chemical and physical analysis.

The third mission that also requires a NASA-developed TPS is the Dragonfly mission, a New Frontiers mission delivering a quad-copter drone to explore the atmosphere and surface of Saturn’s moon, Titan. MSR SRL and Dragonfly are solely using PICA material, specifically the third iteration known as PICA-Domestic (PICA-D), and MSR EEV is using both PICA and HEEET material systems.

To accomplish these goals, the project is building up to seven full-scale Engineering Test Units (ETUs) and two operational flight units for the EEV. The ETUs will be identical to the flight units and will consist of a HEEET or PICA TPS for the main forebody aeroshell. The backshell of all units will be comprised of tiled PICA, assembled on a composite carrier structure. The ETUs will be designed and constructed to satisfy the demanding flight environments of the MSR probe. Each will utilize the same materials, design practices, manufacturing rigor and quality control conforming to spaceflight hardware requirements as the flight units. These ETUs are needed to develop the new manufacturing processes required for applying HEEET and PICA to the MSR EEV. The ETUs will be used to develop and define new methods for HEEET forming, HEEET infusion, and HEEET and PICA backshell parts.

The project is also building development and flight PICA TPS for Dragonfly and the Mars SRL forebody heat shields. Both the SRL and Dragonfly aeroshells will be comprised of tiled PICA, assembled onto a composite structure in the same way as the Mars Science Lab (MSL) and Mars 2020 missions.

In order to meet the technical requirements of TPS Production for the three missions, a flight qualified TPS contractor must fabricate PICA and HEEET TPS, and provide tooling for handling, infusion, machining of TPS articles as well as lot acceptance testing and analysis for both the SRL and EEV missions. The fabrication of both PICA and HEEET requires an infusion of phenolic resin. The process for each material is nearly identical but the carbon substrate that goes into each is different. Both materials are needed because HEEET is the material on the front of the vehicle and PICA is on the backshell.

The period of performance for the proposed sole source contract is for 5 years beginning from December 2020 through December 2025. This time period will allow for the procurement of long lead items, fabrication of HEEET tooling specific to MSR EEV, and the fabrication of PICA Flight Hardware for SRL and Dragonfly.

Specifically, the contractor will be required to produce the following under this proposed sole source contract:

1. Provide Program Management and Project support for the duration of the contract. The

Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) is FOIA Ex. 4 & 5 based on actual costs incurred under historical fabrication efforts for NASA.

2. Fabricate carbon FiberFormTM billets and resin infuse those substrates to yield PICA.

These articles will provide the necessary TPS for the backshell of the MSR EEV. The IGCE is FOIA Ex. 4 & 5 based on actual costs incurred under historical fabrication efforts for NASA.

3. Resin infuse 3D woven 54-inch HEEET engineering preforms in support of design and development of flight hardware designs for a single-piece, 1.4-meter diameter HEEET heat shield for the forebody of the MSR EEV. The IGCE is FOIA Ex. 4 & 5 based on actual costs incurred under recent fabrication efforts for NASA.

4. Resin infuse 3D woven 80-inch HEEET preforms for a single-piece, 1.4-meter diameter HEEET heat shield for the forebody of the MSR EEV. The IGCE is FOIA Ex. 4 & 5 based on actual costs incurred under recent fabrication efforts for NASA.

5. Fabricate carbon FiberFormTM billets and resin infuse those substrates to yield PICA.

These articles will provide the necessary TPS for the aeroshells of the Dragonfly and Mars SRL missions. The IGCE is FOIA Ex. 4 & 5 based on actual costs incurred under historical fabrication efforts for NASA.

The total IGCE for this effort is FOIA Ex. 4 & 5.

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 USC 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 when the supplies or services required by the agency are available from only one responsible source as described below. To ensure the success of these missions, the Entry Vehicles will use robust TPS materials with substantial ground and flight test heritage in order to preserve the integrity of the returned samples. Only PICA, specifically the third iteration known as PICA-Domestic (PICA-D), and HEEET are capable of meeting the thermal/structural environments for the Mars Sample Return (MSR) project. Based on the market research documented in this JOFOC, FMI is the only Contractor that can fabricate the necessary PICA, specifically the third iteration known as PICA-Domestic (PICA-D), and HEEET materials, which are required to successfully perform the requirements of the MSR EEV, MSR SRL and Dragonfly projects. The SMD missions listed above are expected to launch in Year 2025 – 2026. Therefore, FMI is the only responsible source to perform the requirements stated in Section 3 of this JOFOC, and no other supplies or services will satisfy NASA’s requirements.

Additionally, PICA material fabricated by FMI has significant flight heritage on multiple missions including Stardust, MSL, OSIRIS and Mars 2020. This ensures the continuity of TPS material performance with existing NASA databases and material response models, thus reducing programmatic risk. FMI has proprietary in-house capability to fabricate the carbon Fiber Form aeroshell and to resin infuse PICA. FMI meets the needs of the requirement due to its unique capacity to fabricate billets and/or near-net shape single piece articles of carbon Fiber Form. Additionally, FMI has the FOIA Ex. 4 for the fabrication and has previous experience with HEEET and fabrication contracts with NASA ARC. FMI has the requisite FOIA Ex. 4 in place to manufacture PICA and/or HEEET immediately FOIA Ex. 4. This capability will allow NASA to meet critical SMD milestones in support of the MSR EEV, MSR SRL and Dragonfly projects.

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 August 18, 2020, in accordance with FAR Subpart 5.2. This posting informed potential sources of NASA’s intent to award this sole-source contract to FMI. The results of this synopsis are 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. Analysis will include cost and price analysis techniques. Pre-negotiation objectives will be prepared prior to the initiation of negotiations and will be approved in accordance with FAR 15.406 prior to conducting of negotiations. Prior to award of this contract, a proposal analysis will be performed on the Core portion in accordance with FAR 15.404. The cost/price analysis of the proposal will include cost element analysis, comparison to the IGCE, and other cost and price analysis techniques necessary to ensure the final settlement position on cost/price under each task order awarded during the period of performance on the contract is fair and reasonable.

Prior to executing each task order under the contract, a proposal analysis will be performed, in accordance with FAR 15.404. The cost/price analysis of the proposal will include cost element analysis, comparison to the IGCE, and other cost and price analysis techniques necessary to ensure the final settlement position on cost/price under each task order awarded during the period of performance on the contract is fair and reasonable. Pre-negotiation Position Memoranda will be prepared prior to the initiation of negotiations and will be approved in accordance with FAR 15.406 prior to conducting negotiations. Price Negotiation Memoranda will be drafted and approved following the completion of negotiations prior to each task order being awarded.

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:

Market research was performed in July 2020. This included an RFI posted on beta.sam.gov.

On July 16, 2020, ARC posted a Request for Information (RFI) on beta.SAM.gov to inform the public of NASA’s requirement to provide TPS Production capability for MSR. The RFI provided instructions for interested organizations to submit capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort to the Contract Specialist and Contracting Officer by August 3, 2020. Three large businesses submitted their responses to the Sources Sought: FMI, Offeror 2, and Offeror 3.

All three responses were evaluated, and it was determined that neither Offeror 2 nor Offeror 3 have the capability to meet the Government’s requirements for the contract contemplated under this JOFOC.

While Offeror 2 does have a history of supporting NASA flight missions, Offeror 2 does not have the capability to meet the Government’s requirements to fabricate PICA and HEEET TPS. While Offeror 3 has experience with “Conformal” PICA, it does not have experience with HEEET TPS or PICA-D fabrication. Conformal PICA is a previous generation of PICA TPS that utilized rayon fibers previously qualified that are no longer available. The current generation PICA is known as PICA-D (Domestic), which uses carbon fiber. FMI is the only vendor who has qualified carbon fiber to form into billets that are infused to make the PICA required for these missions.

The Contract Specialist (CS) also searched Small Business Administration (SBA) Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS), General Services Administration (GSA) e-Library, Federal Procurement Database System (FPDS) NASA Vendor Database, and other databases using the keywords “Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator,” “HEEET,” and NAICS code 541715, Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology). NAICS code 541715 reflects the development required to define and implement the novel and new HEEET and PICA production processes required for application to the MSR EEV. The results of the search are as follows:

1. Although NAICS Code 541715 is listed on the Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB) website, no companies are able to provide this service under the Dynamic Small Business Search using the search criteria, “PICA” and NAICS code “541715.”

2. NAICS Code 541715 is not listed on the Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) Program website.

3. The CS reviewed mandatory sources (FAR 8.002(a)(2)) for services on the Procurement List Maintained by the Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, and the List does not include services related to Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology).

4. The CS reviewed other mandatory sources (FAR 8.003) and none of these were applicable to Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology).

5. The CS checked the NASA Vendor Database for capable vendors using the search criteria, "Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator” and “HEEET." This search revealed one vendor, FMI.

6. A review on Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) identified IT products and product-based services and not engineering and research and development services.

7. The CS checked on the Small Business Administration Dynamic Business Search using the search criteria, “PICA,” “Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator,” or “Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator Thermal Protection System” and “HEEET,” with NAICS code 541715. These searches did not produce any matches.

8. The CS checked on Javits-Wagner-O'Day (JWOD) or Ability One and reviewed the Service Type List, but it does not have engineering or research and development on the list.

9. The CS checked GSA eLibrary using the search criteria, “PICA” and “HEEET,” but it produced no results. When using the search criteria, “Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator,” it came up with hardware stores and office products but no engineering or research and development.

10. The CS checked GSA Advantage using the search criteria, “Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator” and “HEEET,” but the search produced no results.

11. A search of FPDS - Next Generation (FPDS-NG) using search criteria, “Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator” listed 66 awards. The list was comprised of awards to FMI and Universities (for grant research and testing). Using search criteria, “HEEET,” FPDS- NG listed 65 awards. The list only had awards to the following: FMI; Vendor 2; Vendor 3; and Vendor 4. FMI received awards for HEEET fabrication and infusion to create PICA material. FMI is the only company that can take the woven 3D preform and infuse it with phenolic resin to create the finished product. The awards to Vendor 2 were for the creation of 3D preforms however Vendor 2 cannot make PICA or process HEEET into its final form. Vendor 3 provides material testing. Vendor 4 only provides testing and modeling of materials. Both Vendor 3 and Vendor 4 only provide testing of materials and cannot make HEEET or PICA, which are both requirements of the contract contemplated under this JOFOC.

12. A search on VIP using the search criteria, “Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator,” “HEEET,” and NAICS code "541715" produced no results.

The Market Research Report (JA 007) with supporting documents, a Determination of Subcontracting Plan Waiver, and NF 1787 were forwarded to the Small Business Specialist and SBA Procurement Center Representative on August 11, 2020 for review and received their concurrence on August 17, 2020.

FMI has successfully performed all requirements for PICA and/or HEEET fabrication since 2003. FMI is the only company that can fabricate both PICA and HEEET on a large scale.

In summary, the acquisition team conducted extensive market research for this requirement and after a thorough evaluation the CS and technical team evaluated did not find any other sources with the required fabrication capabilities for both PICA and HEET.

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 was synopsized on the GPE website (beta.sam.gov) per FAR Subpart 5.2 (See Section 6 above). The notice was posted on August 18, 2020, with a closing date of September 2, 2020.

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:

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.

BRENDA POHL

Digitally signed by BRENDA

POHL

Date: 2020.09.28 16:33:40 -07'00'

DAVID

KORSMEYER

Digitally signed by DAVID

KORSMEYER

Date: 2020.09.30 09:46:45 -07'00'

Sarah Pollock Digitally signed by Sarah Pollock Date: 2020.09.30 12:18:40 -07'00'

FOIA Ex. 6

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