6DOF motion platform for RF system testing

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Shared Services Center has issued a sole source Special Notice for the procurement of a 6DOF motion platform for RF system testing. The agency intends to award this contract directly to AXIOM OPTICS INC, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, under FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i) after determining they are the sole provider of this specialized equipment. The procurement specifically requires a Symetrie NOTUS P Motion Hexapod with comprehensive technical specifications and customizations for use at NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. The estimated cost details are not fully disclosed, though the procurement includes advanced motion simulation capabilities with a 30-day delivery timeline after receipt of order. NASA has justified this sole source approach based on their existing investment in training and programming of the Symetrie control software, emphasizing that purchasing from another vendor would create compatibility issues and require an estimated six months of additional development time.

The purpose of this Special Notice is to inform the contracting community of NASA's intent to proceed with a sole source procurement while providing an opportunity for other organizations to demonstrate their capabilities. Interested contractors may submit their capabilities and qualifications in writing to the primary point of contact, Shanna Patterson, no later than 7:00 a.m. Central Standard Time on August 1, 2025. The government will evaluate these submissions solely to determine whether to conduct the procurement on a competitive basis, though the final determination remains at the government's discretion. The procurement encompasses a sophisticated motion platform with specific technical requirements including travel ranges of 250/200mm for translations, 25/30 degrees for rotations, 200 kg vertical payload capacity, and advanced software capabilities through the SYM_Motion API. The specialized nature of this motion simulation equipment and its integration with existing technological ecosystems underscores NASA's position that competition would be impractical for this particular requirement.