Aheadd CP-1 NXG Build

NASA's Shared Services Center issued a Special Notice on March 10, 2026, announcing a sole source procurement for the Aheadd CP-1 NXG Build. The Government intends to award the contract to Nikon AM Synergy Inc., located in Long Beach, California, under FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i) authority, as the sole qualified provider for this specialized service. Performance will take place at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama. The procurement falls under NAICS code 334519 (Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing) and will be conducted using commercial items and services procedures. This is a presolicitation synopsis providing interested organizations an opportunity to challenge the sole source determination before award.

The primary objective is to manufacture Aheadd CP-1 material testing and characterization specimens using a Nikon SLM Solutions NXG additive manufacturing machine to evaluate the platform's viability for cryogenic fluid management components. Interested contractors must submit written capabilities and qualifications by 7 a.m. Central Standard Time on March 12, 2026, to Procurement Specialist Shanna Patterson (Shanna.l.Patterson@nasa.gov), with submissions evaluated solely to determine whether to conduct the procurement competitively. To be eligible, contractors must demonstrate prior experience manufacturing Aheadd CP-1 with laser powder bed fusion technology and the ability to deliver 207 total printed parts across multiple specimen categories within the estimated ten-week performance period. Contractors must possess the technical capability to process build files, apply specimen labeling, perform de-powdering, and arrange specimen removal and delivery to Marshall Space Flight Center. The sole source justification cites Nikon AM Synergy's current installation, qualification, and proven printing capability on the NXG platform as essential for ensuring material consistency, direct performance comparability, and continuity with ongoing NASA technological advancement initiatives for large-scale additive manufacturing supporting STMD, SLS, and commercial space missions.