Integrated Detector Cooler Assembly

Added: Mar 07, 2018 4:27 pm Modified: Mar 14, 2018 8:12 amTrack Changes

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) has a requirement for a Mercury Cadmium Telluride (HgCdTe) Avalanche Photodiode (APD) Integrated Detector Cooler Assembly (IDCA).

NASA/GSFC intends to issue a sole-source Request for Proposal (RFP) to Leonardo DRS, Incorporated, for the HgCdTe APD IDCA. Dr. James Abshire, Principal Investigator at the NASA/GSFC, in partnership with Leonardo DRS, submitted a proposal entitled "MARLI: MARs Lidar for global climate measurements from orbit" to the NASA Research Announcement (NRA) NNH16ZDA001N-MatISSE, Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES-2016), Program Element C.19, Maturation of Instruments for Solar System Explorattion (MatISSE) Program. On June 26, 2017, NASA Headquarters selected this proposal to provide support to NASA.  DRS will support the development of the IDCA which consists of a 4x4 HgCdTe APD arrays on a ceramic chip carrier from earlier NASA programs with DRS, and a 1/5 watts mini-cryo-cooler-Dewar system from DRS. 

The total period of the performance for this acquisition is two years, including post-delivery support. The delivery of the device is expected to be eighteen months from the award of the contract.

DRS is uniquely qualified because of their qualification and past performance of the prospective vendor as described below:

(a) DRS is the original inventor of this type of HgCdTe APD, trademarked HDVIP    high-density vertically-integrated photodiode), that has achieve the required performance. DRS has their company proprietary information about the fabrication process and has been producing this type of device for the past 10 years.

(b) NASA GSFC has collaborated with DRS to modify the HgCdTe APD array design for space lidar applications since 2011 under a NASA Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) Instrument Incubator Program (IIP) and an Advanced Component Technology (ACT) program. NASA GSFC has subsequently purchased two more devices for other space lidar development. DRS has steadily improved the device performance and reliability under these past NASA investments.

(c) NASA GSFC have been using the HgCdTe APD arrays from DRS in third-party laboratory cryo-coolers in the airborne CO2 and CH4 lidar experiments since 2014. These new detectors have enabled NASA GSFC to achieve much superior measurement performance than with other types of detectors. NASA GSFC has also developed interface electronics, control software, and signal processing techniques for this type of detector.

(d) DRS has a product line of ruggedized mini-Stirling cryo-coolers for military applications. The coolers have been shown to withstand vibration from a rocket launch. DRS has conducted a multi-year lifetime test and demonstrated their mini-cryo-cooler can meet the >3 year requirement.

(e) DRS has recently integrated a 16-pixel HgCdTe APD array into a 1/5 watts mini-cryo-cooler under a NASA ESTO In-space Validation of Earth Science Technology (InVEST) program. The two IDCA's they delivered have undergone environmental tests at NASA GSFC and reached a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6.

(f) The HgCdTe APD arrays produced by DRS have been tested for radiation damage from proton and gamma ray at NASA GSFC. The test data shows they are capable of withstanding space radiation for a typical multi-year space mission.

Statutory authority for this sole source procurement is 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1)--Only One Responsible Source. However, organizations who believe they can provide these services without any detrimental impact to the program schedules supported by this work should fully identify their interest and capabilities within 15 days after publication of this synopsis.

Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort in writing to the identified point of contact not later than 4:30 p.m. local time on March 22, 2018. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed effort on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the government. All responsible sources may submit an offer which shall be considered by the agency.

The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12. See Note 26. An Ombudsman has been appointed. See NASA Specific Note "B". Any referenced notes may be viewed at the following URLs linked below.

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) has a requirement for a Mercury Cadmium Telluride (HgCdTe) Avalanche Photodiode (APD) Integrated Detector Cooler Assembly (IDCA).

NASA/GSFC intends to issue a sole-source Request for Proposal (RFP) to Leonardo DRS, Incorporated, for the HgCdTe APD IDCA. Dr. James Abshire, Principal Investigator at the NASA/GSFC, in partnership with Leonardo DRS, submitted a proposal entitled "MARLI: MARs Lidar for global climate measurements from orbit" to the NASA Research Announcement (NRA) NNH16ZDA001N-MatISSE, Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES-2016), Program Element C.19, Maturation of Instruments for Solar System Explorattion (MatISSE) Program. On June 26, 2017, NASA Headquarters selected this proposal to provide support to NASA. DRS will support the development of the IDCA which consists of a 4x4 HgCdTe APD arrays on a ceramic chip carrier from earlier NASA programs with DRS, and a 1/5 watts mini-cryo-cooler-Dewar system from DRS. The period of performance is approximately 18 months for delivery.

DRS is uniquely qualified because of their qualification and past performance of the prospective vendor as described below:

(a) DRS is the original inventor of this type of HgCdTe APD, trademarked HDVIP (high-density vertically-integrated photodiode), that has achieve the required performance. DRS has their company proprietary information about the fabrication process and has been producing this type of device for the past 10 years.

(b) NASA GSFC has collaborated with DRS to modify the HgCdTe APD array design for space lidar applications since 2011 under a NASA Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) Instrument Incubator Program (IIP) and an Advanced Component Technology (ACT) program. NASA GSFC has subsequently purchased two more devices for other space lidar development. DRS has steadily improved the device performance and reliability under these past NASA investments.

(c) NASA GSFC have been using the HgCdTe APD arrays from DRS in third-party laboratory cryo-coolers in the airborne CO2 and CH4 lidar experiments since 2014. These new detectors have enabled NASA GSFC to achieve much superior measurement performance than with other types of detectors. NASA GSFC has also developed interface electronics, control software, and signal processing techniques for this type of detector.

(d) DRS has a product line of ruggedized mini-Stirling cryo-coolers for military applications. The coolers have been shown to withstand vibration from a rocket launch. DRS has conducted a multi-year lifetime test and demonstrated their mini-cryo-cooler can meet the >3 year requirement.

(e) DRS has recently integrated a 16-pixel HgCdTe APD array into a 1/5 watts mini-cryo-cooler under a NASA ESTO In-space Validation of Earth Science Technology (InVEST) program. The two IDCA's they delivered have undergone environmental tests at NASA GSFC and reached a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6.

(f) The HgCdTe APD arrays produced by DRS have been tested for radiation damage from proton and gamma ray at NASA GSFC. The test data shows they are capable of withstanding space radiation for a typical multi-year space mission.

Statutory authority for this sole source procurement is 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1)--Only One Responsible Source. However, organizations who believe they can provide these services without any detrimental impact to the program schedules supported by this work should fully identify their interest and capabilities within 15 days after publication of this synopsis.

Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort in writing to the identified point of contact not later than 4:30 p.m. local time on March 22, 2018. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed effort on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the government. All responsible sources may submit an offer which shall be considered by the agency.

The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12. See Note 26. An Ombudsman has been appointed. See NASA Specific Note "B". Any referenced notes may be viewed at the following URLs linked below.

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Added: Mar 07, 2018 4:27 pm

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) has a requirement for a Mercury Cadmium Telluride (HgCdTe) Avalanche Photodiode (APD) Integrated Detector Cooler Assembly (IDCA).

NASA/GSFC intends to issue a sole-source Request for Proposal (RFP) to Leonardo DRS, Incorporated, for the HgCdTe APD IDCA. Dr. James Abshire, Principal Investigator at the NASA/GSFC, in partnership with Leonardo DRS, submitted a proposal entitled "MARLI: MARs Lidar for global climate measurements from orbit" to the NASA Research Announcement (NRA) NNH16ZDA001N-MatISSE, Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES-2016), Program Element C.19, Maturation of Instruments for Solar System Explorattion (MatISSE) Program. On June 26, 2017, NASA Headquarters selected this proposal to provide support to NASA.  DRS will support the development of the IDCA which consists of a 4x4 HgCdTe APD arrays on a ceramic chip carrier from earlier NASA programs with DRS, and a 1/5 watts mini-cryo-cooler-Dewar system from DRS. The period of performance is approximately 18 months for delivery.

DRS is uniquely qualified because of their qualification and past performance of the prospective vendor as described below:

(a) DRS is the original inventor of this type of HgCdTe APD, trademarked HDVIP (high-density vertically-integrated photodiode), that has achieve the required performance. DRS has their company proprietary information about the fabrication process and has been producing this type of device for the past 10 years.

(b) NASA GSFC has collaborated with DRS to modify the HgCdTe APD array design for space lidar applications since 2011 under a NASA Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) Instrument Incubator Program (IIP) and an Advanced Component Technology (ACT) program. NASA GSFC has subsequently purchased two more devices for other space lidar development. DRS has steadily improved the device performance and reliability under these past NASA investments.

(c) NASA GSFC have been using the HgCdTe APD arrays from DRS in third-party laboratory cryo-coolers in the airborne CO2 and CH4 lidar experiments since 2014. These new detectors have enabled NASA GSFC to achieve much superior measurement performance than with other types of detectors. NASA GSFC has also developed interface electronics, control software, and signal processing techniques for this type of detector.

(d) DRS has a product line of ruggedized mini-Stirling cryo-coolers for military applications. The coolers have been shown to withstand vibration from a rocket launch. DRS has conducted a multi-year lifetime test and demonstrated their mini-cryo-cooler can meet the >3 year requirement.

(e) DRS has recently integrated a 16-pixel HgCdTe APD array into a 1/5 watts mini-cryo-cooler under a NASA ESTO In-space Validation of Earth Science Technology (InVEST) program. The two IDCA's they delivered have undergone environmental tests at NASA GSFC and reached a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6.

(f) The HgCdTe APD arrays produced by DRS have been tested for radiation damage from proton and gamma ray at NASA GSFC. The test data shows they are capable of withstanding space radiation for a typical multi-year space mission.

Statutory authority for this sole source procurement is 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1)--Only One Responsible Source. However, organizations who believe they can provide these services without any detrimental impact to the program schedules supported by this work should fully identify their interest and capabilities within 15 days after publication of this synopsis.

Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort in writing to the identified point of contact not later than 4:30 p.m. local time on March 22, 2018. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed effort on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the government. All responsible sources may submit an offer which shall be considered by the agency.

The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12. See Note 26. An Ombudsman has been appointed. See NASA Specific Note "B". Any referenced notes may be viewed at the following URLs linked below.