Notice of Award of Sole Source Ultrasonic Atomizer

The purpose of this edit to notify the public of of the award of the requirement below.

NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has a requirement for a small-scale ultrasonic rePowder atomizer capable of converting small form factor solid refractory metal feedstock (bar, sheet, scrap, sponge, rod, foil, wire, piece metal) into spherical and near-fully dense powder in the powder size distribution (PSD) for Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) and Laser Powder Directed Energy Deposition (LP-DED) additive manufacture (AM). This purchase will enable MSFC to complete work to create any solid form factor feedstock into additive manufacturing desirable powder ranges.

The small-scale atomizer system shall be able to meet the following requirements:

• Have the ability to enable in-situ processing samples material manipulations without the need of a process restart.
• Have the ability to convert small form factor solid refractory metal feedstock (bar, sheet, scrap, sponge, rod, foil, wire, piece metal) into spherical and near-fully dense powder in the powder size distribution.
• Have Adjustable PSD to L-PBF ideal powder size range (d50=45-64 µm and/or d50=30-45 µm) and DED ideal powder size ranges (d50=60-125 µm).
• Be laboratory scale equipment that can fit in a standard laboratory room (equipment height maximum approximately 10 ft).
• Have open-source editable parameters allowing modification to enable alloy/materials development in an open sources format that enables the user to edit through iterations/process development.
• Have materials processing temperature allowing processing of different metals including refractory metals (processing temperature ~3500 degrees C).
• Allow scalable powder batch size from hundreds of grams (100-300) to kilograms (1Kg) depending on alloy and processing format.
• Allow for material changeover in less than 1 day.
• Allow a modular design that allows for new modules to be added at any point in time.
• Period of performance: 12 months including delivery, commissioning, and training.

NASA/MSFC intends to issue a sole source contract to acquire the item – one (1) Amazemet Basic rePowder System with Focused Plasma Melting System with multifrequency generator (17-70kHz), sonotrodes starter pack (plasma module), exhaust gas recirculation system, vacuum mechanical feedthrough, ultrasonic suction casting system, 40 kHz ultrasonic system, hygrometer, oxygen level sensor upgrade, and maintenance kit with tools and workbench, including delivery, commissioning and one year maintenance – from A3DM Technologies LLC, located at 3009 Quail Hollow St. Sarasota, Florida 34235-7104 USA, CAGE Code 911R9. This award is anticipated to be made under the authority of FAR subpart 6.302-1. NASA/MSFC conducted market research and determined the Amazemet rePowder Ultrasonic Powder Atomizer sold by A3DM Technologies LLC is the only available small scale atomizer system that meets all of the Government’s requirements.

The Government intends to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12 and FAR Part 13.5.

Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort electronically via email to John Collier (john.l.collier@nasa.gov) and Jennifer Chrissis (jennifer.l.chrissis@nasa.gov) not later than 11:00AM Central Time on July 28, 2023.  Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this acquisition on a competitive basis.  A determination by the Government not to compete this acquisition on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government.

NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. The Center Ombudsman for this acquisition can be found at : https://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/regs/Procurement-Ombuds-Comp-Advocate-Listing.pdf

NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has a requirement for a small-scale ultrasonic rePowder atomizer capable of converting small form factor solid refractory metal feedstock (bar, sheet, scrap, sponge, rod, foil, wire, piece metal) into spherical and near-fully dense powder in the powder size distribution (PSD) for Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) and Laser Powder Directed Energy Deposition (LP-DED) additive manufacture (AM). This purchase will enable MSFC to complete work to create any solid form factor feedstock into additive manufacturing desirable powder ranges.

The small-scale atomizer system shall be able to meet the following requirements:

• Have the ability to enable in-situ processing samples material manipulations without the need of a process restart.
• Have the ability to convert small form factor solid refractory metal feedstock (bar, sheet, scrap, sponge, rod, foil, wire, piece metal) into spherical and near-fully dense powder in the powder size distribution.
• Have Adjustable PSD to L-PBF ideal powder size range (d50=45-64 µm and/or d50=30-45 µm) and DED ideal powder size ranges (d50=60-125 µm).
• Be laboratory scale equipment that can fit in a standard laboratory room (equipment height maximum approximately 10 ft).
• Have open-source editable parameters allowing modification to enable alloy/materials development in an open sources format that enables the user to edit through iterations/process development.
• Have materials processing temperature allowing processing of different metals including refractory metals (processing temperature ~3500 degrees C).
• Allow scalable powder batch size from hundreds of grams (100-300) to kilograms (1Kg) depending on alloy and processing format.
• Allow for material changeover in less than 1 day.
• Allow a modular design that allows for new modules to be added at any point in time.
• Period of performance: 12 months including delivery, commissioning, and training.

NASA/MSFC intends to issue a sole source contract to acquire the item – one (1) Amazemet Basic rePowder System with Focused Plasma Melting System with multifrequency generator (17-70kHz), sonotrodes starter pack (plasma module), exhaust gas recirculation system, vacuum mechanical feedthrough, ultrasonic suction casting system, 40 kHz ultrasonic system, hygrometer, oxygen level sensor upgrade, and maintenance kit with tools and workbench, including delivery, commissioning and one year maintenance – from A3DM Technologies LLC, located at 3009 Quail Hollow St. Sarasota, Florida 34235-7104 USA, CAGE Code 911R9. This award is anticipated to be made under the authority of FAR subpart 6.302-1. NASA/MSFC conducted market research and determined the Amazemet rePowder Ultrasonic Powder Atomizer sold by A3DM Technologies LLC is the only available small scale atomizer system that meets all of the Government’s requirements.

The Government intends to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12 and FAR Part 13.5.

Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort electronically via email to John Collier (john.l.collier@nasa.gov) and Jennifer Chrissis (jennifer.l.chrissis@nasa.gov) not later than 11:00AM Central Time on July 28, 2023.  Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this acquisition on a competitive basis.  A determination by the Government not to compete this acquisition on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government.

NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. The Center Ombudsman for this acquisition can be found at : https://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/regs/Procurement-Ombuds-Comp-Advocate-Listing.pdf