Rayon sources for Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA)

Added: Jul 27, 2016 6:07 pm NASA ARC plans to issue a Request for Quotation (RFQ) for all available Sniace rayon in stock at Fiber Materials Inc (FMI). NASA requires FMI to convert the rayon to carbon black goods suitable for making Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA) preform/ fiberform material. NASA will require FMI to appropriately store the material for up to 5 years, reporting annually on its status. NASA may require FMI to acquire and evaluate alternate rayon sources.
The procurement is being conducted under the Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP).
NASA/ARC intends to purchase the items and services from Fiber Materials Inc. (FMI) of Biddeford, ME 04005 under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), only one source reasonable available. PICA is a thermal protection systems material that has been used successfully in a number of previous flight missions (Stardust, MSL). PICA is also planned for a number of future missions (OSIRIS-Rex and Mars 2020) so it has substantial flight heritage, is applicable to a wide range of missions and is often baselined as the TPS in future proposal activities. FMI is the only vendor NASA has qualified to provide flight lot PICA to NASA.
Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort in writing to the identified point of contract no later than 1:00 p.m. Pacific time on August 11, 2016. 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.

Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice.
All responsible sources may submit an offer which shall be considered by the Agency.