Sources Sought Notice for Liquid Hydrogen

NASA/Kennedy Space Center (KSC)is hereby soliciting information from potential sources for liquid hydrogen (LH2) as described herein, for Glenn Research Center (GRC)/Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility (ATF), KSC/Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS), Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), and Stennis Space Center (SSC) under a contemplated Agency-wide acquisition. KSC is the buying location for these sites.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/KSC is seeking capability statements from all interested parties, including all socioeconomic categories of Small Businesses and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)/Minority Institutions (MI), and members of the underserved communities as defined by Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity And Support For Underserved Communities Through The Federal Government, for the purposes of determining the appropriate level of competition and/or small business subcontracting goals for liquid hydrogen. The Government reserves the right to consider a Small, 8(a), Women-owned (WOSB), Service Disabled Veteran (SD-VOSB), Economically Disadvantaged Women-owned Small Business (EDWOSB) or HUBZone business set-aside based on responses received. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 325120 - Industrial Gas Manufacturing, and the corresponding size standard is 1,000 employees.

Requirements under the contemplated Agency-wide acquisition include the attached Draft Schedule of Supplies.  

No solicitation exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on SAM.gov. Interested firms are responsible for monitoring this website for the release of any solicitation or synopsis.

Interested firms having the required capabilities necessary to meet the above requirement described herein should submit a capability statement of no more than 10 pages indicating the ability to perform all aspects of the effort. The requirements outlined within this request are intended to be met by commercial products.  

A page is defined as one side of a sheet, 8 1/2" x 11", with at least one-inch margins on all sides, using not smaller than 12-point type. Foldouts count as an equivalent number of 8 1/2" x 11" pages. Responses must be submitted electronically in portable document format (PDF), with searchable text. The capability statement must include: company’s name, address, and a point of contact (name, e-mail address, and address); Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and cage code; number of years in business; annual receipts in accordance with 13 CFR 121.104(c) and the period of measurement used; company’s size and socioeconomic status under NAICS code 325120; ownership, affiliate information (as applicable) including parent company and joint venture partners; interest as a prime or subcontractor; interest in being included on an interested parties list; and specific capabilities relevant to the liquid hydrogen requirements. It is not sufficient to provide general brochures or generic information. In addition, the capability statement must include, at a minimum, three contracts in effect during the period: January 1, 2019, to the present. For each contract, identify/provide the following: contract number; customer name; period of performance; a brief description of relevant work performed; company role (i.e., prime or sub); number of employees; and contract or subcontract value. Responses should not include proprietary or confidential information; however, if proprietary data is included in a reply, it is to be marked as such.

FEEDBACK:  KSC is also interested in feedback, with supporting rationale, from industry regarding subcontracting opportunities, phase-in length, and preferred length of contract to include base and option periods, market trends and commercial practices. This feedback may be used as research information to support development of an acquisition strategy and is excluded from the page limitation identified above. LH2 supplies applicable to the contemplated Agency-wide Hydrogen Acquisition are performed under the following Agency-wide contracts: 80KSC023DA011, 80KSC023DA012, 80KSC023DA013.

Questions:

1. Are there any opportunities for small or large business subcontracting?
2. The Government is contemplating contract award 60 days prior to the contract start date of 12/01/25. Do you need a phase-in period? If so, what is your preferred phase-in length?
3. The Government is contemplating a five-year period of performance, consisting of a two-year base and three one-year options. Do you have any input regarding this period of performance? 
4. Do you have the capability to propose on any of the CLINs as outlined within the Draft Schedule of Supplies that was provided? Would you share the CLINs that you have interest in proposing on? 
5. If you are the incumbent contractor, what is your biggest obstacle in performing under the current contract that you would like to see changed for the future?  
6. What are the current market trends for hydrogen? Do you see the market prices going up or down? Why?   
7. Based on the current market trends with fuel prices fluctuating, is there a particular contract structure or a method the Government could use to incentivize more competitive pricing from industry?    
8. Please provide insight into your commercial contracts:

        a. What is the typical period of performance?

        b. Are product unit prices negotiated on an annual basis?

        c. Are there other nuances you would like to share?

 9.  There is the potential to include the Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) FAR clause to the contract terms and conditions portion of the Request for Proposal (RFP). This allows NASA to DPAS rate any delivery orders relating to the Space Launch System (SLS) Program.

      a.   Do you have any experience supporting DPAS rated delivery orders? 

      b.   Do you have any input regarding the possible inclusion of the clause in this contract?

      c.   Please define any price impact.

      d.  Will including a DPAS rating prevent you from bidding on any CLINs?

The Government appreciates all responses which shall be submitted electronically via email to KSC-LH2-Info@mail.nasa.gov no later than November 7, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. EST. Please reference NNK25ZOS002L in your response. 

The attached document (Draft Schedule of Supplies) is an Informational Draft Only.

This sources sought notice is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government nor will the Government pay for information solicited. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation.