Notice of intent to Sole Source for the Software for Real-time Imaging and Gauging of Propellant Tanks

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ames Research Center (ARC) has a new requirement for the development of imaging and gauging software of propellant tanks from multi-physics acoustic and Radio-Frequency (RF) data. The product will allow real-time monitoring of the liquid propellant/oxidizer position and temperature stratification in zero and low gravity environment and gauging of the liquid mass based on integration of the image. The software will use the available Multi-Input/Multi-Output (MIMO) acoustic and RF sensors data, used for current mass-gauging technologies and generate direct imaging of tank interior, i.e., ullage boundary and variation of acoustic impedance in the liquid phase of the propellant due to thermal stratification. The developed technology will be applicable to large cryogenic propellant tanks and give less than ~10% error in the predicted location of the ullage/liquid interface with ~10 detectors (option I). The technology will be designed to allow further reduction of error to ~1%, as required in space applications, with sufficiently many detectors and an additional development of large data real-time processing modules (option II). See attached, draft Statement of Work (SOW), for what tasks and deliverables will be required. NASA intends to acquire this requirement as a commercial item using FAR Part 12, under a single award, firm-fixed-price contract. NASA intends to issue this contract as a sole source procurement to Brookline Advanced Algorithms Institute, LLC (BAAI) in Brookline, MA, under the authority 10 USC 2304(c)(1), Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements. Interested companies may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform te effort electronically via email to the Contract Specialist, Wilma L. Estrada at [email protected] and to the Contracting Officer, Uyen Tu at [email protected] not later than 2:00 p.m., PDT, September 8, 2022. A determination by the Government not to compete this acquisition on a full and open competition basis, is based upon responses to this notice and is solely 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