Exploration Portable Support System (xPLSS) Ventilation Loop Fans

NASA/JSC has a requirement for updating the designs of the Ventilation Loop Fans for the Exploration Portable Life Support System (xPLSS). The objective of this phase is to update designs, addressing lessons learned from the Design, Development, Manufacturing, and Testing phase. The updated fan designs will also incorporate any features needed to support the Lunar mission given additional requirements from the xEMU Delta-System Requirements Review held in December 2019. NASA intends to use Barber Nichols Inc. (BNI) and Collins Aerospace to update the fans. BNI and Collins Aerospace are the current contractors and original equipment manufacturers for the two fan designs. Given the criticality of the xEMU human spaceflight application and the highly specialized nature of these specific fan designs, selection of other vendors would have significant impacts to schedule and require duplication of effort and costs for these highly specialized and precise pieces of turbomachinery hardware. Requirements include updating the fan designs to address issues/opportunities for improvement based on Design Verification Test fan lessons learned; incorporating additional Lunar requirements; generating drawings and models of the designs; manufacturing the fans testing the fans; and performing various requirements verification activities. The decision to contract with BNI and Collins is made pursuant to FAR 6.302-1(a)(ii), which enables the use of other than full and open competition procedures in cases when the supplies or services required are deemed to be available from only one or a limited number of responsible source(s) and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Supplies/Services may be deemed to be available only from the original source for the continued development and production of a major system or highly specialized equipment, including major components thereof, when it is likely that award to any other source would result in substantial duplication of cost to the Government that is not expected to be recovered through competition, or unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency's requirements. Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort without resulting in substantial duplication of cost to the government in writing to the identified point of contact not later than 4:30 p.m. local time on March 26, 2020. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis or continue with the current strategy. 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. NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. The Center Ombudsman for this acquisition can be found at http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/pub/pub_library/Omb.html .