SOLICITATION NOTICE
15 -- COMPLETION OF STRATOSPHERIC OBSERVATORY FOR INFRARED ASTRONOMY (SOFIA) CAVITY DOOR DRIVE SYSTEM (CDDS)
- Notice Date
- 8/10/2006
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- NAICS
- 336413
— Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- NASA/Dryden Flight Research Center, Code A, P.O. Box 273, Edwards, CA 93523-0273
- ZIP Code
- 93523-0273
- Solicitation Number
- NND06PS01C_KMA
- Response Due
- 8/25/2006
- Archive Date
- 8/10/2007
- Description
- NASA/DFRC intends to award a sole source letter contract for the acquisition of the completion of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) Cavity Door Drive System (CDDS) by MPC Products Corporation. Definitization will be in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 16.603. The estimated value of the letter contract is $20M, with deliverables due approximately twenty-four months from the effective date of the letter contract. The SOFIA program consists of an airborne observatory platform (a Boeing 747-SP aircraft) arrayed with a 2.5 meter infrared telescope, as well as other scientific instruments capable of infrared and sub millimeter observations. The SOFIA observatory is being developed by NASA and its partner the DLR (German Aerospace Center). The SOFIA observatory will be the world?s largest and most sensitive airborne observatory. The aircraft will operate at a ceiling of 45,000 feet. The telescope will look out of an open cavity in the side of the aircraft and allow astronomers to obtain sharper infrared images than ever before. The estimated life of the operational program is 20 years. NASA/DFRC intends to procure services from MPC Products Corporation of Skokie, IL 60077. The authority for other than full and open competition is: ?only one responsible source, no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, FAR 6.302-1(a)(2).? MPC is the only responsible source since they have already completed approximately 75% of this effort, to include the CDDS requirements review, preliminary design review, prototype lab test, and both hardware and software critical design reviews. As a result, they are uniquely and intimately familiar with CDDS development and characteristics, particularly as they apply to the evolving SOFIA project. Work remaining on the CDDS includes performing cavity door airplane tests, ?red label? delivery (of an airworthy system), open door flight tests, system flight test readiness review, first article inspection and ?black label? delivery (of a fully approved system). Any other contractor, selected in a competitive procurement, would need to gain sufficient project knowledge and technical expertise to ensure continued CDDS progress. Due to the immense complexities of the SOFIA project, and the interrelationships of Government and contractor participants, the time needed to gain this knowledge and expertise would cause unacceptable disruptions to that progress, particularly since the CDDS is currently on the program schedule ?Critical Path?. Additionally, another contractor would have to engage an inspection process to determine whether work previously performed by MPC should be accepted or rejected. It is likely that questions of attribution and possible disputes would naturally arise over the quality of such work, requiring time consuming resolution and settlement. These reasons justify procuring the work exclusively from MPC. The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12. See Note 26. Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort in writing to the identified point of contact not later than 2:00 p.m. local time on August 25, 2006. 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. An Ombudsman has been appointed. See NASA Specific Note "B". Any referenced notes may be viewed at the following URLs linked below.
- Web Link
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- Record
- SN01112135-W 20060812/060810222054 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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