R--AUTOPILOT SYSTEMS FOR NASA T-38N AND WB-57F AIRCRAFT FLEETS

NASA/JSC has a requirement for services in support of the continued development of autopilot systems for NASAs T-38N and WB-57F aircraft fleets located at Ellington Field (EFD) in Houston, Texas. NASA intends to integrate a new autopilot system into its T-38N Aircraft Fleet to comply with Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) equipment requirements. RVSM compliance is a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirement to fly in certain air spaces. Lack of RVSM compliance restricts the ability of the T-38N to fly in RVSM air space and limits the full potential of T-38N fuel efficiency. The required services support twenty-one T-38N aircraft. The T-38N Talon is a two-place, twin turbojet, swept-wing, supersonic aircraft originally designed for the United States Air Force (USAF) as a high performance trainer and is fully aerobatic with loop and roll flight capabilities. NASA currently uses a modified version of the USAF T-38A aircraft (designated the T-38N) primarily for astronaut proficiency training. The required services also provide support for the development of autopilot systems needed for the fleet of three WB-57F aircraft. Due to high altitude performance requirements, an autopilot is essential to ensure the WB-57F stays within certain limited windows of performance. The WB-57F fleet currently has operational autopilots installed, but due to obsolescence issues the autopilot systems have become unsustainable. The WB-57F is a mid-wing, high altitude, long-range aircraft capable of operation for extended periods of time. Work on the new autopilot systems to date, for both the T-38N and WB-57F fleets, has been performed by the Aircraft Solutions Branch of Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC). This organization is in the process of being sold to American Systems Corporation (ASC) and will be doing business as part of the American Systems Corporation, Test and Evaluation Services Division. The hardware associated with the T-38N autopilot contains software and algorithms that were developed solely by ASC under NASA Space Act Agreement (SAA) SAA-AT-07-016. This data is proprietary to ASC. In the development of the WB-57F autopilot, ASC has gained a unique understanding of the aerodynamic characteristics and flight control system under NASA Contract NNJ11JB28C. NASA/JSC intends to purchase these services and hardware from ASC on a sole source basis to complete the new autopilot development and procure autopilot systems for the NASA T-38N and WB-57F Aircraft Fleets. Only ASC has the specialized knowledge of the software and hardware already developed, maintaining proprietary data rights for these efforts. ASCs unique knowledge and experience is critical to the integrity of the autopilot projects. Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort in writing to Sylvia Aragon no later than 4:30 p.m. local time on December 24, 2012. 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. The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes 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. Respondents deemed fully qualified will be considered in any resultant solicitation for the requirement. No solicitation exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. If a solicitation is released it will be synopsized in FedBizOpps and on the NASA Acquisition Internet Service. It is the potential offeror's responsibility to monitor these sites for the release of any solicitation or synopsis. Oral communications are acceptable in response to this notice. 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 .