Heavy Ion Beam Ground-Based Accelerated Radiation Testing

NASA/GSFC has a requirement for ground-based accelerated radiation testing, necessitating the use of particle accelerators to emulate the space environment. These ground-based tests use particle accelerators to provide ion beams that can be employed to evaluate single-event effects (SEE), total ionizing dose (TID), and displacement damage dose (DDD) or total non-ionizing dose (TNID). Under the authority of FAR 6.302-1, only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. NASA/GSFC intends to procure these services from Michigan State University (MSU) Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB). MSU FRIB is the only known facility that provides: Significant local particle accelerator physics and engineering workforce to support NASA's unique needs, Tuned beam energies of 5 to 45 MeV/u, Rapid beam (ion species and/or energy) changes, Ease of access (United States-based and no proposal required for time), Uniform particle fluxes up to 1x106 ions/(cm2.s), In-air testing/positioning system, and Eventual beam energies between 50 and 170 MeV/u when superconducting cyclotron capabilities return to service. The technical beam details that MSU provide are required to perform radiation effects testing and device characterization of candidate flight microelectronics and photonics. NASA utilizes test methods that require beam uniformity and ion-specific tuned energies in order to perform accurate pre-flight performance evaluations. If NASA were to use less exacting beam profiles for some of the technologies under consideration, the design margins would increase. This would raise spacecraft costs and might disallow adequate devices from flight. In addition, certain technologies require a specific particle range in materials and tuned energies as per NASA guidelines. MSU beam structure provides a customizable uniform beam with user-dictated flux. MSU beams have a large selection of isotopes available with beam-changeover times of minutes compared to hours at other accelerator facilities. This has an advantage of being able to transition between many test points without spending several hours of beam time. MSU allows the experimenter to be the prime (not shared) user of the heavy-ion beam, thus allowing the experimenter to control the choice of particle energies utilized for testing. The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12. Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort electronically via email to Ana Luta at ana.c.luta@nasa.gov or Kristal Kerr at kristal.kerr@nasa.gov not later than 5:00 pm on 09/23/2021. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this acquisition on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to compete this acquisition on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government. 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