Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition for Super High Energy Replicated Optics (SuperHERO)

This contract, identified by solicitation number 80MSFC26C0010, represents a sole-source award to Washington University in St. Louis for the design, manufacturing, and testing of a 12-meter carbon fiber-aluminum truss/optical bench for the Super-High Energy Replicated Optics (SuperHERO) balloon mission. The procurement is justified under FAR 6.103-1 due to the unique technical capability possessed by WashU, specifically its proven XL-Calibur truss design, which ensures the mission’s stringent requirements for optical stability—maintaining less than one millimeter of flexure at 130,000 feet and negligible thermal expansion—can only be met without significant schedule delays or technical risk. No other entity has demonstrated the ability to replicate this design, making competitive procurement impractical, and alternative vendors would introduce estimated 12- to 24-month delays and unproven technologies that could jeopardize mission success. The estimated contract value ranges from $1,004,621 to $4,170,000, with a firm-fixed-price structure, and performance spans from award through December 31, 2030. Primary work occurs at WashU’s facility in Saint Louis, Missouri, with final validation through hang testing at Wallops Flight Facility and launch preparations in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. The contract is administered by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, with Brad Vest as the contracting officer and Anthony R. Guillory as the technical representative. Although no formal contract clauses from FAR Part 52, packaging specifications, marking standards, or detailed line-item pricing are included in the documentation, critical performance criteria include structural validation via joint pull tests and load-deformation assessments, alignment for <10 arcsecond angular resolution in hard X-rays, and integration with the mission’s optics and detectors for Crab Nebula observations. The award relies entirely on the institutional expertise and heritage of WashU’s team, with no competitive evaluation, no socioeconomic certifications disclosed, and no formal representations or certifications required under Section K.