Laser Air Monitor System (LAMS) - Intent to Sole Source

NASA/Johnson Space Center (JSC) has a requirement for production of three Laser Air Monitor System (LAMS) units which are intended to be used on approximately eight Artemis missions, beginning with Artemis III. The LAMS will measure oxygen, carbon dioxide, water vapor, temperature, and pressure accurately enough to detect unsafe levels of these elements within the Orion spacecraft in time to allow the crew to respond to the fast changes in air composition in the Orion cabin. The LAMS is a heavily integrated component of the Orion spacecraft, with integration required early in the production flow, prior to integration of numerous other spacecraft components. Any delays in hardware delivery, acceptance testing, or the occurrence of any testing failures would directly delay the production of the Orion spacecraft for Artemis III, which is planned to launch in August 2024. The subsequent LAMS flight units that will be incorporated into the Orion spacecraft starting with Artemis IV will need to be developed to include Radiation Hardened Military Standard Electrical, Electronic and Electromechanical (EEE) parts, which have an approximately two year procurement lead-time, and will need to pass additional acceptance testing. Effective development, on-time delivery, and successful acceptance testing of the modified LAMS will be critical in order to avoid delays to the Agency's launch date requirement for Artemis IV in August 2025. NASA/JSC intends to purchase the LAMS units from Dynetics, Inc. under the authority of FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(ii)(B), "Only One Responsible Source and No Other Suppliers or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements." This authority allows for other than full and open competition when supplies are deemed to be available only from the original source in the case of a follow-on contract for the continued development or 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 unacceptable delays in fulfilling the Agency's requirements. Dynetics, Inc. is the incumbent contractor under the current contract for Design, Development, Test, and Evaluation (DDT&E) of the highly specialized LAMS to meet the mission requirements through Artemis II. Dynetics has developed custom equipment and software, not owned by the Government, with the broad temperature and pressure ranges and accuracy required for the gas constituents in those ranges, in order to ensure successful sensor alignment and unit calibration for the LAMS. Dynetics also possesses the capabilities and certifications required to perform the LAMS requirements, such as Capability Maturity Model Integration Level 3 Certification, AS9100 Certification or ISO9001 Certification, and ISO certified clean room facilities. Given the market research performed, including responses received to the Sources Sought Synopsis posted to beta.sam.gov on November 14, 2019, the Government is not aware of any vendors other than the incumbent that produce air monitors or lasers with the capability requirements of the LAMS that also have the aforementioned equipment, software, certifications, and facilities. The process for obtaining these capabilities would be expected to take a minimum of three years. Given the Government's required delivery dates for the LAMS flight units and the production lead-times described above, the multiple year lead-time required for a new vendor to obtain these necessary capabilities would cause an unacceptable delay in fulfilling the Agency's launch manifest requirements. The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 336419, Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing, with a size standard of 1,000 employees. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. All responsible sources may submit a written capability statement which shall be considered by the Agency. Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort via email to Amber.n.coyne@nasa.gov not later than 4:00 p.m. CDT on March 2, 2020. Such capabilities and 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. 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.