Support for the Development Design Testing and System Maintenance for Life Support Systems
Synopsis – Aug 10, 2012
General Information
Solicitation Number: NNM12442335R
Posted Date: Aug 10, 2012
FedBizOpps Posted Date: Aug 10, 2012
Recovery and Reinvestment Act Action: No
Original Response Date: Aug 27, 2012
Current Response Date: Aug 27, 2012
Classification Code: B — Special studies and analysis – not R and D
NAICS Code: 541330
Set-Aside Code: Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business
Contracting Office Address
NASA/George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, Procurement Office, Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812
Description
NASA/MSFC has a requirement for “Support for the Research, Development, Design, Testing, and System Maintenance (RDDTSM) For Life Support Systems (LSS).”
This procurement is for the RDDTSM of the Air Revitalization Systems (ARS), vital components of the LSS on the International Space Station. The LSS Team plans to develop an alternative technology for Carbon Dioxide Reduction/Removal and Resource Recovery through a series of designs, development, testing, and system maintenance.
NASA/MSFC intends to purchase the items from ECLS Technologies LLC, in Huntsville, AL. Competition is impractical for the following reasons:
1. ECLS Technologies has a unique background with over 18 years of experience in ARS and the required technical expertise needed to provide the RDDTSM of MSFC ARS. ECLS Technologies provides the unique technical expertise in the specific areas of:
* Development of facilities that incorporate precise system air supply control (with temperature).
* Implementation of techniques for Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and water vapor (H2O).
* Design of test systems with pressure control to less than 4 Pounds per Square Inch Absolute.
* Development of instrumentation, control techniques, and software models.
* Implementation and optimization of dual-computer DAC (data acquisition and control).
* Design, development, testing, and integration of molecular sieve adsorption, catalytic reaction, and microwave plasma Pyrolysis.
Furthermore, ECLS Technologies possesses the required experience and technical expertise that is needed for NASA MSFC in the following areas:
* Identification and evaluation of materials, mechanisms, and processes to improve and advance the spacecraft ARS technologies that include Sabatier CO2 Reduction Assembly, and Microwave Plasma Hydrogen Recovery System.
* Investigation of approaches for improved integration of the ARS components located at MSFC.
* Investigation of real-time measurement and control systems to encompass a larger range of spacecraft cabin conditions and ARS operational parameters.
* Identification of advanced instrumentation, control devices, and techniques to lower cost.
* Design of modifications to the ARS test articles, subsystems, and components to incorporate enhancements as identified through analysis performed during previous and ongoing testing.
* Design of new and modified test facilities to expand capabilities and incorporate vacuum piping and valve configuration that are being identified through the use of the VacTran(TM).
* Design of interface hardware and software for integrating the MSFC ARS subsystems with each other, with existing test stands, MSFC facility data, power, vacuum, and fluid resources.
* Design of algorithms that enhance the current real-time instrumentation, control systems, and to incorporate added functions such as expanded gas constituent analysis and control functions.
* Design of new and modifications to current electrical interface circuits to allow integration of new instrumentation with the existing facilities and data resources.
* Fabrication & assembly of modifications to the ARS with the existing & modified test facilities.
* Implementation of mechatronic system functions using the LabVIEW(TM) and languages native to the valve actuator embedded controllers, intelligent instrumentation, and ARS subsystems such as PLC ladder logic while utilizing bus architectures to include Ethernet.
* Development of software algorithms in LabVIEW(TM) that perform high-speed instrumentation and control functions while simultaneously performing real-time mathematical analyses from data provided by intelligent instrumentation such as a Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer.
* Implementation and verification of test facilities through fabrication, assembly, hardware integration, software integration, subsystem checkout, and facility checkout.
* Verification of ARS test articles, subsystems, and components using mass balance calculations, redundant instrumentation, secondary measurements, and model predictions.
* Test approaches, methods, and procedures for ARS technologies and components in the potential spacecraft ECLS architectures and missions while meeting LSS requirements.
* Development of test and real-time workspace files for integration with PACRATS(TM).
* Test operations support to allow 24/7 testing over full mission length scenarios.
* Investigations and analyses to determine impact to the technology in spacecraft ARS.
2. The AR LSS schedule is baselined with fixed deliverables and a prohibitive amount of money and time would be required to prevent schedule impacts and replace the technical expertise provided by ECLS Technologies. 3. ECLS Technologies has specific knowledge & technical expertise in the operation, maintenance and necessary upgrades of LSS and the required knowledge of designs for each system aspects. 4. Finally, ECLS Technologies is a small veteran-owned business that has made significant contributions to the ARS, which has led to successful advancement of TRL’s for hardware development and successfully met multiple major milestones with NASA MSFC. Therefore, NASA MSFC will take advantage of their expertise in the field of LSS development.
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 in writing to the identified point of contact not later than 4:30 p.m. central time on Tuesday, 08/21/2012. 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.
Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice.
All responsible sources may submit an offer which shall be considered by the agency.
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 .
Point of Contact
Name: LaBreesha B Batey
Title: Contract Specialist
Phone: 256-544-6085
Fax: 256-544-2934
Email: labreesha.b.batey@nasa.gov
Name: Barry S. Kaigler
Title: Contract Specialist
Phone: 256-544-0426
Fax: 256-544-9354
Email: Barry.S.Kaigler@nasa.gov
