NASA Presolicitation Notice: Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory and Space Vehicle Mockup Facility Operations Contract
INCREASE IN INDEFINITE DELIVERY INDEFINITE QUANTITY MAXIMUM FOR THE NEUTRAL BUOYANCY LABORATORY AND SPACE VEHICLE MOCKUP FACILITY OPERATIONS CONTRACT
General Information
Document Type: Presolicitation Notice
Solicitation Number: NNJ05ZBH401R
Posted Date: Jul 15, 2005
Original Response Date: Aug 29, 2005
Current Response Date: Aug 29, 2005
Original Archive Date: Jul 15, 2006
Current Archive Date: Jul 15, 2006
Classification Code: 99 — Miscellaneous
Naics Code: 611512 — Flight Training
Contracting Office Address
NASA/Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston Texas, 77058-3696, Mail Code: BH
Description
NASA/JSC has a requirement to increase the Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Maximum for the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL)/Space Vehicle Mockup Facility (SVMF) Operations Contract (NSOC), NAS9-02102. The contract supports operations at two critical facilities; the NBL and the SVMF at the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC). Both facilities support crew training and development activities critical to the Space Shuttle and International Space Station (ISS). Any disruption to schedules or operations at these two facilities would adversely impact critical deadlines and potentially disrupt the Space Shuttle flight manifest. The engineering portion of this contract requires the delivery of facility and mockup projects which are built to exacting standards and in accordance with strict regulations required by the nature of their use. The mockups delivered for the SVMF must be manufactured to human use standards and in accordance with strict guidelines. The mockups manufactured for use at the NBL must be made in accordance with requirements which support their usability in a water environment, must be made neutrally buoyant and must have the ability to accept modifications in both a dry and wet (under water) environment. Facility projects for the NBL and SVMF require knowledge of the facility, the interfaces, and the systems within each facility. The NBL has a large number of complex systems, some of which are life support and critical to sustaining the ability to perform underwater training for suited subjects. This requires that the individuals or company performing the upgrade be extremely knowledgeable of all aspects of engineering and facility operations. The projects to be performed are highly technical and require an in-depth knowledge of the facilities and operational schedules. Without this knowledge, a contractor proposing to do the work would be unable to perform and to integrate the required modifications and/or upgrades in a timely manner and in a manner that does not interfere with on-going training and development schedules. The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 10 U.S.C.2304(c)(1) and 10 U.S.C. 2304(d)(1)(B) as contemplated by the provisions of FAR 6.302-1. This provision states that full and open competition need not be provided for when the services required by the agency are available from only the original source in the case of a follow-on contract for the continued provision of highly specialized services. The provision also states that this exception is applicable when it is likely that award to any other source would result in substantial duplication of cost to the Government that is not expected to be recovered through competition or there would be unacceptable delays in fulfilling the Agency?s requirements. Because of the above considerations, including unacceptable costs and delays that would be incurred to conduct a competition and/or select a different contractor, the potential benefits from competition do not justify accepting these substantial risks to the Space Shuttle and ISS programs. The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12. See Note 26. See Note 22. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice. All responsible sources may submit an offer which shall be considered by the Agency. An Ombudsman has been appointed. See NASA Specific Note “B”. Any referenced notes may be viewed at the following URLs linked below.
Point of Contact
Caroline M. Root, Contracting Officer, Phone (281) 483-4140, Fax (281) 483-4173, Email caroline.m.root@nasa.gov – Michele H. Ladrach, Contract Specialist, Phone (281) 483-6096, Fax (281) 483-2138, Email michele.h.ladrach@nasa.gov
Email your questions to Caroline M. Root at caroline.m.root@nasa.gov
