SOLICITATION NOTICE
A -- ONE YEAR EXTENSION TO THE ENGINEERING SCIENCE AND TECHNICAL SERVICES CONTRACT
- Notice Date
- 6/15/2010
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- NASA/George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, Procurement Office, Marshall SpaceFlight Center, AL 35812
- ZIP Code
- 35812
- Solicitation Number
- NNM05AB50C
- Response Due
- 6/30/2010
- Archive Date
- 6/15/2011
- Point of Contact
- Roxanne C. Melton, Contracting Officer, Phone 256-544-6561, Fax 256-544-5028, Email roxanne.c.melton@nasa.gov - David A. Iosco, Contracting Officer, Phone 256-544-0387, Fax 256-544-4400, Email David.A.Iosco@nasa.gov
- E-Mail Address
-
Roxanne C. Melton
(roxanne.c.melton@nasa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- NASA/MSFC has a requirement for continued support from the Engineering, Science andTechnical Services (ESTS) contract which provides a wide range of engineering, scienceand technical support services to various programs and projects, including theConstellation Program's Ares I, Orion/Launch Abort System, and Ares V; the ShuttlePropulsion Program; and International Space Station.NASA/MSFC intends to purchase the services by extending the current ESTS contract withJacobs Technology for 1 year. The contract will be modified to extend the period ofperformance through September 30, 2011 and increase the IDIQ maximum quantity by $170million. Approval of this action will allow for continuation and stability of theseservices through the upcoming retirement of the Space Shuttle and the Agency-levelprogrammatic decisions regarding the potential cancellation of the Constellation Programand transition into the new NASA direction proposed in the President's Budget Request forFiscal Year 2011. This extension will provide time for the Agency and Center to determinethe course of action for implementing this new direction, which in turn will allowappropriate planning for the recompetiiton of the ESTS contract. MSFC intends toinitiate a competitive procurement for its follow-on requirements for engineering,scientific and technical services that will result in a new contract award(s) inSeptember 2011.This recommendation is made pursuant to FAR 6.302-1, which implements the authority forU.S.C. 2304(c)(1), for the acquisition of supplies and services from only one responsiblesource and no other type of supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Inaccordance with FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii), services may be deemed to be available only fromthe original source for the continued provision of highly specialized services when it islikely that award to any other source would result in unacceptable delays in fulfillingthe agencys requirements. FAR 6.302-1(b)(1)(ii) provides that use of this authority maybe appropriate in a situation when unique services are available from only one or alimited number of sources. Jacobs is uniquely positioned to continue providing the highly specialized engineeringand related services in support of Ares, Shuttle, and other Constellation requirementsduring this critical time of program retirements, cancellations, and transitions for thefollowing reasons: (1) Jacobs has been the support contractor providing critical engineering and relatedskills to MSFC since initiation of the Ares project in July 2005. As a result, Jacobshas developed within their management staff a unique knowledge and understanding ofrequirements, operations, and policies and processes across the various elements of theAres project and for other Constellation program elements. Use of Jacobs existing andproven capabilities will permit the timely execution of significant tasks that arenecessary for achieving the Ares/Constellation milestones, including the critical designmilestones for Upper Stage and Vehicle Integration, should the Agency direct completionof those milestones prior to program cancellation. A recompetition of the ESTS contractprior to the substantial completion of these critical milestones, or prior to theactivities that will be necessary with program cancellation, would introduce considerableattrition-related schedule and performance risks to the MSFC-managed Constellationrequirements. During this period in which MSFC will receive and execute Agency programdirection on Constellation, no other source is capable of 1) continuing to supportexisting Ares/Constellation requirements with the required engineering skills without asubstantial risk of unacceptable delays to the current mission, or 2) supporting anefficient and orderly closeout of those same contract activities with the pendingcancellation of the program. (2) While the Agency is making programmatic decisions with regard to Constellation, it isalso making decisions regarding the implementation of the new direction announced in theFY 2011 budget proposal. New Center assignments have been announced and MSFC has learnedit will be involved in Heavy Lift and Propulsion Technology, Exploration PrecursorRobotic Missions, Exploration Technology Development and Demonstration, and SpaceTechnology Program. In support of these new initiatives, MSFC needs further programdirection to determine its role in these new programs and, consequently, the skills andcapabilities required for the follow-on contract. A recompetition of the ESTS contractprior to receiving clearer direction may result in a contract that would not adequatelymeet the engineering support needs of the Center in implementing its new role. Therefore, it is prudent to continue obtaining the needed engineering services from thecurrent provider during this transition period from Constellation to the new initiatives.(3) In support of Shuttle, Jacobs Technology has provided engineering and other relatedservices since 1989, and was a significant contributor to the MSFCs return-to-flightengineering efforts following the Space Shuttle Columbia accident. Jacobs has a uniqueknowledge and understanding of the Shuttle Propulsion requirements and the Agencysinterest in the safe fly-out of Shuttle. Jacobs Technology is uniquely positioned tocontinue providing the required engineering support to the MSFC Shuttle Propulsionelements while minimizing the risk to the successful completion of the Space ShuttleProgram (SSP). A recompetition of the ESTS contract prior to retirement of the Shuttlefleet would introduce unacceptable risks to the successful completion of SSP(4) Throughout the contract, Jacobs has demonstrated a unique ability to meet thefluctuating requirements for staffing to address a very wide range of supportingengineering skills required by MSFC. Should staffing variations become necessary duringthis time, it would be in the best interest of all parties to take any actions prior to arecompetition of MSFCs engineering support requirements and potential transition ofsupport contractors.The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12.See Note26.Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform theeffort in writing to the identified point of contact not later than 4:30 p.m. local timeon the response date stated above. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluatedsolely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on acompetitive basis. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed efforton a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solelywithin 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.An Ombudsman has been appointed. See NASA Specific Note 'B'.Any referenced notes may be viewed at the following URLs linked below.
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