NASA Langley Research Center seeks a renewal of the AuSIM3D Software Service Contract to ensure continuous software updates and support for its server software suite and Matlab software. This contract encompasses a full year of service for a total period of 36 months, providing priority technical support via email, phone, and onsite visits. The software suite includes various modules essential for operations, such as OpenKernel, Advanced Propagation, and Advanced Signals, and incorporates Matlab tools like AuProbe and VectsonicTools. The performance location is determined to be at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA, with a contract term slated from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026. This document aligns with the government's financial accountability standards and procurement practices regarding RFPs, highlighting the necessity for ongoing software development and support in research operations.
The NASA Shared Services Center recommends a sole-source acquisition for the renewal of AuSIM3D Software Service from AuSIM, Inc., essential for the Revolutionary Vertical Lift Technology (RVLT) project. The estimated contract period is from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, with specific emphasis on the software's role in conducting urban air mobility vehicle noise studies. AuSIM3D, a proprietary software, requires updates and support that can only be provided by AuSIM, Inc., as they do not license their code to third parties. A market survey indicated no alternative vendors capable of delivering equivalent services. Should another vendor be used, there would be significant compatibility and integration issues, potentially resulting in additional costs for specialized hardware, a required two-year integration period, and overall project delays. This recommendation underscores the impracticality of competitive bidding for a service tied to unique software capabilities essential to NASA's mission objectives.
NASA's National Suborbital Science Center (NSSC) plans to renew a service contract for AuSIM3D Software with AUSIM, INC, based on their sole provider status under FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i). The contract will be administered by NASA, specifically at the Langley Research Center. The procurement process will follow the guidelines for commercial items outlined in FAR Parts 12 and 13, with a primary NAICS code of 541511. Interested parties have until March 10, 2025, to submit their qualifications for competitive consideration, with responses evaluated at the government's discretion. The notice explicitly prohibits oral communications and designates Shanna Patterson as the primary contact for inquiries. This initiative underscores NASA's approach to leveraging existing commercial services for specialized software needs while maintaining openness to potential competition.