The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) / George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is hereby soliciting information from potential sources for Low Leakage Valves Development and Test Program.

Interested parties from all socioeconomic categories of Small Businesses and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)/Minority Institutions (MI), and members of the underserved communities as defined by Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity And Support For Underserved Communities Through The Federal Government are requested to submit capability statements for the purposes of determining the appropriate level of competition and/or small business subcontracting goals for the Low Leakage Valves Development and Test Program. The Government reserves the right to consider a Small, 8(a), Women-owned (WOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SD-VOSB), Economically Disadvantaged Women-owned Small Business (EDWOSB) or HUBZone business set-aside based on responses received.

The purpose of the Low Leakage Valves Development and Test Program procurement is to design, develop, fabricate, and test the valve designs. The Contractor shall furnish all personnel, facilities, equipment, material, supplies, and services, state if Government Furnished Property is required, and otherwise do all things necessary to, or incidental to, performing the work efforts set forth in the following areas. Contract scope includes design, development, fabrication, and associated test activities for the development of multiple valve designs. These valves include a liquid hydrogen isolation valve with a 3” diameter; a liquid hydrogen isolation pre-valve with an 8” diameter; a piloted, liquid hydrogen tank vent and relief valve with a 3” inner diameter.

The Government anticipates award of up to three firm-fixed-price contracts, to include a 12-month Phase 1 base period for Primary Valve Design to include all activities up to Critical Design Review; and Phase 2 12-month options for Secondary Valve Design, Tertiary Valve Design, Primary Valve Fabrication and Test, Secondary Valve Fabrication and Test, and Tertiary Valve Fabrication and Test. Options may be exercised at the discretion of the Government and are anticipated to be exercised simultaneously, not concurrently. Draft specifications for the three Government referenced valves are attached; however, interested parties may propose their own valve designs to meet the requirements as indicated within the attached Statement of Work and draft specifications.

No solicitation exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on SAM.gov. Interested parties are responsible for monitoring this website for the release of any solicitation or synopsis.

Interested parties having the required capabilities necessary to meet the above requirement described herein should submit a capability statement of no more than 15 pages indicating the ability to perform all aspects of the effort. The contractor’s capability statement shall:

• Demonstrate the Offeror as a lead/prime contractor in executing at least one cryogenic valve product development effort. The scope of this effort must have included the following responsibilities:

• Project Management

• Systems Engineering and Integration, including valve component requirements development based on system requirements

• Design and Development of Liquid Hydrogen cryogenic valve or valves through a Government Critical Design Review or equivalent project milestone

• Manufacture and Testing of contractor-generated cryogenic valve design(s)

• Provide feedback on the feasibility of creating a valve design of no less than 3” inner diameter to meet tight leakage requirements (up to 100 scim GHe at LH2 temperatures and maximum expected operating pressures on the order of 100 psig; goal of 1 scim),

• State the biggest technical challenges to delivering cryogenic valves with such low leakage rates, consider using the seat technology created by MSFC or would they start with their own, in-house seat technology,

• Would the contractor require use of NASA facilities or resources,

• Whether the contractor would submit a proposal for the vent and relief valve, pre-valve, the hydrogen isolation valve or a combination thereof, and

• The contractor shall submit a rough order of magnitude, and a schedule, indicating any long lead material/equipment procurement requirements, if necessary.

All responses shall be submitted electronically via email to Kathryn Cooper at kathy.cooper@nasa.gov and Joshua Wilbourn at joshua.w.wilbourn@nasa.gov no later than November 27, 2023, 4:00 P.M. CST. Please reference this sources sought notice within any response.

This sources sought synopsis is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government nor will the Government pay for information solicited. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation. Respondents deemed fully qualified will be considered in any resultant solicitation for the requirement.

NASA intends to publicize a listing of respondents in order to facilitate teaming arrangements. Should your firm desire not to be included in this listing, clearly indicate this desire in your response.