NASA/MSFC has a requirement for the renewal of a software license from ABAQUS South Central, Inc.
NASA/MSFC intends to purchase the items from ABAQUS South Central, Inc. on a sole source basis due to their product being proprietary, and not available from any other source. ABAQUS possessess the unique qualifications to provide the software and support. According to technical experts no other software has the extensive capabilities ABAQUS has for performing highly nonlinear finite element analyses necessary to support the structural analysis of flight hardware. ABAQUS Software is presently being used onsite at Marshall Space Flight Center, therefore compatibility is essential. Market Research determined that ABAQUS Software is the only software that can meet the required specifications. The ABAQUS Software Lease renewal is necessary and urgent to support Space Shuttle Return to Flight efforts. Specifically the efforts to study the External Tank Thermal Protection System and to minimize the schedule impact to programs at the Marshall Space Flight Center. The current lease expires February 28, 2006 and failure to expediently renew this lease will be very detrimental to analysis capabilities and result in cost impacts and schedule delays for structural analysis.
The Government intends 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, Sheila Kirkland at sheila.kirkland@nasa.gov, no later than 4:30 p.m. local time on Feb. 25, 2006 CST. 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.
An Ombudsman has been appointed. See NASA Specific Note "B".
