FY26 LaRC Pointwise Center Consolidated Renewal

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

This Statement of Work outlines the requirements for the FY26 Pointwise Renewal at Langley Research Center (LaRC).

• The primary deliverable is support for Fidelity Pointwise.

• Specific details include SAP ID, Site Number, Address, System ID, Host ID, and Host Name for multiple instances:

  • Instance 1: 4 units, associated with Host Name PWI-98-37FLEX.
  • Instance 2: 1 unit, associated with Host Name PWI-RLM.
  • Instance 3: 13 units, associated with Host Name casbsrv8.

• Place of Performance: NASA Langley Research Center.

• Period of Performance: July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

NASA/NSSC intends to issue a sole source contract for the FY26 LaRC Pointwise Center Consolidated Renewal. This procurement is for commercial items and services, utilizing FAR Part 12. The procuring center is NASA/NSSC, with performance located at NASA/Langley Research Center (LaRC).

• Renewal of LaRC Pointwise Center services.

• Acquisition of Commercial items or services.

• Sole source contract intended for CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS INC.

• Authority cited: FAR 12.102(a).

• NAICS Code: 513210.

• Interested organizations must submit capabilities and qualifications in writing.

• Deadline for submission: 7 a.m. Central Standard Time on 4/6/2026.

• Submissions will be evaluated to determine if the procurement will be conducted on a competitive basis.

• The Government reserves the sole discretion to determine whether to compete the proposed effort.

• Oral communications are not acceptable.

• This notice is to determine if a competitive procurement is warranted; it is not a solicitation.

• NASA FAR Supplement Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. A link to the Center Ombudsman listing is provided.

• Primary Point of Contact: Shanna Patterson, Procurement Specialist (Shanna.L.Patterson@nasa.gov).

Recommendation and Determination to Solicit from One Source / Brand Name

This document recommends negotiating with Cadence Design Systems, Inc. for the LaRC FY26 Pointwise Center Consolidated Renewal. The justification is that the Pointwise software is determined to be reasonably available from only one source, and competition is impractical.

• The acquisition is for the Pointwise software, which is used to produce high-quality structured and unstructured multi-dimensional grids essential for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) teams at NASA.

• The software is critical for NASA aeronautics, space technology initiatives, and flight mission operations, including current projects associated with modifications to the Artemis II core stage.

• Pointwise offers direct compatibility with NASA's USM3D CFD flow solver and supports expanded overset grid assembly.

• It is considered the standard, and often the sole, tool for constructing grids for CFD analyses within the NASA environment and is integrated into their supercomputing infrastructure.

• The software has been used for decades for NASA's EDL missions, facilitating sharing, modification, and reuse of CFD grids.

• The estimated period of performance or lead-time for delivery is July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027.

• The total estimated cost is not explicitly stated in dollars but is referenced.

Not applicable, as this is a sole-source recommendation.

This is a sole-source recommendation, indicating no set-aside or open competition is planned.

• The primary reason for sole sourcing is the unique characteristics of the Pointwise software and its deep integration into NASA's existing workflows and critical projects.
• Losing access to Pointwise would necessitate identifying and implementing alternative solutions, which would require extensive training, workflow redevelopment, and could lead to project delays and impact safety justifications for crewed missions.
• The document notes that Pointwise may undergo changes in its pricing model due to its recent acquisition by Cadence.
• Transitioning to new software would also involve installing and validating modules within the supercomputing environment, potentially causing compatibility issues and disruptions.