NASA Solicitation: Low Earth Orbit Hosted Payload and Services Opportunities and Accommodations
Synopsis – Jul 25, 2014
General Information
Solicitation Number: NNA14ZBN002L
Posted Date: Jul 25, 2014
FedBizOpps Posted Date: Jul 25, 2014
Recovery and Reinvestment Act Action: No
Original Response Date: Aug 20, 2014
Current Response Date: Aug 20, 2014
Classification Code: A — Research and Development
NAICS Code: 541712
Contracting Office Address
NASA/Ames Research Center, JA:M/S 241-1, Moffett Field, CA 94035-0001
Description
NASA Ames Research Center is soliciting information about potential sources for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) missions for Hosted Payload Opportunities and Services Opportunities and Accommodations. This information is intended to be used to develop collaborative mission concepts and designs to respond to future competitive announcements (e.g. NASA Announcements of Opportunity). NASA is looking for responses from organizations that have a demonstrated capability to design, build and launch missions to Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
Background: NASA Ames is a leader in the development of small spacecraft, from the single nano cube one kilogram to several hundred kilograms. NASA Ames is interested in exploring potential sources for hosted payload opportunities and service level agreements. NASA Ames will be developing mission concepts, some of which may be suitable to fly as hosted payloads on spacecraft going to LEO destinations. We are considering various missions including those missions that would act as ride along throughout the life of the LEO mission and for payloads that would separate from the host. We are also interested in understanding if there are opportunities for organizations to offer NASA service level agreements, in other words science and engineering data and services from LEO.
In an effort to facilitate matching mission concepts, Ames will work with industry, academia, and other governmental agencies to develop mission concepts. We are interested in identifying opportunities, and their associated accommodations, for future missions in order to integrate with our current set of mission concepts. This effort is meant to complement the Air Force Hosted Payload Solutions (HoPS) acquisition and is looking for items not covered in HoPS.
The criteria for evaluation are listed below: ARC will evaluate the responses based on alignment with the Agency’s goals, compliance with the announcement requirements, feasibility and suitability of the concept and its match to Ames’ interest and capabilities.
Please provide as much of the following information that is available at this time for those items below which are applicable; 1) a description of available payload accommodations or service level data on future LEO missions 2) information on the most prudent steps recommended to develop a hosted payload mission or service level agreement 3) identify your possible organization’s opportunities for the period of 2016-2026 with their associated mission parameters 4) a description of what Payload Accommodation and Interface resources or what data you might consider providing from your opportunity without significant modifications to your nominal plans. 5) a description of the host spacecraft constraints or preferences 6) a description of environmental conditions at the hosted payload location. 7) Information related to the accommodation of the Instrument Suite by your mission: Date the contract needs to be signed relative to Launch Date Government-provided technical / programmatic deliverables required, Instrument Suite delivery date required relative to Launch Date Rough Order of Magnitude Price Estimate to fly and operate. The level of NASA participation required during spacecraft development and instrument integration (e.g. spacecraft design reviews, environmental tests, etc.) 8) information related to the concept of operating the payload and delivering the data, including communications architecture and preferred data delivery techniques.
In addition to the information requested above, the following areas are considered highly important in the evaluation of responses to this notice: * Ability to work as part of a government-industry team that may include other industrial partners, academia, and/or foreign partners. * Innovative technical and partnering approaches that could be used to minimize cost without increasing overall mission risk. * Demonstrated track record of developing low-cost mission on-time in a schedule-constrained environment and at the agreed upon cost. * History of delivering with proven technical and cost performance.
Sources Sought Response Instructions:
Potential partners are encouraged to submit questions to the identified POC in writing. Pertinent information from questions and answers will be shared with all interested parties, without disclosing the identity of the sources of the questions.
Written responses shall: 1. Not exceed 10 pages. 2. Use an Arial font text with a size not smaller than 12 point. Charts and diagrams can be smaller font as long as it is legible. 3. Include all information requested in this notice. 4. Provide a Point of Contact and email to address questions from NASA.
Send responses in PDF format to: Kathleen.R.Giffin@nasa.gov no later than 20 August 2014. Please reference this announcement number in your response.
Technical questions should be directed to Peter.D.Klupar@nasa.gov.
ARC reserves the right to hold optional oral presentations or written email exchanges with potential proposal partners for additional information about the capability. Responses will include a specified period of time to present and a specified time for questions and answers. Responses to this notice will not be returned.
All responders to this notice should be aware that NASA support service contractors may have access to their proposals. All information received in response to this notice that is marked ‘Proprietary’ will be handled and protected accordingly. NASA support service contractors are under an obligation to keep third-party proprietary information in confidence. By submitting a response to this notice, the responder is deemed to have consented to release of proprietary information to such NASA support service contractors.
NASA is seeking capability statements from all interested parties. If responder is a commercial firm, responses should also include: Size of business and number of employees; Average annual revenue for past 3 years; Ownership -whether they are large, small, small disadvantaged, 8(a), HUBZone, and/or woman-owned and whether the company is U.S. or internationally-owned; Number of years in business; and Affiliate information: parent company (US or international), joint venture partners potential teaming partners (prime contractor (if potential sub) or subcontractors (if potential prime); list of customers covering the past five years (highlight relevant work performed and point of contact and phone number.
There is no acquisition planned at this time. The purpose of the Sources Sought is for ARC to select a partner(s) to propose with in response to competitive solicitations.
No solicitation exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. If a solicitation is released it will be synopsized in FedBizOpps and on the NASA Acquisition Internet Service. It is the potential offeror’s responsibility to monitor these sites for the release of any solicitation or synopsis. Vendors having the capabilities necessary to meet or exceed the stated requirements are invited to submit appropriate documentation, literature, brochures, and references. Please advise if the requirement is considered to be a commercial or commercial-type product. A commercial item is defined in FAR 2.101.This synopsis is for information and planning purposes and is not to be construed as a commitment by NASA nor will NASA cover any costs for information submitted in response to this Sources Sought announcement. 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.
Point of Contact
Name:Rachel Khattab
Title:Contracting Officer
Phone:650-604-5237
Fax:650-604-3020
Email:rachel.khattab@nasa.gov
