Space Commerce

Commercial Crew Transporation System Certification Contract Phase 2

By Keith Cowing

Status Report

March 19, 2013

Filed under Commercial Crew, KSC, NASA

Commercial Crew Transporation System Certification Contract Phase 2

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is seeking capabilities from all categories of Small Businesses for the purpose of determining the appropriate level of competition and/or Small Business subcontracting goals for the Phase 2 requirements of the Commercial Crew Program’s Crew Transportation System (CTS) Certification efforts.
Synopsis – Mar 19, 2013

Sources Sought Attachments – Posted on Mar 19, 2013

General Information

Solicitation Number: NNK14467515L
Posted Date: Mar 19, 2013
FedBizOpps Posted Date: Mar 19, 2013
Recovery and Reinvestment Act Action: No
Original Response Date: Apr 09, 2013
Current Response Date: Apr 09, 2013
Classification Code: 18 — Space vehicles
NAICS Code: 336414

Contracting Office Address

NASA/John F. Kennedy Space Center, Procurement, Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899

Description

The CTS certification contract (s) – Phase 2 is part of the Commercial Crew Program’s phased acquisition intended to facilitate the development of a U.S. commercial crew space transportation capability with the goal of achieving safe, reliable and cost effective access to and from low earth orbit including the International Space Station (ISS). This acquisition strategy utilizes competitive down-selection procedures that will enable the eventual purchase by NASA of commercial services to meet its ISS crew transportation needs, once the capability is certified by NASA.

NASA awarded the Phase 1 Certification Products Contracts (CPC) on December 2012 to The Boeing Company, Space Exploration Technologies Corp (SpaceX) and Sierra Nevada Corporation Space Systems (SNC) to begin the initial certification efforts.

NASA will issue a separate FAR Part 15-based solicitation for Phase 2. Although, NASA anticipates that only Phase 1 contractors will be capable of successfully competing for Phase 2, the Phase 2 solicitation is expected to be issued as a full and open competition. The Phase 2 solicitation will require potential offerors to successfully complete Phase 1 requirements as part of the overall Phase 2 selection criteria.

NASA anticipates releasing a draft Request for Proposal (RFP) in the summer of 2013 for the Commercial Crew Program’s CTS Certification Contract – Phase 2. The NAICS code for this requirement is 336414 with a size standard of 1000 employees.

The Phase 2 effort includes the development, test, and verification activities necessary to achieve a NASA certification of an end-to-end CTS for the ISS Design Reference Mission (DRM). The Phase 2 requirements are expected to include:

1.0 Design and development of integrated CTS: This element contains all technical and supporting activities associated with development of an integrated CTS for the ISS Design Reference Mission (DRM). The integrated CTS includes H/W and software for ground and mission systems and infrastructure, launch vehicle, and spacecraft necessary for launch, mission operations, recovery and/or disposal.

2.0 CTS External Interfaces: This element contains all necessary interfaces that need to be integrated as part of a CTS. This element includes ISS, FAA, and requisite Range interfaces. This element also contains Crew Rescue interfaces and any other applicable external interfaces.

3.0 CTS Technical Management Processes: This element includes all necessary technical and management efforts to direct and control the integrated CTS development. This element includes Project Management, Project Administration, Contractor Management and Relationships. This element also includes requisite Systems Engineering, S&MA, Health and Medical processes necessary to develop, test, build and maintain a CTS. This element also includes task efforts in managing technical reviews required by NASA.

4.0 CTS Verification and Certification (using 1100 Series and SSP 50808): This element includes all the planning, control and performance of tests, demonstrations, procedures, reports and analyses to verify and validate the CTS requirements including flight test(s) leading to a certified CTS. These activities include design, test, software and specialty engineering including specialized testing capabilities for aerospace flight hardware. This element also includes task efforts in supporting NASA reviews to obtain CTS Certification.

5.0 CTS Production and Operational Processes: This element includes developing and implementing all production and operational processes and identifying any constraints as appropriate for the CTS. This element also maintains the Certification baseline of the certified CTS during production and operations. This element also includes task efforts in supporting NASA reviews to obtain CTS Certification.

6.0 Optional Missions: This element includes all technical and management efforts in an integrated CTS mission to the ISS per the ISS DRM (CCT-DRM-1110). This element includes detailed CTS flight specific mission objectives, flight specific analyses and tests. It includes complete production operations to manufacture, assemble, integrate all hardware and software for the optional mission. Acceptance testing, delta and recurring verifications as defined in the CTS certification requirements is also included. In addition, any changes in architectural baseline based on previous flights, qualification status and obsolescence are incorporated. Any of these changes require a delta certification data package to NASA and also require supporting NASA reviews to obtain CTS certification. Flight readiness reviews, mission execution and post mission assessments are also included in this element. This element also includes efforts in supporting NASA Certification of Flight Readiness.

This Sources Sought notice requests information from two specific sources, 1.-Potential Phase 2 Prime Contractors, and 2.-Potential Phase 2 Subcontractors.

1.-Potential Phase 2 Prime Contractors. NASA is interested in potential prime contractor feedback related to potential subcontracting opportunities for the Phase 2 CTS Certification Contract. Potential prime contractors are requested to provide the following information in their response:

a) Company name and address. b) Business size/type classification c) Affiliate information (as applicable) including, parent company, joint venture partners, potential teaming partners and potential subcontractors (to which the prime is/may be working with) d) Point of contact name, position, address and phone number

Potential prime contractor should use the attached template named “CTS PH2 attachment – Prime Contractor’s template” to provide the following information:

* Suggested percentages of work the company deems appropriate to be subcontracted to large and/or small business * A specific description of the areas of work that are appropriate for small business subcontracting opportunities and a list of potential subcontractors for each area of work * The company’s suggested subcontracting goals expressed as percentages of total contract value it deems appropriate for this effort along with its rationale (see example of goal calculation in attachment tab “Sample – SB goal calculation”).

2.-Potential Phase 2 Subcontractors All interested parties are requested to submit a capability statement indicating the ability to perform applicable aspects of the effort described herein and include a one (1) page summary with your capability statement(s), identifying the following information:

a) Company name and address. b) Business size/type classification (Large, Small, Small Disadvantaged (SDB), 8(a), Woman-owned (WOSB), Veteran Owned (VOSB), Service Disabled Veteran Owned (SD-VOSB), Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) businesses, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)/Minority Institutions (MI)). c) Company size (number of employees). d) Average annual revenue for the past three (3) years and number of employees. e) Affiliate information (as applicable) including, parent company, joint venture partners, potential teaming partners and identity of the potential prime contractor (to which the sub is/may be working with). f) Point of contact name, position, address and phone number.

Potential Subcontractors should use the attached template named “CTS PH2 attachment – Subcontractor’s template” to identify the applicable areas of work that the company may be able to perform based on company specific capabilities relevant to the Phase 2 requirements.

Capability statements should be limited to a maximum of 5 pages (including 1-page summary and any attachments). It is not sufficient to provide only general brochures or generic information. Copies of your capability statement(s) may be made available to prospective offerors in the future. Therefore, it should not contain company sensitive information.

All responses shall be submitted via email to Rogelio Curiel no later than 3:00 pm (EDT) – April 09, 2013. Please reference Source Sought Notice NNK14467515L in any response.

NASA anticipates developing a list of interested parties based on the information received from this Sources Sought notice and expects to make this list publically available in order to help promote subcontracting opportunities.

This notification is not a solicitation announcement; it is a Sources Sought synopsis for information and planning purposes. Therefore, NASA will not issue results or evaluation letters to the respondents. This Sources Sought synopsis is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government pay for information solicited.

If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized in FedBizOpps and on the NASA Acquisition Internet Service. It is the responsibility of potential offerors to monitor these sites for the release of any solicitation or synopsis.

If you are interested in obtaining additional information regarding the requirements of this effort or to learn more about the Commercial Crew Program’s activities, visit the Commercial Crew Program website at http://commercialcrew.nasa.gov .

Any referenced notes may be viewed at the following URLs linked below.

Point of Contact

Name: Rogelio Curiel
Title: Contracting Officer
Phone: 321-867-7498
Fax: 321-867-7132
Email: rogelio.curiel@nasa.gov