Status Report

NASA Announcement of Opportunity to Participate in NASA Summer of Innovation Project

By SpaceRef Editor
August 4, 2010
Filed under , ,

Synopsis – Aug 02, 2010

General Information

Solicitation Number: NNH10ZNE010O
Posted Date: Aug 02, 2010
FedBizOpps Posted Date: Aug 02, 2010
Recovery and Reinvestment Act Action: No
Original Response Date: Sep 03, 2010
Current Response Date: Sep 03, 2010
Classification Code: 99 — Miscellaneous
NAICS Code: 611710 – Educational Support Services

Contracting Office Address

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA Headquarters Acquisition Branch, Code 210.H, Greenbelt, MD 20771

Description

NASA/HQ plans to issue an Announcement of Opportunity (AO) to Participate in NASA’s Summer of Innovation Project.

Statement of Purpose

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) seeks to identify potential partners for its Summer of Innovation (SoI; http://www.nasa.gov/soi ) project. SoI uses NASA’s mission to engage middle school students and teachers in stimulating math and science-based education experiences during the summer months. NASA is engaging the nation’s middle school youth in intensive and exciting science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) experiences that will have an impact on their academic performance, choice of STEM coursework, degree programs, and eventually career path. SoI has a particular emphasis on broadening participation of underrepresented minority, underserved, and underperforming students. This announcement requests information from parties interested in participating in SoI.

NASA is looking for partners to develop creative ways to help achieve one or more SoI goals and to increase the impact and visibility of SoI. NASA will enter into a limited number of partnerships that reflect NASA’s mission, values and goals. The types of activities, events, products, or services are limitless. Respondents will be responsible for financing their own activities, no NASA funding is available for this purpose. Partnership with SoI will be contingent upon selection by NASA and negotiation of an appropriate agreement between NASA and the respondent that will define the roles and responsibilities of the parties.

It is intended that this announcement may also result in other types of collaborations between NASA and respondent organizations that do not require negotiation of an agreement between NASA and the respondent organization.

Respondent organizations not identified as potential partners or collaborators through this announcement may participate in SoI as described on the SoI Web site under “Get Involved.”

This announcement does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that NASA will take procurement or other action in this matter. Further, neither NASA nor the Federal Government will be responsible for any cost incurred in furnishing the information requested in this announcement.

Summer of Innovation Background

In January 2010, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden announced the Summer of Innovation, a new NASA project to improve the STEM skills and abilities of American students as part of a broader national priority. Administrator Bolden’s announcement came in direct response to President Obama’s “Educate to Innovate” campaign for excellence in STEM education. The campaign seeks to engage students and teachers of all ages, families, community groups, and the broader public in STEM learning. This campaign includes efforts not only of the Federal Government, but also companies, foundations, non-profits, and science and engineering societies to work with young people across America to excel in science and math.

SoI is an intensive STEM teaching and learning project conducted during the summer. SoI engages middle school students and their teachers in challenging, interactive experiences over multiple weeks and includes follow-on learning activities during the school year that are supported by a STEM learning community. SoI is currently planned to extend through December 2012.

Summer of Innovation Vision

  • Inspire the nation with an innovative education project.
  • Engage Americans in NASA’s mission, and strengthen NASA and the Nation’s future workforce.
  • Serve as a catalyst to expand, align, and strengthen existing state-based STEM learning networks.
  • Maximize learning and development outcomes to keep students on pathways to learning and life success.
  • Partner with organizations to ensure that summer learning experiences are available to all students.
  • Increase the chances that all children can meet high academic standards, achieve in school, and succeed in the competitive 21st century global society.

Summer of Innovation Goals

  • Engage middle school students and teachers in intensive and interactive experiences that accelerate underrepresented, underserved, and under-performing student learning and improves students’ STEM skills and knowledge.
  • Provide professional development and training opportunities for educators leading students in summer learning.
  • Infuse NASA content and educational resources into evidence-based programs.
  • Build a community of STEM education stakeholders able to sustain student engagement and accelerate student achievement.
  • Assess the effectiveness of project activities.
  • Align SoI instructional content with district and/or state standards.
  • Provide students and teachers with ongoing STEM engagement.

Target Audience

The target audience for SoI is middle school students who are underrepresented, underserved, and/or underperforming in STEM disciplines along with the teachers who serve them.

Partnership Opportunities

NASA recognizes the power of strategic and mutually beneficial partnerships to improve efficiency and maximize impact. NASA seeks unfunded partnerships with organizations to help achieve SoI goals, enhance its ability to reach its audiences and build national momentum for SoI.

Potential partnership activities are varied. NASA is receptive to a wide range of creative possibilities. Categories of involvement may include, but are not limited to:

1. Dissemination of NASA Education Resources: NASA seeks to partner with STEM informal and formal learning institutions, including summer learning entities, libraries, and after school learning organizations, to infuse NASA education resources into existing summer programs for middle school students or professional development opportunities for teachers who lead students through summer activities. NASA also seeks partners to complement summer learning experiences through continued student engagement beyond the summer months.

2. Education Resource Development: NASA seeks to partner with organizations to develop innovative middle school learning activities for SoI. Learning activities should be challenging and engaging and appropriate for summer learning settings.

3. National Momentum for SoI: NASA seeks partner organizations, including entities not already engaged in STEM education or research, to improve visibility of SoI and build excitement for summer learning, STEM education, and STEM careers on a national scale.

4. Multimedia Communications: NASA seeks partner organizations to create and manage innovative activities and Web 2.0 sites for the purpose of engaging the public in STEM-related shared multimedia experiences. Possibilities in this category include, but are not limited to, online challenges, interactive games, social networking, public service announcements, activities focused on music, and dynamic multimedia teaching and learning experiences.

Eligibility

Respondents may include, but are not limited to: for-profit companies, universities and other academic institutions, libraries, informal or non-profit organizations, professional or public organizations, and Federal agencies.

Threshold Requirements

Submissions must demonstrate the following threshold requirements to be considered:

  • The mission, vision, and values of the respondent organization complements the SoI vision;
  • The proposed activity(ies) have the potential to reach target audience on a regional or national scale; and
  • The level of NASA assets and resources, such as people, content and facilities, requested for the collaboration is commensurate with the level of value and benefits offered to NASA.

Submission Details

Submissions should not include any proprietary information.

NASA will share submissions with NASA employees and NASA contractors for review purposes for SoI and related NASA education programs.

Responses to this announcement should be no more than six pages in length and submitted in Adobe PDF format.

The first page of the submission should be an overview of the proposed activity(ies) and include:

  • Name of respondent organization;
  • Title of the proposed activity(ies);
  • Brief description of proposed activity(ies); and
  • Summary of how proposed activity(ies) meets each of the threshold requirements.

The remaining five pages should include:

  • Title of proposed activity(ies);
  • Description of proposed activity (ies);
  • Explanation of how the proposed activity(ies) will help NASA achieve one or more SoI goals;
  • Identification of target audience(s) and summary of anticipated reach;
  • Clear statement of how the mission, vision, and values of the respondent organization complements the SoI vision;
  • Description of NASA assets and resources, such as people, content and facilities, needed for the proposed activity(ies);
  • Description of how success of proposed activity(ies) could be measured;
  • Timeline for the proposed activity(ies);
  • Summary of the respondent’s ability to provide support for the proposed activity(ies), including a demonstration that the respondent has significant experience and the financial resources needed to successfully achieve the proposed activity(ies) within the stated timeline; and
  • Pertinent identifying and contact information about the respondent organization, principal individuals of the organization, including name, mailing addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers, email addresses.

NASA does not have any other specific format requirements.

Informational Webinar

NASA will conduct an informational webinar on Friday, August 13, 2010 from 1-3 pm eastern. Prospective respondents are requested to submit questions via email to soipartners@nasa.gov no later than three business days before the webinar. NASA plans to post written questions and answers and webinar charts to the SoI Web site. If time permits, an opportunity to ask questions and solicit clarification will be provided during the webinar.

In addition, NASA is interested in facilitating contact among prospective respondents for the purpose of fostering communication and collaboration among prospective respondents.

If you wish to have your name and contact information shared with other prospective respondents, please submit your name, organization, and phone number and/or email to soipartners@nasa.gov by 4:00 pm eastern, Friday, August 13, 2010.

The list of prospective respondents will be distributed after the webinar to those individuals included in the list. The list will not be distributed to prospective respondents not wishing to be added to the list.

Webinar Access Instructions To participate in the webinar, you must access the webinar slides via the Web and dial-in to a teleconference for audio.

Date: Friday, August 13, 2010 Time: 1-3 pm, eastern

Webinar Meeting Number: 990 237 018 Webinar Meeting Password: Education1!

To join the online meeting (Now from iPhones too!):

1. Go to https://nasa.webex.com/nasa/j.php?ED=137387092&UID=0&PW=NODA4OThjOTBl&RT=MiMxMQ%3D%3D

2 . Enter your name and email address.

3. Enter the meeting password: Education1!

4. Click “Join Now”.

To view in other time zones or languages, please click the link: https://nasa.webex.com/nasa/j.php?ED=137387092&UID=0&PW=NODA4OThjOTBl&ORT=MiMxMQ%3D%3D

To join the teleconference: 1. Dial-in number: 888-917-8043 2. Participant passcode: SoI Partners

Response Due Date

The response due date for this announcement is 12:00 PM eastern, Friday, September 3, 2010.

Responses to this announcement should be submitted in Adobe PDF format by email only to: soipartners@nasa.gov

Respondents will be sent an acknowledgement upon of the receipt of their materials. NASA’s stated goal is to notify respondents of outcome within eight weeks of the response date.

Evaluation Criteria

In addition to the three threshold requirements, NASA will select partners based on the following evaluation criteria:

  • Likelihood proposed activity(ies) will help NASA achieve one or more SoI goals;
  • Ability of the respondent organization to provide the proposed activities during the stated timeline, taking into account the relevant experience and financial viability of the organization; and
  • Ability to measure success of the proposed activity.

Definitions

Underrepresented Minority: Refers to persons from racial and ethnic groups whose enrollment in STEM education or participation in STEM professions is much smaller than that group’s representation in the general population. African Americans, Hispanics/ Latinos, and Native Americans and Pacific Islanders currently fit this definition.

Underserved: Often used interchangeably with “underrepresented,” particularly as it relates to the sciences and engineering. Specifically, it is used to promote access and opportunity to persons of diverse backgrounds– racial, ethnic, gender, religious, age, sexual orientation, disabled, and other populations with limited access–to decent and affordable housing, gainful employment, and other services. In the STEM area, “underserved” has typically referred to women and persons with disabilities.

Underperforming: Refers to students with low academic performance.

Comments and Questions To send a comment or ask a question about this announcement, please send e-mail to: soipartners@nasa.gov

Point of Contact Dovie Lacy Summer of Innovation Project Manager (202) 358-7229 soipartners@nasa.gov

The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12.

All responsible sources may submit an offer which shall be considered by the agency.

The anticipated release date of the AO is on or about August 2, 2010 with an anticipated offer due date of on or about September 3, 2010.

[OMBUDSMAN STATEMENT IS REQUIRED] NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. The installation Ombudsman is James Balinskas, James.A.Balinskas@nasa.gov, (202) 358-3083 (X).

Point of Contact

Name: Dovie Lacy
Title: NASA Summer of Innovation Project Manager
Phone: 202-358-7229
Fax: 202-358-7097
Email: soipartners@nasa.gov

SpaceRef staff editor.