NASA ARC Solicitation: Partnership Software for NASA

Synopsis/Solicitation Combo – Apr 10, 2007
PARTNERSHIP

SOFTWARE FOR NASA – Posted on Apr 10, 2007

General Information

Solicitation Number: NNA07197065Q-AMR
Posted Date: Apr 10, 2007
FedBizOpps Posted Date: Apr 10, 2007
Original Response Date: Apr 24, 2007
Current Response Date: Apr 24, 2007
Classification Code: D — Information technology services, incl. telecom services
NAICS Code: 541511 – Custom Computer Programming Services
Set-Aside Code: Total Small Business

Contracting Office Address

NASA/Ames Research Center, JA:M/S 241-1, Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000

Description

This notice is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; offers are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This notice is being issued as a Request for Quotations (RFQ) for the opportunity to develop and provide a software package designed to support collaborative, online interactions before, during, and after conferences in support of NASA work*. The first use of this software package will be at the Participatory Exploration Summit at NASA Ames Research Center tentatively scheduled for June 22, 2007.

The software will be developed as a module for an open source Content Management System (CMS) and after this conference the software package will be released to the open source community. The functionality of the software will potentially be extended to support exclusive project development groups supporting NASA-related activities.

Successful collaborations between NASA and the external community will often be catalyzed through live conference participation, but will also require a significant amount of online participation. In order to facilitate these new partnerships between NASA and other entities, Partnership Software will be required for innovative online collaboration, before, during, and after a conference. It will leverage new “Web 2.0” online tools, which include collaborative technologies such as wikis that allow users to collaboratively create and edit content on websites. This envisioned software will enable groups to initiate discussion before an offline conference event and enhance the capture and publication of content created at an offline conference event.

In accordance with the mission of NASA’s Innovative Partnerships Program, Partnership Software will foster unique joint ventures with the entrepreneurial community in support of NASA’s goals. NASA Ames proposes to acquire a Partnership Software package, as described below, to facilitate conferences and subsequent projects, including those in support of innovative endeavors like NASA CoLab. The first demonstration of this technology will be at the proposed Participatory Exploration Summit in June 2007.

After the first demonstrated use of this Partnership Software, the software package will be released to the open source community. There will then be the option of extending the baseline software development contract and expanding the functionality of the software package to support project development groups in association with NASA, subject to availability of funding. The Project Facilitation Tool will extend the baseline conference software and facilitate project incubation and implementation, and allow discussions to flow into idea and concept development, eventually leading to project team formation and finally resulting in concrete fundable project proposals and even rapid early stage vetting and execution of certain projects.

Once extended in this fashion, the envisioned software would support a full “life-cycle” of supporting online communities of practice that maximize the value derived from investments in offline conference events: it will enable groups to initiate discussion before an offline conference event, enhance the capturing and publishing of content created at an offline conference event, and will support the formation of team and ongoing work by these teams on projects that are catalyzed by the conference event.

DELIVERABLES: (1) PES website live by June 1, 2007 and conference event support. The organization selected to develop and provide the Partnership Software will provide technical support of a specified amount of hours prior to the event, during the event, and after the event. Prior to the PES, the organization developing the software will work with the PES organizers to ensure the core functionality of the conference website as detailed in the Appendix. For the first demonstration of the Partnership Software at the PES, the organization selected to develop the Partnership Software will provide support live at the event, on June 22, 2007. After the PES, the organization that developed the software will ensure full functionality of the conference website, as detailed in the Appendix. (2) Package software for open source community. Package the software within an active open source software community including extensive documentation of the code, and a step by step installation and configuration guide and instructions for effective use by end users who are not programmers.

ESTIMATED TIMELINE:

Proposals Due: April 24, 2007 Proposal Selection Panel Review: May 1, 2007 Contractor Selection Announced: May 4, 2007 Beta of Website and Conference Tool completed: May 25, 2007 Launch Website: June 1, 2007 First Demonstration of Partnership Software Package, at the Participatory Exploration Summit at NASA Ames: June 22, 2007 Partnership Software released to open source community: June 30, 2007

*SEE ATTACHED STATEMENT OF WORK FOR FULL DESCRIPTION AND REQUIREMENTS.

The provisions and clauses in the RFQ are those in effect through FAC 05-16.

This procurement is a total small business set-aside. See Note 1.

The NAICS Code and the small business size standard for this procurement are 541511 and $23.0m respectively. The offeror shall state in their offer their size status for this procurement.

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

Delivery to NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035 is required within the estimated time line listed above. Delivery shall be FOB Destination.

The DPAS rating for this procurement is DO-C9.

Offers for the items(s) described above are due by April, 24, 2007, 3:00PM PST to the contract specialist, Janessa Langford, by any of the following: mailed to NASA Ames Research Center, m/s 241-1, Building 241, Room 202, Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000, Attn: Janessa Langford, or e-mailed in PDF to: jlangford@mail.arc.nasa.gov; and must include, solicitation number, FOB destination to this Center, proposed delivery schedule, discount/payment terms, warranty duration (if applicable), taxpayer identification number (TIN), identification of any special commercial terms, and be signed by an authorized company representative. Offerors are encouraged to use the Standard Form 1449, Solicitation/Contract/Order for Commercial as attached.

The FAR may be obtained via the Internet at URL: http://www.acquisition.gov/far/index.html

Offerors shall provide the information required by FAR 52.212-1 (JAN 2006), Instructions to Offerors-Commercial, which is incorporated by reference.

If the end product(s) offered is other than domestic end product(s) as defined in the clause entitled “Buy American Act — Supplies,” the offeror shall so state and shall list the country of origin.

FAR 52.212-5 (MARCH 2007), Contract Terms and Conditions Required To Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items is applicable and the following identified clauses are incorporated by reference: 52.227-11, 52.227-14, 52.227-17

FAR 52.204-9 (NOV 2006), Personal Identity Verification of Contractor Personnel is applicable.

FAR 52.217-7 (MAR 1989), Option for Increased Quantity-Separately Priced Line Item is applicable and listed below in full text. The Government may require the delivery of the numbered line item, identified in the Schedule as an option item, in the quantity and at the price stated in the Schedule. The Contracting Officer may exercise the option by written notice to the Contractor within 15 days. Delivery of added items shall continue at the same rate that like items are called for under the contract, unless the parties otherwise agree. (End of clause)

The NFS may be obtained via the Internet at URL: http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/regs/nfstoc.htm Offerors shall provide the information required by FAR 52.212-1 (JAN 2006), Instruction to Offerrors-Commercial, which is incorporated by reference.

The following NASA FAR supplement (NFS) clauses are applicable: NFS 1852.215-84 Ombudsman, (Insert: Lewis Braxton, (650) 604-5068) October 2003; NFS 1852.223-72, Safety and Health (Short Form) April 2002; NFS 1852.237-73, Release of Sensitive Information (June 2005); NFS 1852.227-11, Patent Rights—Retention by the Contractor (Short Form) (March 2007); NFS 1852.227-14, Rights In Data—General (March 2007); NFS 1852.227-17, Rights in Data- Special Works (March 2007).

The following ARC clauses are applicable and listed below in full text:

ARC Clause Development and Use of Open Source Software (April 2007)

The Government intends to release the software (including documentation) developed under this contract in an “Open Source” manner. See the Open Source Initiative web site, http://opensource.org/ for the definition of Open Source software. The Open Source release of the software shall be done in compliance with NASA Policy Requirement (NPR) 2210.1A External Release of NASA Software, with the contractor assigning copyright in the software (including documentation) to the Government.

As part of the Open Source release of software developed under this contract, it is a goal, though not a requirement, to use the NASA Open Source Agreement (NOSA) as the Open Source software license. The NOSA may be found at the following web site: http://opensource.arc.nasa.gov/license.jsp

It is anticipated that the software developed under this contract may be enhancements (bug fixes, feature additions) to existing Open Source software, such software being covered by an external software license. Some licenses require further development/enhancement of the external Open Source software be covered by that particular external software license (e.g., GNU General Public License (GPL)), making the external software license not compatible with the NOSA. The choice to further develop and release Open Source software that is governed by an external software license that is not compatible with the NOSA shall be made deliberately in consultation with the Government task manager and Patent Counsel prior to any development of software under this contract.

All contractual and technical questions must be in writing (e-mail) to the contract specialist, Janessa Langford not later than April 17, 2007. Telephone questions will not be accepted. In the event that the primary point of contact above is unreachable the secondary point of contact, Carlos Torrez can be contacted via email at ctorrez@mail.arc.nasa.gov no later than April 17, 2007.

Selection and award will be made to that offeror whose offer will be most advantageous to the Government, with consideration given to the factors of proposed technical merit, price, and past performance. It is critical that offerors provide adequate detail to allow evaluation of their offer. (SEE FAR 52.212-1(b)).

(1) Offerors must include completed copies of the provision at 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications – Commercial Items with their offer. These may be obtained via the internet at URL: http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/eps/Templates/Commercial_Greater_Than_25K.doc . These representations and certifications will be incorporated by reference in any resultant contract. Please indicate on quotation if the vendor’s Representations and Certification have been entered at ORCA.

(2) Offerors must be currently registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR). Further information about CCR can be accessed at http://www.ccr.gov .

(3) Offerors must submit a completed ACH form with their quotation, including their banking information for electronic funds transfer (EFT) of any future invoice payment. An ACH form is available at: http://www.fms.treas.gov/pdf/3881.pdf

(4) All successful offerors must file a 2006 VETS-100 Report with the US Department of Labor, http://vets.dol.gov/vets100/

An ombudsman has been appointed — See NASA Specific Note “B”.

Prospective offerors shall notify this office of their intent to submit an offer. It is the offeror’s responsibility to monitor the following Internet site for the release of solicitation amendments (if any): http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eps/bizops.cgi?gr=D&pin=21 . Potential offerors will be responsible for downloading their own copy of this combination synopsis/solicitation and amendments (if any).

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

Point of Contact

Name: Janessa M Langford
Title: Contract Specialist
Phone: 650-604-3558
Fax: 650-604-0932
Email: Janessa.M.Langford@nasa.gov