NASA ARC Solicitation: Sources Sought Special Notice 2010
Synopsis – Jan 22, 2010
General Information
Solicitation Number: N/A
Reference Number: NNA1012345L
Posted Date: Jan 22, 2010
FedBizOpps Posted Date: Jan 22, 2010
Recovery and Reinvestment Act Action: No
Original Response Date: N/A
Current Response Date: N/A
Classification Code: A — Research and Development
NAICS Code: 541712 – Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
Contracting Office Address
NASA/Ames Research Center, JA:M/S 241-1, Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000
Description
This synopsis replaces and updates NNA0912345L posted on June 1, 2009.
NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) is seeking partners interested in developing competitive proposals in response to NASA Announcements of Opportunity (AOs). ARC is interested in partners that can perform science investigations and research activities. Information is also sought on potential partners that, in addition to performing substantial research, can provide hardware, equipment or instrumentation necessary to implement that proposed science investigation or research activity.
NASA selects and procures scientific investigations (missions) through the NASA Announcement of Opportunity (AO) Process. A single Principal Investigator (PI) leads a mission investigation team. The PI may be from any category of Government or non-Government institution, including educational institutions, industry or nonprofit organizations, or from one of the NASA Centers, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), other federally funded research and development centers, or other U.S. Government agencies. The mission team may be formed from any combination of these institutions. ARC may respond to an AO in either a lead or support role.
This synopsis/special notice may be posted annually, and may be updated more frequently as information becomes available regarding ARC’s specific interests. ARC is currently considering responding at a minimum to the AOs identified below:
Discovery Program – NNH09ZDA009J. The draft AO planned to be released by NASA Headquarters in January, 2010. POC at ARC: Mary Walsh – Mary.E.Walsh@nasa.gov, (650)604-1405.
Explorer Program – The AO is planned for release by NASA Headquarters in late summer/early fall 2010.
Special Notice Response Instructions
Potential partners are encouraged to submit written questions to the identified POC. 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 15 pages total; shorter responses are encouraged; 2) Use an Arial font text with a size not smaller than 12 point; 3) Address all requirements listed; and 4) Provide a Point of Contact to address questions from NASA.
Potential partners may submit their responses at any time. However, ARC reserves the right to complete its evaluation of responses for each planned AO in a time frame necessary to support timely submission of the AO proposal.
1 paper copy of each written response, with an electronic (PDF format) copy on CD must be submitted to the POC listed above, Mary.E.Walsh@nasa.gov. The paper copy & CD should be mailed to:
Mary Walsh New Business Services Center Lead NASA Ames Research Center Mailstop 244-14 Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000
ARC reserves the right to hold optional oral presentations with potential partners. Presentations 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.
This synopsis is for information and planning purposes and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government pay for information solicited. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation.
Criteria for Selection of Partner(s)
Responses will serve as the basis for selection.
Responders shall identify which of the proposed AOs they would seek to partner with Ames. ARC will evaluate the responses based on their alignment with the Agency’s goals, compliance with the AO requirements, feasibility of the concepts, and their match to Ames’ capabilities.
The criteria for evaluation are listed in relative order of importance below:
For Science Investigations and Research Ideas, please provide:
1. Research topics or mission concepts of interest, and why the topic is relevant to the particular AO; 2. Concept of roles for responder’s organization and for NASA Ames in the mission; 3. Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost for the mission concept; and 4. Resources (skills and time) that the responder would contribute to a potential proposal development phase.
For Science Investigations and Research Implementation, in addition to the information requested above (items 1-4), please provide:
5. Concept of overall mission operations; 6. Payload and mission element capabilities the responder has to offer; 7. Particularly critical or challenging areas overcome in previous work; 8. Any spacecraft bus relevance and compliance to the applicable mission class (Class A, B, C, or D); 7. Responder’s current capabilities for Integration & Test (I&T) flow for the spacecraft and payload(s); 8. Responder’s available support facilities for spacecraft and/or payload(s), such as fabrication, I & T, storage. 9. ROM schedules and costs for spacecraft and instrument development; and 10. Skills available to support the mission phases.
Responses should include the following:
Name and address of company or organization; Point of contact – address, website or email address, and phone number; Which type of partnership the responder is interested (Science Investigations and Research Ideas or Science Investigations and Research Implementation); Answers to the relevant questions listed above; and a list of relevant partners/customers over the past five years, highlighting work performed.
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), and Potential teaming partners.
No solicitation exists; therefore, please do not request a copy of a solicitation. If a solicitation is released it will be synopsized in FedBizOpps and on the NASA Acquisition Internet Service. It is the responder’s responsibility to monitor these sites for the release of any solicitation or synopsis.
Information about major upcoming ARC procurement actions is available at http://ec.msfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eis/admin/admin.cgi?center=ARC
Acronyms List
AO — Announcement of Opportunity ARC — Ames Research Center I & T – Integration and Test NASA — National Aeronautics and Space Administration PI – Principal Investigator POC — Point of Contact ROM — Rough Order of Magnitude
Technical questions should be directed to: Mary.Walsh@nasa.gov.
Procurement related questions should be directed to the POC listed below.
Point of Contact
Name: Kelly G Kaplan
Title: Contracting Officer
Phone: 650-604-5814
Fax: 650-604-0912
Email: kelly.g.kaplan@nasa.gov
Name: Rachel Khattab
Title: Contracting Officer
Phone: 650-604-5237
Fax: 650-604-3020
Email: rachel.khattab@nasa.gov
