NASA Geostationary Hosted Payload Opportunities and Accommodations
Synopsis – Apr 09, 2014
General Information
Solicitation Number: NNA14ZBN001L
Posted Date: Apr 09, 2014
FedBizOpps Posted Date: Apr 09, 2014
Recovery and Reinvestment Act Action: No
Original Response Date: May 16, 2014
Current Response Date: May 16, 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 Geostationary (GEO) Hosted Payload Opportunities (HPO) 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 Geostationary Orbit (GEO) and Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO).
Background: NASA Ames will be developing mission concepts, some of which may be suitable to fly as hosted payloads on spacecraft going to GTO, GEO or RetroGEO and deep space destinations. We are considering various missions including those missions that would act as ride along throughout the life of the mission and for payloads that would separate from the host. In an effort to facilitate matching mission concepts to HPOs, Ames will work with industry, academia, and other governmental agencies to develop mission concepts. We are interested in identifying HPOs, and their associated accommodations, for future missions in order to integrate with our current set of mission concepts.
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.
1) a description of available HPO payload accommodations on future GEO HPOs 2) information on the most prudent steps required to develop a hosted payload mission. 3) identify your organization’s HPOs for the period of 2016-2026 with their associated mission parameters including: Mission Name, Launch Date, Owner/Operator Spacecraft Bus Manufacturer, Spacecraft Bus Model, Launch Vehicle, Orbital Longitude, any data not currently available 4) a description of what Payload Accommodation and Interface resources your HPOs can provide to a prospective hosted payload without significant modifications to your nominal manufacturing, integration, test and launch processes. 5) a description of the environment the prospective hosted payload might expect to encounter: Payload Accommodation Parameters and Interface Maximum Payload Mass Available without System Redesign Maximum Payload Orbital Average Power, Volume (l x w x h), Sensor Mounting Location on Spacecraft (e.g. Nadir, Zenith, Ram, Wake, North, South, East, West), Command and Control Interface (Ethernet, CAN, RS-422, SpaceWire, etc.) with average and peak data rates, Payload-to-Transponder Interface (RS-422, SpaceWire, etc.) for Science Data Transmission with average and peak data rates 6) a description of the host spacecraft constraints or preferences for digital formats most suitable for conversion to Radio Frequency (RF) in system architecture Payload command and control encryption requirement Pointing Control, Pointing Knowledge, Pointing Stability, Limitations with respect to payload-induced uncompensated torques by frequency , Typical Integration and Test Facility Cleanliness [Cleanroom Class], Thermal Rejection ,Payload Environment Temper 7) a description of Range, Quasi-static load, Minimum resonant frequency, Random vibration and acoustic load, Shock environment, Disturbance torque, RF Field Electro Magnetic Interference/ Electro Magnetic Compatability/ Electro Static Discharge (EMI/EMC/ESD), Molecular contamination as a function of mission elapsed time and hosted payload location. 8) 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.) 9) information related to the concept of operating hosted payload, including communications architecture Safety and mission assurance requirements levied upon hosted payload.
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 launch vehicle payloads with proven technical and cost performance.
Also, if applicable- Depth of experience in launch vehicle and launch vehicle payload management/development, including but not limited to: quality management, safety management, materials and processes/contamination control, payload integration and test support, observatory functional and environmental testing, shipment to the launch site, launch vehicle integration support, preparations for and the conduct of launch and early orbit checkout operations, on-orbit operation support, and sustaining engineering support including flight software maintenance.
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. 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 May 16, 2014. Please reference NNA14ZBN001L in your response.
Technical questions should be directed to belgacem.a.jaroux@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.
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 offerors 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.
Any referenced notes may be viewed at the following URLs linked below.
Point of Contact
Name: Rachel Khattab
Title: Contracting Officer
Phone: 650-604-5237
Fax: 650-604-3020
Email: rachel.khattab@nasa.gov
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