NASA JSC Solicitation Notice: Open Innovation Support Services

Synopsis/Solicitation Combo – Aug 19, 2009

General Information

Solicitation Number: NNJ09304631R
Posted Date: Aug 19, 2009
FedBizOpps Posted Date: Aug 19, 2009
Recovery and Reinvestment Act Action: No
Original Response Date: Aug 28, 2009
Current Response Date: Aug 28, 2009
Classification Code: A — Research and Development
NAICS Code: 541990 – All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

Contracting Office Address

NASA/Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston Texas, 77058-3696, Mail Code: BH

Description

This notice is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial services/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; a separate solicitation will not be issued.

NASA/Johnson Space Center (JSC) has a requirement for an Open Innovation Service Provider with an extensive external network that can be used to introduce collaboration opportunities to the public. Specifically, NASA JSC is looking for an offeror that supports a network of experts that can facilitate solutions to a vast array of issues and challenges facing the future of human health and performance in spaceflight. Challenges are of varied type and difficulty and could include technological, biological, or human modeling needs. The potential offeror will provide NASA JSC with the methodology and infrastructure to facilitate Open Innovation within the organization and for solutions to outsourced challenges or problems.

NASA JSC is seeking to establish initial success criteria with pilot participation of up to 6 challenges/problem statements. The potential offeror will be required to provide full support to NASA JSC for development, review and vetting, maintenance of challenge statement and award to winning solution provider. If process training is necessary, the potential offeror must be prepared to provide all training presentations and materials to NASA JSC for a minimum team size of 10 personnel. This training will be expected to be delivered onsite at NASA JSC in Houston, Texas. The potential offeror will also be required to submit a final evaluation report of the initial challenge pilot postings, outlining strengths and weaknesses and areas for improvement if continued collaboration were to be considered. Examples of the types of challenges/problem statements considered by NASA JSC are: real time acoustic monitoring, medication and medical consumable tracking system, 02 concentrator, computer based technology that supports consistency checking for design of automated systems in the design phase, extended-life cheese product, and food packaging systems that reduce oxygen content in final package to less than 1%.

Responses to this solicitation are to be broken up into two sections, technical and cost. Responses are limited to 15 pages. The page limitations do not apply to the cost portion of the responses. A page is defined as one side of a sheet, 8 1/2″ X 11″, with at least one-inch margins on all sides, using no smaller then 12-point font type, with the exception of no smaller than 10 point font for tables and figures.

The technical section of the responses shall include the following information: (1) 3 examples of successful challenges (i.e., challenges that ended with an award), (2) 3 examples of unsuccessful challenges (i.e., challenges that did not end in a reward and/or terminated early or re-scoped), (3) background on solution providers-description and number of solution providers within the network and community approach. This includes continued efforts and outreach for growing the network.

The cost section of the responses shall include detailed cost regarding: (1) Overhead/Enrollment/Member fee cost and the cycle of costs for collaboration, (2) Cost per challenge that is broken down for different challenge types and difficulty levels, (3) cost for continued support through the posting process, (4) cost for training/materials, and (5) travel costs to and from NASA JSC.

Responses shall address all of the information described above. Failure to do so could deem the response to be inadequate for evaluation purposes.

Responses will be evaluated on technical and cost merit. Technical merit is considered to be more important than cost. It is critical that offeror’s provide adequate detail to allow evaluation of their offer. (See FAR 52.212-1(b)).

This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; offers are being requested and a separate written solicitation will not be issued. Multiple awards may be made with this solicitation.

All contractual and technical questions must be in writing (via email) to Lamar Mueller at perry.l.mueller@nasa.gov no later than 12 noon local Houston time, August 21, 2009. Telephone questions will not be accepted.

Any referenced notes may be viewed at the following URLs linked below. It is the potential offeror’s responsibility to monitor these sites for the release of any updates.

The provisions and clauses in the RFP are those in effect through FAC 2005-36.

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

Offeror’s for the service(s)/items described above are due NLT 12:00 PM CST on August 28, 2009, to Ann E. Bronson @ ann.e.bronson@nasa.gov and must include solicitation number, discount/payment terms, taxpayer identification number (TIN), and be signed by an authorized company representative.

Offeror’s shall provide the information required by FAR 52.212-1 (June 2008). Instructions to Offeror’s-Commercial Items, which is incorporated by reference. Addenda to FAR 52.212-1 are as follows:

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 52.212-4 (MAR 2009), Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Item is applicable. Addenda to FAR 52.212.4 are as follows:

FAR 52.212-5 (AUG 2009), Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items is applicable and the following identified clauses are incorporated by reference: 52.222-3, 52.222-19, 52.222-21, 52.222-26, 52.222-36, 52.225-1, 52.232-34.

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

The NFS may be obtained via the Internet at URL: http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/regs/nfstoc.htm

Offeror’s must include completed copies of the provision at 52.212-3 (AUG 2009), 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. The Government intends to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12 and the Simplified Acquisition Procedures set forth in FAR Part 13.

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

Prospective offeror’s 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=73 . Potential offeror’s 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: Ann E. Bronson
Title: Contracting Officer
Phone: 281-483-9889
Fax: 281-244-5331
Email: ann.e.bronson@nasa.gov

Name: Perry L Mueller
Title: Contract Specialist
Phone: 281-483-7158
Fax: 281-244-0995
Email: Perry.l.mueller@nasa.gov