NASA MSFC FY 12 Technology Demonstration Missions BAA
Synopsis – Jan 18, 2012
General Information
Solicitation Number: NNM12ZZP03K
Posted Date: Jan 18, 2012
FedBizOpps Posted Date: Jan 18, 2012
Recovery and Reinvestment Act Action: No
Original Response Date: Apr 30, 2012
Current Response Date: Apr 30, 2012
Classification Code: A — Research and Development
NAICS Code: 541712
Contracting Office Address
NASA/George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, Procurement Office, Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812
Description
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Marshall Space Flight Center is releasing a FY12 Technology Demonstration Missions (TDM) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) in support of the Office of Chief Technologist (OCT). The BAA will be available on or about February 1, 2012, by opening the NASA Research Opportunities homepage at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ and then linking through the menu listings “Solicitations” to “Open Solicitations.” The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12.
This announcement solicits proposals for the demonstration of space technologies that provide new system-level technological capabilities. OCT TDM is seeking to identify candidate crosscutting, system-level technologies to be demonstrated in the relevant environment such as ground, air, suborbital or orbital regimes. A key requirement in this program is that the technology under consideration must clearly be crosscutting. Crosscutting is defined as a technology with potential to benefit more than one customer, where a customer can be a NASA Mission Directorate, another government agency, academia, or the aerospace industry.
Specifically, “system-level technologies” implies an integrated system with mission capability and not component-level demonstrations. OCT is seeking new capability demonstrations that advance the technology readiness of the selected systems, provide tangible, innovative technology products, are cost effective, and capture significant public interest and awareness. The candidate technology must be mature, at least Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 at the time of the proposal submission and the proposed demonstration must raise the technology readiness of the new capability to TRL 7 or higher, such that it may be infused into the critical path for future missions.
This announcement solicits technology demonstration proposals in the following focused technology area:
Demonstrations of Propulsion Systems Utilizing Green Propellant Alternatives to Hydrazine: Utilization of hydrazine fuel for rockets, satellites, and spacecraft is pervasive. Hydrazine systems are used extensively for primary and reaction control in-space propulsion applications, as well as for power and reaction control for launch vehicles. Efficient propulsive performance and long duration storage attributes have made the use of hydrazine widespread across the aerospace community. However, hydrazine is highly corrosive and toxic, creating a need for non-toxic, high performance propellants for NASA, DoD, academia, and the commercial space industry. Propellants that greatly reduce the handling hazards of hydrazine have been under development for many years and have been termed “green propellants”, a general name for a family of propellants (liquid, solid, mono- or bi-propellants, hybrids) which offer safer handling conditions and lower environmental impact.
Beyond decreasing environmental hazards and pollutants, promising aspects of green propellants also include reduced systems complexity, fewer operational hazards, and decreased launch processing times – while increasing propellant performance. The utilization of green propellants also promises benefits in terms of overall life cycle cost reduction, contributing to lower costs of access to space. Research and development in the U.S. and Europe has produced several new green propellant candidates that show tremendous promise.
This topic area solicits demonstrations of fully integrated, system-level propulsive and power generation capabilities utilizing less toxic, easier to handle propellant alternatives to hydrazine. Demonstrations of a hydrazine monopropellant alternative application in at least one of the following classes: in-space RCS, in-space primary propulsion, launch vehicle RCS or launch vehicle power generation are desired. Consideration of more than one application as part of the proposal is desired. The proposal may also include bipropellant applications as a growth of the base monopropellant system, demonstrating a higher ISP hybrid capability. Demonstrations of complete propulsion and power generation systems including such items as engines, tanks, valves, injectors, thrust chambers, feed and control systems are desired.
Demonstrations may include one or more thrust and/or power generation classes. Proposals should include the design development, characterization, testing, analyses that validate the characteristics and performance in terms of: ISP; volume ISP; ignition reliability; flame stability; throttle ability and restart ability; operations reliability across a range of system pressure and temperature conditions; propellant and system processing, handling and operational safety; hazard and toxicity; and component and system life duration.
The anticipated release date of the BAA is on or about February 1, 2012. Proposals shall be submitted electronically, and all proposers shall use NASA’s proposal data system, NSPIRES (http://nspires.nasaprs.com ).
In addition, the electronic proposals must be submitted by an authorized official of the proposing organization. Participation is open to all categories of organizations, including educational institutions, industry, nonprofit organizations, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs), the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), NASA Centers, and other Government agencies. Every organization that intends to submit a proposal in response to this BAA must be registered with NSPIRES, and such registration must identify the authorized organizational representative(s) who will submit the electronic proposal. Potential proposers and proposing organizations are urged to access the electronic proposal system(s) well in advance of the proposal due date(s) to familiarize themselves with its structure and enter the requested information. Specific proposal submission deadline dates, evaluation criteria, and submission information will be identified in the BAA. Proposals will be due on April 30, 2012. Awards based on this solicitation are contingent on availability of appropriated funds. The NAICS Code and Size Standard are 541712 and 1000 employees, respectively.
All responsible sources may submit an offer which shall be considered by the agency.
NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. The installation Ombudsman is Robin Henderson, DE01, George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, MSFC, AL 35812, telephone (256)544-1919, fax (256)544-7920, email: Robin.N.Henderson@nasa.gov.
It is the offeror’s responsibility to monitor the Internet site for the release of the solicitation and amendments (if any). Potential offerors will be responsible for downloading their own copy of the solicitation and amendments (if any).
All contractual technical questions must be submitted in writing to Melnda E Dodson, PS51, MSFC, AL 35812 or by email at melinda.e.dodson@nasa.gov Telephone questions will not be accepted.
Point of Contact
Name: Melinda E. Dodson
Title: Contracting Officer
Phone: 256-961-7454
Fax: 256-961-7524
Email: Melinda.E.Dodson@nasa.gov
Name: Mark R. Stiles
Title: Contracting Officer
Phone: 256-544-0381
Fax: 256-544-6062
Email: mark.r.stiles@nasa.gov
