NASA Presolicitation Notice: Mission Support Operations Contract (MSOC)
General Information
Document Type: Presolicitation Notice
Solicitation Number: NNJ06ZBH301R
Posted Date: Jun 10, 2005
Original Response Date: Jul 24, 2005
Current Response Date: Jul 24, 2005
Original Archive Date: Jun 10, 2006
Current Archive Date: Jun 10, 2006
Classification Code: 99 — Miscellaneous
Naics Code: 541710 — Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences
Contracting Office Address
NASA/Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston Texas, 77058-3696, Mail Code: BH
Description
NASA/JSC has a requirement for Human Space Flight Mission Services that includes providing mission operations and planning ground systems in support of space flight programs. The Mission Control Center (MCC), Integrated Planning System (IPS), and the Houston Support Room/Backup Command and Control Center in Russia, are currently used to accomplish this function. In addition, ground system services for JSC’s Emergency Operations Center along with Space Communications Integration are provided.
NASA/JSC intends to purchase these services from Lockheed Martin Space Operations Company (LMSOC) through an extension of the Mission Support Operations Contract (MSOC), NAS9-03056.
The period of performance for the MSOC extension is October 1, 2006, through September 30, 2008, plus three 1-year options for services through September 30, 2011. The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), as contemplated by the provisions of FAR 6.302-1.
This provision states that full and open competition need not be provided for when the services required by the agency are available from only the original source in the case of a follow-on contract for the continued provision of highly specialized services. The provision also states that this exception is applicable when it is likely that award to any other source would result in substantial duplication of cost to the Government that is not expected to be recovered through competition or there would be unacceptable delays in fulfilling the Agency’s requirements. The original Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition (JOFOC) for the current NAS 9-03056, MSOC, currently held by Lockheed Martin Space Operations Company was approved by the NASA Administrator on June 3, 2003, and issued pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1). Due to the fact that LMSOC was the original developer of the systems in the MCC and IPS and now operates these facilities, they are uniquely qualified to provide support for critical International Space Station (ISS) Assembly Complete services.
This unique support is also required during Space Shuttle operations activities supporting ISS assembly operations.
It is recognized Space Shuttle operation and ISS Assembly activities are extremely critical activities for NASA. Any other source besides LMSOC would require an extensive learning period before full operations could be assumed, which is not acceptable to the Government during the critical Space Shuttle operations and ISS Assembly Complete service periods. The consistency provided by the developer of the software for these functions can only be provided by LMSOC.
This consistency is required by the Government for these functions, and the safety risk to the Government associated with transitioning a new contractor can not be accepted at this time due to the criticality of these functions.
NASA plans to use the Space Shuttle to complete the assembly of the ISS. The ISS assembly schedule is tightly constrained with the Space Shuttle retirement in 2010, or earlier. The schedule margin that would be required for a competitive selection and potentially incorporating a new space operations contractor into the program would not support the ISS assembly schedule. Competition of the Space Shuttle and ISS space operations requirements could also lead to the loss of knowledgeable personnel introducing risk to both the Space Shuttle and ISS programs. Because of these considerations, including the unacceptable costs and delays that would be incurred to conduct a competition and/or select a different contractor, the potential benefits from competition do not justify accepting these substantial risks to the Space Shuttle and ISS programs.
The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12. See Note 26. See note 22.
Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice. All responsible sources may submit an offer which shall be considered by the agency. An Ombudsman has been appointed.
See NASA Specific Note “B”. Any referenced notes may be viewed at the following URLs linked below.
Point of Contact
Linda S. Dunn, Contract Specialist, Phone (281) 244-5351, Fax (281) 244-5337, Email linda.s.dunn@nasa.gov – Caroline M. Root, Contracting Officer, Phone (281) 483-4140, Fax (281) 483-4173, Email caroline.m.root@nasa.gov
Email your questions to Linda S. Dunn at linda.s.dunn@nasa.gov
