NASA Solicitation: Edison Small Satellite Flight Demonstration Missions

Synopsis – Jan 08, 2012

General Information

Solicitation Number: NNA12ZD0001K
Posted Date: Jan 08, 2012
FedBizOpps Posted Date: Jan 08, 2012
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

Contracting Office Address

NASA/Ames Research Center, JA:M/S 241-1, Moffett Field, CA 94035-0001

Description

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ames Research Center (ARC) is releasing a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for Edison Small Satellite Flight Demonstration Missions in support of the Office of Chief Technologist (OCT). The BAA will be available on or around January 23, 2012, by opening the NASA Research Opportunities homepage at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ and then linking through the menu listings to “Open Solicitations.”

NASA, through this BAA, plans to seek proposals for low-cost, flight demonstrations for small satellite technology. This procurement will accelerate the development of small spacecraft capabilities for NASA, commercial, and other space sector users. Successful proposals will provide a compelling infusion strategy that ensures that the proposed technology will find active utility after the completion of the flight demonstration mission.

The small spacecraft demonstration missions under the Edison Program are intended to flight- validate one or more small spacecraft subsystem technologies or mission capabilities with game-changing and/or crosscutting potential, specifically maturation from NASA Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 5 or 6 to TRL 7. Attachment A provides official definitions for NASA’s Technology Readiness Levels. Game-changing technologies are defined as subsystems or mission capabilities that are a major advance over the current state-of-the-art or that represent the creation of a previously non-existent small spacecraft capability. Crosscutting technologies are defined as subsystems or mission capabilities with applicability to more than one potential small spacecraft user in the space sector, including NASA Mission Directorates or other civil, commercial, and/or national security users.

The topic areas of interest in this solicitation will be limited to demonstrations of communications systems for small satellites, proximity operations with small satellites, and propulsion systems for Cubesat-scale spacecraft. NASA anticipates that these small spacecraft missions will be launched as secondary payloads or hosted payloads with other spacecraft missions but may eventually include dedicated launches as primary payloads on very small launch vehicles, if and when these launch vehicles come into existence. The use of Government-furnished secondary launch and hosted payload capabilities may be proposed. Proposers may also propose their own secondary launch or hosted payload capability.

Through this BAA, NASA anticipates funding two types of demonstration missions: Subsystem Flight Validation (SFV) missions and Mission Capability Demonstrations (MCDs). SFV missions take advantage of the accessibility and affordability of small spacecraft to rapidly flight-validate novel small spacecraft subsystems without necessarily attempting to demonstrate an overall mission capability. MCDs advance the state-of-the-art capabilities in small spacecraft, demonstrating how small spacecraft can be used to perform more capable or less costly missions than larger spacecraft or even to create new mission capabilities.

SFV missions must complete design, development, testing and evaluation within two years. MCDs must complete design, development, testing and evaluation within three years. NASA funding for SFV missions is limited to a maximum of $10 million, while funding for MCDs is limited to $15M, with both dependent upon funding availability. Missions that require less funding are encouraged.

There will be a two-step proposal process. Proposers will be required to submit an Executive Summary on or around February 24, 2012. Full proposals will be due on or around May 4, 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.

It is anticipated that fixed price and/or cost reimbursement contracts may be awarded through this solicitation. An appropriate interagency or intra-agency agreement will be used for awardees of Federal entities.

Awards based on this solicitation are contingent on availability of appropriated funds.

Obtain additional programmatic information from: http://www.nasa.gov/offices/oct/crosscutting_capability/edison/index.html

The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12.

The NAICS Code and Size Standard are 541712 and 1,000 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 Deborah Feng, email deb.feng@nasa.gov, (650)604-0256.

It is the offeror’s responsibility to monitor the NSPIRES 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 questions must be submitted by email to the POC listed below. Questions will not be accepted by telephone.

Point of Contact

Name: Rachel Khattab
Title: Contracting Officer
Phone: 650-604-5237
Fax: 650-604-3020
Email: rachel.khattab@nasa.gov

Name: Marianne Shelley
Title: Contracting Officer
Phone: 650-604-4179
Fax: 650-604-3020
Email: marianne.shelley@nasa.gov