NASA Solicitation: Opportunity for the Use of the International Space Station by U.S. Non-government Entitites for Research and Development and Indust
Synopsis – Aug 14, 2007
Announcement of Opportunity – Posted on Aug 14, 2007
General Information
Solicitation Number: N/A
Reference Number: NNH07ZSO002O
Posted Date: Aug 14, 2007
FedBizOpps Posted Date: Aug 14, 2007
Original Response Date: Sep 28, 2007
Current Response Date: Sep 28, 2007
Classification Code: A — Research and Development
NAICS Code: 541710 – Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences
Contracting Office Address
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA Headquarters Acquisition Branch, Code 210.H, Greenbelt, MD 20771
Description
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) plans to operate a share of U.S. accommodations on the International Space Station (ISS) as a national laboratory in accordance with the NASA Authorization Act of 2005. As a national laboratory, access to the ISS can be made available to other US government agencies, US private firms and academic institutions for research and development (R&D), and industrial processing purposes. This program is intended to commence following completion of ISS assembly in late FY 2010.
In preparation for the ISS post-assembly phase, NASA is announcing limited opportunities for U.S. non-government entities to conduct R&D activities on the ISS. Under this arrangement, NASA may enter into Space Act Agreements with such entities to allow access to NASA facilities, personnel and technical information as the need and situation warrants, however, there will be no provision of funds. Respondents will be responsible for financing their own activities.
Proposed activities should involve R&D, including, but not limited to, life sciences, sensors, communication equipment, and spacecraft design and testing, and should demonstrate potential benefit to the public, such as development of future products and services contributing to US industrial capacity and economic growth. This opportunity is not exclusive; NASA, at its discretion may negotiate with other parties for access to ISS for R&D purposes.
NASA intends to update and reissue this notice on a recurring basis, possibly biannually with 45-day closure periods.
This Announcement is open through September 28, 2007.
NASA will not issue paper copies of this announcement. NASA reserves the right to select for Space Act Agreement negotiations all, some, or none of the proposals submitted in response to this announcement. NASA provides no funding for reimbursement of proposal development costs. Material submitted in response to this Announcement will not be returned. It is the policy of NASA to safeguard all proposals as confidential and privileged information, as provided by law. NASA will not, without permission of the Offeror, use the proposal contents for other than evaluation purposes.
I. GENERAL INFORMATION
Agency Name: NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)
Opportunity Title: Opportunity for the use of the International Space Station by U.S. Non-Government Entities for Research and Development and Industrial Processing Purposes
Response Date: Electronic Proposals must be received by September 28, 2007 at 4:30 P.M. EST via email to jacob.keaton@nasa.gov
Points of Contact: If you have any questions concerning this opportunity please contact:
Jacob Keaton
Telephone: 202-358-1507
Email: jacob.keaton@nasa.gov
Jason Crusan
202-358-0635
Email: jason.crusan@nasa.gov
Instrument Type(s): It is anticipated that awards under this Opportunity will be in the form of Space Act Agreements, executed under the authority of 42 U.S.C. 2473(c)(5) and (6).
Evaluation Panel: Government personnel from NASA, other Federal agencies, and NASA contractors may participate in the evaluation of proposals. All contractor personnel participating in the evaluation will be bound by conflict of interest provisions and appropriate non-disclosure requirements to protect proprietary information.
Award Date: Selection is anticipated by November 16, 2007.
Submission Instructions: All Proposals under this Announcement must be emailed to jacob.keaton@nasa.gov. Paper submissions will not be reviewed. Proposals may be submitted at any time before the response date. You are encouraged to submit as early as practicable during this time period. Proposals received by the Government after the response date and time will not be accepted. If Offeror is concerned about information security during transmission NASA has the ability to accept secure transmission. Contact the Point of Contact for secure transmission requirements. Files can be submitted in MS Word, PDF, or RTF.
II. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
1. Eligible Applicants
All categories of U.S. non-government entities are eligible to submit proposals in response to this Announcement.
2. Foreign Participation
NASA is not accepting proposals from foreign entities.
III. EVALUATION INFORMATION
1. Basis for Award
Best overall considering the specified evaluation criteria and weighting. NASA reserves the right to suggest collaboration between Offerors where it will enhance the effort, in which case an Offeror will be given the opportunity to accept or decline participation with other Offerors prior to award.
2. Evaluation Criteria
The first step of the evaluation process will be an initial screening of proposals based upon the “Proposal Abstract” (as defined below). The Government will evaluate the Abstracts assessing the overall capability of the Offeror to meet the requirements and goals in the announcement.
Proposals favorably evaluated in the initial screening will move forward to a detailed evaluation, which will involve an evaluation of the entire proposal submitted. All information provided in the proposal will be evaluated. In addition, NASA reserves the right to assess information outside the proposal.
The evaluation factors below are of equal weighting during detailed evaluation.
Factor 1: Approach to Proposed Effort:
The overall merit, rationale, feasibility, and suitability of the proposed effort or concept and its relevance to research, development, or processing that access to the ISS provides. Highest priority will be placed on an approach or concept that will create substantial increases in the current state-of-the-art. Describe how the Offeror proposes to receive resulting data and/or samples from orbit.
Factor 2: Level of Benefit to the Public:
The proposed effort or concept’s anticipated benefit to the public in terms, such as development of future products and services contributing to U.S. industrial capacity and/or economic growth.
Factor 3: Level of Financial Commitment and Business Plan:
The description of the level of financial commitments under the proposed efforts, including any third party financing required. Include a brief business plan for the proposed efforts or how the proposed efforts contribute to existing business plans. A non-U.S. Government market is defined and is of sufficient size. The proposed space activity is essential to product research, development, or processing, and is targeted to an addressable market. A roadmap exists; it includes the essential activities to bring the product to market beyond the development space activities. In addition, describe all cargo to be transported between Earth and the ISS that your proposed efforts require and how your Business Plan addresses meeting those requirements including any sample return and disposition of the on-orbit equipment/payloads.
The Government will notify those Offerors whose proposals are not selected for further negotiation after the completion of the evaluation and will begin negotiations with those Offerors selected. The purpose of the negotiations is to define the terms and conditions of the Space Act Agreement (SAA) for each Offeror whose proposal is selected. The Selection Authority will make the final selection of those approved for this opportunity after the completion of negotiations, depending on the outcome of the negotiations. All work will commence after the parties execute the Space Act Agreement.
IV. PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS
Page Limitations:
Title Total Pages
Proposal Cover Page 1
Proposal Title Page 1
Points of Contact 1
Proposal Abstract 750 words
Proposal Detail 10
Pages in excess of the page limitations for each section will not be evaluated. A page is defined as one (1) sheet 8 x 11 inches using a minimum of 12-point font size for text and 8-point for graphs.
The proposal must include the following sections, in this order:
Proposal Cover Page: Solicited Proposal Application – Title of Announcement and Proposal Contact Information
Proposal Title Page, with Notice of Restriction on Use and Disclosure of Proposal Information, if any.
Points of Contact: List contact information for Sponsorship Point of Contact and Technical Point of Contact. Provide:
a. Name
b. Title
c. Address
d. Phone and Fax
e. Email
Proposal Abstract: Executive summary describing the prominent and distinguishing features of the proposal including business, technical, financial, related experience, and key personnel.
Proposal Detail: The proposal shall contain sufficient information to enable reviewers to make informed judgments about the overall merit of the proposed effort and about the probability that the Offeror will accomplish it’s proposed effort in terms of the three evaluation factors listed above.
1. Approach to Proposed Effort.
2. Level of Benefit to the Public.
3. Level of Financial Commitment and Business Plan.
Point of Contact
Name: Jason C Crusan
Title: IR&D and Technology Development Investment Analyst
Phone: 202-358-0635
Fax: 202-358-3530
Email: jason.c.crusan@nasa.gov
