NASA Solicitation: Request for Information for Extra Vehicular Activity – EVA
Synopsis – Jul 31, 2014
RFI Attachment – Posted on Jul 31, 2014
General Information
Solicitation Number: NNJ14522950L
Posted Date: Jul 31, 2014
FedBizOpps Posted Date: Jul 31, 2014
Recovery and Reinvestment Act Action: No
Original Response Date: Sep 12, 2014
Current Response Date: Sep 12, 2014
Classification Code: A — Research and Development
NAICS Code: 541712
Contracting Office Address
NASA/Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston Texas, 77058-3696, Mail Code: BH
Description
NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) seeks information from industry to assist in addressing the Agency’s Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA) needs for: 1) sustaining Operations and Maintenance (O&M) of EVA Mobility Unit (EMU) and 2) advanced spacesuit development of hardware systems. NASA astronauts on International Space Station (ISS) use the EMU for spacewalks. The ISS Program and the EVA Management Office are considering the merits of upgrading the EMU spacesuit on the ISS weighed against completely replacing it with a new suit that is extensible for future exploration to other destinations. This Request for Information (RFI) is to inform industry of NASA’s existing and planned spacesuit requirements and to collect information on key parameters that will help NASA refine and mature the acquisition plan for procuring safe, cost effective, timely, and reliable spacesuit hardware and services.
The Government is contemplating the acquisition plan to be developed which may combine the efforts of two EVA suit contracts and incorporate the best of both contractor and Government led next generation spacesuit technology developments. The scopes of work being incorporated into this strategy are currently being performed under the EVA Space Operations Contract (ESOC) and Constellation Space Suit Systems (CSSS) contract and are available in the Technical Library. The suit technology developments will be an infusion of both CSSS and Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) EVA project content.
NASA is seeking information on system concepts and innovative approaches for existing spacesuit sustaining engineering and advanced spacesuit design, development, test, evaluation, and certification over the next decade of ISS operation and beyond. An upgraded EVA Mobility Unit (EMU)/new EVA spacesuit is needed on ISS near 2020, and this suit will need to be extensible for future exploration to other destinations. The contractor is expected to recommend the most cost effective approach and when to demonstrate and transition the new suit.
NASA requests feedback on innovative options on how to perform O&M and development services within current budget constraints. Budgets to fund advanced spacesuit development beyond the existing O&M budget ($80 million per year and decreasing) are not likely to occur in the near future. NASA is seeking a significant reduction (on the order of 50% or better) of the O&M budget. This reduction will be applied toward advanced spacesuit development.
This document is for information and planning purposes and to allow industry the opportunity to verify reasonableness and feasibility of the requirement, as well as promote competition. Prospective offerors are invited to submit written responses to the RFI. When responding reference NNJ14522950L. For further RFI details go to the Exploration EVA website:
http://procurement.jsc.nasa.gov/eeva/
Announcements regarding Industry day and the associated details will be posted on the Exploration EVA website. In conjunction with Industry day, NASA will be holding one hour one-on-ones with interested parties for open dialogue to discuss detailed acquisition plans. This data will not be shared outside the Government nor released. Confidential, proprietary, competition sensitive, or business information may be discussed and the information may be used in developing a future acquisition strategy.
Questions concerning this RFI shall be submitted via email to Aubrie Henspeter, Contracting Officer, at aubrie.henspeter@nasa.gov . Questions and responses shall reference this RFI. You are requested to submit electronic responses (limited responses to 20 pages or less) via email to aubrie.henspeter@nasa.gov . Your response is requested by 4pm CST on September 12, 2014.
This RFI is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government pay for the information submitted in response.
NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. The Center Ombudsman for this acquisition can be found at http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/pub/pub_library/Omb.html .
The solicitation and any documents related to this procurement will be available on the NASA/JSC Business Opportunities home page: http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eps/bizops.cgi?gr=D&pin=73 . 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.
Point of Contact
Name: Aubrie Henspeter
Title: Contracting Officer
Phone: 281-244-7225
Fax: 281-483-4066
Email: aubrie.Henspeter@nasa.gov
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