NASA Solicitation: Sponsorship Opportunity for Web Based Video Streaming for NASA TV Including the Space Shuttle Program and ISS Mission Coverage

Synopsis – Mar 30, 2007

General Information

Solicitation Number: N-A
Posted Date: Mar 30, 2007
FedBizOpps Posted Date: Mar 30, 2007
Original Response Date: May 10, 2007
Current Response Date: May 10, 2007
Classification Code: 99 — Miscellaneous
NAICS Code: 516110 – Internet Publishing and Broadcasting

Contracting Office Address

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA Headquarters Acquisition Branch, Code 210.H, Greenbelt, MD 20771

Description

INTRODUCTION

Since the first Space Shuttle Program’s Return to Flight (RTF) mission (STS-114), NASA has used delivered streaming video coverage via the NASA Web Portal in partnership with several companies to meet public demand to see the launches and missions. NASA’s primary method for disseminating content is via the NASA Web Portal (www.nasa.gov). During those missions we have seen peak internet users of greater than 438,000 accessing NASA TV coverage via web streaming. These partnerships have enabled NASA to disseminate our content to a much wider audience than we would have been capable of our own. In the existing portal infrastructure without our delivery partners, NASA may have to cap the number of visitors and hours of web streaming coverage. This would force visitors to find content from other venues that may or may not cover the Space Shuttle Program (SSP) and the International Space Station Program (ISS) missions and expeditions.

NASA is releasing this announcement to solicit in-kind proposals for web video streaming infrastructure and bandwidth services from non-NASA entities to support increased public access to NASA missions at no cost to NASA. NASA intends to enter into a Space Act Agreement with the selected sponsor(s) to cover this support. NASA and the NASA Web Portal contractor will handle the integration of the selected sponsor’s(s’) in-kind solution with support from the sponsor(s).

NASA is seeking an Agreement that will take effect June 1, 2007, and last through the end of the Space Shuttle Program currently ending on September 30, 2010. In addition to the SSP and ISS missions, NASA currently has many missions and events during this time period that would drive visitor levels to the site higher: launches of robotic spacecraft missions, such as the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, and test launches of the ARES-1 launch vehicle, and many other announcements covered by NASA TV. In addition, at the end of the Agreement term, and if mutually agreeable to the selected sponsor(s), NASA may seek options for extension under this Agreement.

In exchange for this sponsorship, NASA will consider offers to display the logo of the sponsor(s) and give credit to the sponsor(s) on the NASA Web Portal. NASA will consider other suitable, innovative concepts to acknowledge and publicize the Offeror’s sponsorship.

This Announcement is open through May 10, 2007.

NASA will not issue paper copies of this announcement. NASA reserves the right to select for Space Act Agreement all, some, or none of the proposals 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 and NASA will not, without permission of the Offeror, use or disclose their contents for other than evaluation purposes.

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

Agency Name: NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)

Sponsorship Opportunity Title: Web Based Video Streaming for NASA TV including the Space Shuttle Program (SSP) and International Space Station (ISS) Mission Coverage Response Date: Electronic Proposals must be received by May 10, 2007 at 4:30 P.M. EST via email to jason.c.crusan@nasa.gov

Points of Contact: Mr. Jason C. Crusan Telephone: (202) 358-0635 Email: jason.c.crusan@nasa.gov Instrument Type(s): It is anticipated that awards under this Announcement 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 government and 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 June 1, 2007.

Submission Instructions: All Proposals under this Announcement must be emailed to jason.c.crusan@nasa.gov. Paper submissions will not be reviewed. Proposal submission may be 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 may not be accepted, at the Government’s discretion. 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 non-NASA U.S. institutions 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. Only proposals of an in-kind nature will be considered.

2. Evaluation Criteria

The factors below are of equal importance.

Factor 1: Quality and Appropriateness of the Proposed Effort:

The overall merit, rationale, and suitability of the proposed sponsorship approach or concept and its relevance to NASA’s mission. Highest priority will be placed on an approach or concept that will create a positive image for NASA.

Factor 2: Level of Commitment to Web Video Streaming

The demonstrated ability of the Offeror to meet streaming estimates based on past performance. The commitment of dedicated streaming bandwidth in terms of Gbps peak and base will be evaluated. The technical infrastructure available to support the peaks created by video streaming will be also considered. NASA and its partners have seen peaks in excess of 50 Gbps with over 438,000 concurrent users and a total of over 319,000,000 megabytes of total content delivered during a single Space Shuttle Mission. Consideration will also be given to the ease of interoperability with existing NASA infrastructure and the NASA Web Portal. Consideration will also be given to creative approaches that increase the dissemination of NASA streaming video content. Consideration will also be given for accommodation of disabled users and the ability to meet requirements under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

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 – 20

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: Brief Abstract

Proposal Detail: The proposal detail shall contain sufficient detail to enable reviewers to make informed judgments about the overall merit of the proposed effort and about the probability that Offeror will accomplish their stated level of commitment to the web video streaming. In addition, the proposal shall clearly explain Offeror’s expected return for sponsorship with NASA on this project. This section should expand on the topics in the proposal abstract and follow the format below:

Factor 1: Quality and appropriateness of the proposed effort.

* A description of the proposed sponsorship goals and objectives. A description of the business the Offeror engages in, including, specific qualifications, products, services, and how this relates to NASA Mission. A description of the Offeror’s proposed logo placement, display, or other characteristics. Also, provide any other actions the Offeror proposes taking in relation to sponsorship (e.g. exclusivity, press release, third-party organizations, links, etc…).

Factor 2: Level of Commitment to Web Video Streaming

* Provide a description of the level of commitment in the form of Gbps being contributed to the web video streaming effort which include any guarantees, both for steady-state “baseline” and for peak capacity.

* Provide the following details related to the web video streaming commitment:

1. Will NASA be required to do the encoding in-house?

2. What media formats will be provided? (NASA currently has Real, Quicktime, and Windows Media, both video and low bandwidth audio only)

3. Are there other formats that the Offeror is willing to provide?

4. Does the Offeror have the ability to encode via a satellite transmission?

5. Provide details as to the bandwidth encoding levels the Offeror supports by media format.

6. If the Offeror includes encoding, how many different feeds does the Offeror intend to support?

7. If the Offeror includes encoding, how many simultaneous encoder streams per feed does the Offeror intend to maintain?

8. Who will be responsible for creating and maintaining, rotating, the .ram, asx, and/or qtl browser linking files to allow connections? (i.e. will NASA just point to a url or will the actual connector files be provided that allows a direct transition to the user’s media player.)

9. What quality control process does the Offeror use to monitor the quality of the feed streams?

10. What failover method of encoded ingress connections does the Offeror intend to use?

11. What performance guarantees are included? (i.e. infrastructure, levels of performance, etc…)

12. What is the Offeror’s risk mitigation strategies?

13. What statistics/metrics, including raw log files, will be provided to NASA pertaining to the streams distributed?

14. Provide a brief description of the technical infrastructure with maximum capacities available or to be deployed within 30 days of the formal Agreement execution date.

* Provide any additional proposed in-kind efforts to increase public access to NASA content.

* Demonstrate past performance in achieving proposed levels of commitment.

* Provide details related to opportunities to extend Agreement. Note any schedule issues that are relevant to the time period covered in the proposal.

* Demonstrate that no government funds will be required to meet web video streaming commitment.

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