NASA Sources Sought Notice: Teaming Opportunities for Ground-based Studies for Radiation Biology and Shielding materials
General Information
Document Type: Sources Sought Notice
Solicitation Number: SS-NNL04RAD
Posted Date: Sep 20, 2004
Original Response Date: Oct 01, 2004
Current Response Date: Oct 01, 2004
Original Archive Date: Sep 20, 2005
Current Archive Date: Sep 20, 2005
Classification Code: A — Research & Development
Naics Code: 541710 — Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences
Contracting Office Address
NASA/Langley Research Center, Mail Stop 144, Industry Assistance Office, Hampton, VA 23681-0001
Description
Teaming Opportunity for the Ground-Based Studies for Radiation Biology and Radiation Shielding Materials NASA Research Announcement (NRA) NNH04ZUU005N NASA Langley Research Center is seeking partners to develop proposals for the Ground-Based Studies for Radiation Biology and Radiation Shielding Materials (NNH04ZUU005N) NRA. Synopsis: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) released a NRA entitled, Ground-Based Studies for Radiation Biology and Radiation Shielding Materials (see http://research.hq.nasa.gov/code_u/nra/current/NNH04ZUU005N/index.html ).
This NRA solicits ground-based research for the novel shielding and multi-functional materials: NASA is supporting research to develop new multi-functional materials that provide effective radiation shielding while being suitable for the fabrication of system components needed for these missions. This NRA solicits proposals that address the design, synthesis, processing, fabrication, and testing (including accelerator-based testing) of multi-functional materials. These materials must be suitable for fabrication of one or more components of crewed space vehicles, rovers, habitats, or spacesuits. Use of these materials must make a significant contribution to reducing the mass of the system for which they are intended. Proposals addressing questions associated with the cost, processing, efficiency, safety, etc. associated with the manufacturing of known or potential shielding materials are also sought by this NRA. In addition, this NRA solicits proposals for computational tools to assess the radiation shielding effectiveness of materials.
In particular, proposals for the analysis of relevant existing cross section or yield measurements, and new measurements that will test the event generators used in transport codes that employ Monte Carlo techniques, new cross section and yield measurements of neutron emission, transverse and/or longitudinal momenta for a variety of projectile and target combinations are of interest. NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) is seeking partners from other government agencies, industry, academia, and Federal Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC) to participate with NASA LaRC Principal Investigators (PI) in the Ground-Based Studies for Radiation Biology and Radiation Shielding Materials NRA to develop proposals and execute the development and validation of predictive assessment tool(s) and/or the development of material systems.
Subject to the availability of funds, selected partner proposal(s) would result in the development and validation of predictive assessment tool(s) and/or the development of material systems contract(s). This partnering opportunity does not guarantee selection for award of any contracts, nor is it to be construed as a commitment by NASA to pay for the information solicited. It is expected that the partner(s) selected would provide (at no cost to NASA) technical data, proposal input, project schedules and cost estimates consistent with the requirements of the NRA. Potential partners must demonstrate the capabilities and experience to develop and validate predictive assessment tools consistent and/or to develop and test material systems with the efforts synopsized for each intended LaRC proposal. Partners must work collaboratively with NASA and other potential industry and academic partners to perform the required tasks. Partner selection(s) will be made by LaRC based on the following criteria in the following order of importance:
(1) Relevant experience, past performance, technical capability and availability of key personnel – This criteria evaluates the proposers relevant recent experience, past performance in similar development activities, technical capability to perform the development and key personnel available to support the development. Substantive evidence (points of contact and telephone numbers) of successful participation in similar developments should be included.
(2) Cost and schedule control – This criterion evaluates the proposers ability to control both cost and schedule. The proposer should provide evidence of successfully controlling cost and schedule for similar development programs and provide evidence of management processes in this area.
(3) Facilities – This criterion evaluates the proposers facilities (development, testing, and analyses) to conduct the development or demonstration of the proposed task.
The proposer should discuss facility availability, access, and the ability to meet the proposed objectives. The proposer should specify which LaRC research proposal(s) they are addressing. Responses should be limited to 5 pages (12 point font) and address each of the criteria.
Your responses should be sent to: NASA Langley Research Center, Attn: Lisa.C.Simonsen, Mail Stop 202, Building 1229, Room 202, Hampton, VA 23681. The preferred method of submission is via email to: Lisa.C.Simonsen@nasa.gov.
Procurement related questions should be directed to: Nancy M. Sessoms, Contracting Officer 757-864-2471 Nancy.M.Sessoms@nasa.gov The due date for submission is 4:00 p.m. local time October 1, 2004. The following LaRC research proposals are seeking partnerships.
The technical requirements and NASA LaRC point of contact for questions are provided below: (1) Weight Windows Variance Reduction Technique for the HETC Monte Carlo Code; Technical point of contact: Robert C. Singleterry, Jr. (email: robert.c.singleterry@nasa.gov) Phone: 757-864-1437. LaRC is looking for partners to implement a weight windows variance reduction technique into the HETC Monte Carlo particle simulation code. Currently, the weight windows technique is the most robust variance reduction technique for Monte Carlo simulations. With this technique, better statistics can be generated faster than without the technique. When HETC is utilized for Galactic Cosmic Ray simulation for spacecraft, run time will increase exponentially; therefore, a variance reduction is mandatory to generate useful results. The projectiles range from protons to uranium. The targets will be typical and potential space and aircraft materials. Particles tracked will include target fragments, neutrons, pions, muons, electrons, and gamma rays along with the primary projectiles and their secondaries. Partners are sought with expertise in various particle transport and particle cross section areas.
This will include an ability to execute a 3D particle transport code in adjoint mode to generate the weight windows for use within HETC. The cross section generators used in HETC will be used to generate the majority of the cross sections for the adjoint transport code. Other cross sections must be supplied and integrated into the system. The ability to implement the weight windows variance reduction into the HETC code is also sought.
The final expertise being sought is to implement the codes in a cluster environment such as a multiple node itanium2 cluster.
LaRC is especially interested in partners that have capability for and experience with conducting focused research and development work toward a demonstration with transport and cross section codes in the galactic cosmic ray mode with the above specified characteristics. (2) Radiation Protective Materials Coating; Technical point of contact: Warren Kelliher. (email: warren.c.kelliher@nasa.gov) Phone: 757-864-4172. LaRC is looking for a partner capable of depositing by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) a layer of Silicon-Oxy-Carbide (SOC) onto various plastics as an out-gassing barrier. The SOC coatings are to be assessed for use in radiation protective, flexible space structures currently being developed under previously awarded NRA funding.
Point of Contact
Nancy M Sessoms, Contracting Officer, Phone (757) 864-2471, Fax (757) 864-7709, Email Nancy.M.Sessoms@nasa.gov
Email your questions to Nancy M Sessoms at Nancy.M.Sessoms@nasa.gov
