SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUBORBITAL REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLES AND PAYLOAD INTEGRATIONSERVICES FOR MATURING CROSSCUTTING TECHNOLOGIES THAT ADVANCE MULTIPLE FUTURE SPACEMISSIONS TO FLIGHT READINESS STATUS
- Notice Date
- 12/21/2010
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- NASA/Dryden Flight Research Center, Code A, P.O. Box 273, Edwards, CA 93523-0273
- ZIP Code
- 93523-0273
- Solicitation Number
- NND11Z98765L
- Response Due
- 1/20/2011
- Archive Date
- 12/21/2011
- Point of Contact
- Andrea C Basham, Contract Specialist, Phone 661-276-6126, Fax 661-276-3374, Email andrea.c.basham@nasa.gov - Richard M Swanson, Contracting Officer, Phone 661-276-3337, Fax 661-276-2904, Email Richard.M.Swanson@nasa.gov
- E-Mail Address
-
Andrea C Basham
(andrea.c.basham@nasa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This Request for Information (RFI) is issued by the NASA/DFRC to post a potentialGovernment requirement via the internet and solicit responses from interested parties. This document is for information and planning purposes and to allow industry theopportunity to verify reasonableness and feasibility of the requirement, as well aspromote competition. Prospective offerors are invited to submit written comments orquestions to the primary point of contact, Andrea Basham, no later than January 7, 2011. When responding reference NND11Z56789L.1.0 IntroductionThe NASA Office of the Chief Technologist (OCT) Flight Opportunities Program (hereafterthe Program) combines the FY 2010 Facilitated Access to the Space environment forTechnology (FAST) and Commercial Reusable Suborbital Research (CRuSR) efforts previouslymanaged by the Innovative Partnership Program Office. The integration of these effortsallows for greater program management alignment and provides the technology communityaccess to the microgravity environment via multiple platforms.The Program intends to mature to flight readiness status crosscutting technologies thatadvance multiple future space missions. To this end, the Program will provide frequentflight opportunities for technology payloads to fly on both parabolic aircraft andsuborbital reusable launch vehicles (sRLVs) that are capable of flying to altitudes above100 km. This Request for Information (RFI) only pertains to sRLVs. Payloads may fly inany part of the sRLV flight envelope. NASA is presently not considering human-tendedpayloads to be flown on sRLVs, and there will not be any NASA sponsored participants onsRLV flights relating to this particular announcement. The payloads to be flown on sRLVflights must operate autonomously.The Program intends to acquire the services of commercial sRLV providers and commercialpayload integrators to fly technology payloads on missions that help the Program achievethe goals of the OCT. The technology payloads are being solicited under a separateAnnouncement of Opportunity (AO) issued by the Program [ref]. The Program foresees thefollowing two scenarios to fly these payloads: 1) the flight provider provides the flightas well as payload integration services (either in-house or subcontracted); or, 2) thepayload integrator procures the flight service and integrates the payload. In bothcases, the Program intends to procure as a single procurement both the payloadintegration service and the flight service.The Program will hold an Industry Meeting at the Dryden Flight Research Center on January25, 2011, to discuss the subject RFI and a future solicitation for flight and payloadintegration services. An open question and answer forum between the Program and theindustry will be held at the Industry Meeting.Additional information, including anagenda, will be provided at the Program website: http://flightopportunities.nasa.gov.2.0 Request for InformationThe Program seeks to ascertain from the sRLV industry how it will provide flight andpayload integration services to fly missions for Program-provided payloads. The Programintends to use the responses to this RFI to develop a solicitation for sRLV flights andpayload integration services. This RFI does not pertain to parabolic aircraft, only tosRLVs.2.1 Flight Service ProvisionFlight service provision is defined as the service that delivers an integrated payload toa desired environment aboard an sRLV. An example of such a service is an sRLV flying to100km and providing 3-4 min of reduced gravity to the payload. Flight services include,but are not limited to:-Flight operations, including operation of the payload-Flight and ground safety-Coordination of launch license with the FAA-Vehicle airworthiness-Payload recovery-Mishap planning and response2.2 Integration Service ProvisionIntegration service provision is defined as integration of a payload to the flightvehicle, while ensuring that the interfaces to other payloads and to the flight vehicleare compatible and that the mission requirements of the payload investigator are met. Integration services may include, but are not limited to:-Ensuring that the payload can meet the environmental requirements (e.g.,vibration, pressure, and thermal requirements) specified by the flight service provider -Establishing the payload operational and mission performance requirements and themission exit criteria with the payload investigator-Developing and coordinating the payload interface control documents(ICDsmechanical, electrical, data) with flight service provider-Verifying the payload against the ICDs and environmental requirements, includingsystem-to-system interactions with other payloads and the flight vehicle-Providing engineering and system safety analyses to inform the Mission RiskAssessmentThe Program may elect to fly payloads from foreign countries or payloads withexport-sensitive technologies (i.e., that fall under ITAR regulations). The Providershould describe how they would handle such payloads.2.3 Standard ServiceThe Program would like to ascertain from the sRLV industry the standard services thatcould be procured on a fixed-price basis. The Provider should describe standardinterfaces (mechanical, electrical, data, command and control, etc.), standard flightprofiles, the standard operating range(s), etc., that are part of the standard serviceprovision.2.4 Non-Standard ServiceIt is likely that some of the Program-provided payloads will not conform to a standardservice provision offered by the Provider. In such cases, the Program would like toascertain how such non-standard payloads could be accommodated. In particular, theProgram would like to understand the processes, and to the extent possible thecost-basis, for accommodating non-standard payloads.2.5 History of ServiceThe Program would like to understand the Providers history providing payload integrationand/or flight services. The Provider should describe payload integrations, flight andground operations, or other expertise that are relevant to flying technology payloads onsRLVs.The Provider should describe experience working with specific launch facilities.2.6 Quality StandardsThe Provider should describe the quality standards and standard processes that areemployed to ensure that the Program receives a quality product. The Provider shoulddescribe any rationale that promotes confidence to the Program that the Provider candeliver a quality product.2.7 Educational OutcomesNASAs mission is to Drive advances in science, technology, and exploration to enhanceknowledge, education, innovation, economic vitality, and stewardship of the Earth. ThePrograms educational vision is to Create Opportunities for the public, and especiallythe STEM education community, to engage in NASA's space technology mission and theemerging commercial space industry. To this end, Every Flight is an Opportunity. TheProvider should describe how flying missions for the Program would enhance education andhelp to realize the Programs educational vision. The Provider should describe howflying technology missions for the Program helps to further the Providers own educationand outreach goals.3.0 Who Should Respond?U.S. and U.S.-affiliated companies are welcome to respond to this Request forInformation. Only companies that can offer both integration and flight services, eitherdirectly or through agreement with another organization, should respond.4.0 Submission RequirementsRespondents should address the areas outlined in Sec. 2.0, Request for Information.Responses should be submitted in Adobe PDF or Microsoft Word format. Hard copies willnot be accepted.Responses are due midnight Pacific Standard Time January 20, 2011. Responses andquestion to this RFI should be submitted via email to the Point(s) of Contact listedbelow. This is a request for information only and does not constitute a commitment, implied orotherwise, that NASA Dryden will take procurement action in this matter. Further,neither NASA Dryden nor the Government will be responsible for any cost incurred infurnishing this information. No solicitation exists; therefore, please do not request acopy of a solicitation. When a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized inFedBizOpps https://www.fbo.gov/ and on NSPIREShttp://prod.nais.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/nais/index.cgi (Requests for Proposals). It is theofferor's responsibility to monitor the Internet site for the release of the solicitationand amendments (if any). Potential offerors will be responsible for downloading their owncopy of the solicitation and amendments, if any. An ombudsman has been appointed -- See NASA Specific Note 'B'.The solicitation and any documents related to this procurement will be available over theInternet. These documents will reside on a World Wide Web (WWW) server, which may beaccessed using a WWW browser application. The Internet site, or URL, for the NASA/DFRCBusiness Opportunities home page ishttp://prod.nais.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eps/bizops.cgi?gr=D&pin=24It is the offeror'sresponsibility to monitor the Internet cite for the release of the solicitation andamendments (if any). Potential offerors will be responsible for downloading their owncopy of the solicitation and amendments, if any. Any referenced notes may be viewed at the following URLs linked below.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/NASA/DFRC/OPDC20220/NND11Z98765L/listing.html)
- Record
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