SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- TEAMING OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP VIRTUAL SWARMS WITHIN A SENSOR NETWORK FORPLANETARY EXPLORATION
- Notice Date
- 3/29/2011
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- NASA/Langley Research Center, Mail Stop 144, Industry Assistance Office, Hampton,VA 23681-0001
- ZIP Code
- 23681-0001
- Solicitation Number
- SS-VIRTUAL_SWARMS
- Response Due
- 4/11/2011
- Archive Date
- 3/29/2012
- Point of Contact
- Robert B. Gardner, Contracting Officer, Phone 757-864-2525, Fax 757-864-7898, Email Robert.B.Gardner@nasa.gov - Teresa M Hass, Contracting Officer, Phone 757-864-8496, Fax 757-864-8863, Email Teresa.M.Hass@nasa.gov
- E-Mail Address
-
Robert B. Gardner
(Robert.B.Gardner@nasa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This partnering synopsis solicits potential partners to participate in developing aproposal addressing the goals and objectives of NASA Research Announcement (NRA)NNH11ZUA001N, NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC). The NRA can be accessed at: http://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/solicitations.do?method=open&stack=push Participation in this partnering synopsis is open to all categories of U.S. and non-U.S.organizations, including educational institutions, industry, not-for-profit institutions,the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, as well as NASA Centers and other U.S. GovernmentAgencies. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Other MinorityUniversities (OMUs), small disadvantaged businesses (SDBs), veteran-owned smallbusinesses, service disabled veteran-owned small businesses, HUBzone small businesses,and women-owned small businesses (WOSBs) are encouraged to apply. Participation bynon-U.S. organizations is welcome but subject to NASAs policy of no exchange of funds,in which each government supports its own national participants and associated costs.Under the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC), the NRA solicits multiple studies,each of which will investigate an architecture, mission, or system concept that has thepotential to change the possible in aeronautics or space. NASA Innovative AdvancedConcepts (NIAC) is also part of the Office of Chief Technologist (OCT). Concepts proposedfor NIAC Phase I studies must be innovative and visionary, technically substantiated, andvery early in development (10+ years out; Technology Readiness Level 1, 2, or early 3).Focused technology maturation and incremental improvement are explicitly not of interestin this program. In response to the NASA Research Announcement (NRA) NNH11ZUA001N, NASA InnovativeAdvanced Concepts (NIAC) partners are sought to demonstrate concepts for planetaryexploration using virtual swarms within a sensor network. Exploration of remote planetarysurfaces has been limited to few humans and singular robotic vehicles thus severelylimiting the range and duration of expeditions. NASA has proposed an exploratory airplanefor MARS that would extend the range but removes the robot from surface contact and stillpresents a singular view. A sensor network, a distribution of a large number ofconnected, capable devices distributed over a region, could extend the range ofexploration without the requirement for mobility. Conventional sensor network design islimited to a sense and send scenario where individual devices periodically sense theenvironment and send information through a multi-hop network of others to the centralcontroller. However, a much more complex mission could be accomplished by a virtualswarm over the distribution. While the individual devices remain fixed, the applicationcould move around the network as required to complete the mission. To take full advantageof the architecture and achieve maximum success, the application must adapt to unforeseencircumstances presented by the environment. A successful demonstration will exhibitcommunication among a fixed set of devices that directs where and when observations aretaken and what actions will be taken to complete a mission. Devices must not be directedby a central controller or a predetermined script but must exhibit adaptive behavior to anon-deterministic scenario.In particular NASA LaRC is seeking potential partners having demonstrated experience andexpertise in application of autonomy and cognition to robotic systems. Such experiencemust go beyond conventional automatic operation, where action is determined by executingpredetermined scripts. The experience must facilitate action by the virtual swarmmoving around the sensor network to assess its environment and make cognitive decisionsto adapt to unforeseen circumstances.Teaming with providers of and leveraging emerging technologies, such as current andrecent Small Business Innovative Research awards(http://sbir.gsfc.nasa.fov/SBIR/awards.htm), is of special interest.If selected through this synopsis, it is expected that the selected partner(s) will workwith NASA LaRC scientists and engineers to jointly develop the proposal. If the proposalis selected, NASA LaRC anticipates issuing grants, cooperative agreements, intra or interagency transfers or contracts to the selected partner(s) for performance of the proposedtasks.This partnering opportunity does not guarantee selection for award of any contracts orother agreements, nor is it to be construed as a commitment by NASA to pay for theinformation solicited.It is expected that the partner(s) selected would provide (at nocost to NASA) conceptual designs, technical data, proposal input, project schedules, andcost estimates. Partner selections will be made by LaRC based on the listed criteria in the followingorder of importance:(1) Relevant experience, past performance, technical capability, key personnelavailability, and demonstration of development of autonomous and cognitive roboticsystems. This criterion evaluates the proposers relevant recent experience, pastperformance in similar development activities, technical capability to perform thedevelopment, and key personnel available to support the development. Substantiveevidence of successful participation in similar developments should be included.(2) Cost and schedule control.This criterion evaluates the proposers ability tocontrol both cost and schedule. The proposer should provide evidence of successfullycontrolling cost and schedule for similar development programs and provide evidence ofmanagement processes in this area.(3) Facilities. This criterion evaluates the proposers facilities (development,testing, and analysis) to conduct the development or demonstration of the proposed task. The proposer should discuss facility availability/access and the ability to meet theproposed objectives.RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS: Responses to this partnering synopsis shall be limited to 8 pagesin not less than 12-point font. Responses must address the aforementioned evaluationcriteria. All responses shall be submitted to LaRC electronically via email by 5:00pmEST on April 11, 2011 to Kennie Jones (k.h.jones@nasa.gov) and Brad Gardner(Robert.B.Gardner@nasa.gov). Technical and Programmatic questions should be directed to Kennie Jones(k.h.jones@nasa.gov). Procurement questions should be directed to Brad Gardner(Robert.B.Gardner@nasa.gov).
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