99 -- MARKET RESEARCH BACKGROUND: National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is establishing an Instrument Systems Analysis Office. This office will be responsible for an end-to-end instrument performance analysis from the concept and proposal phases, which include Phase A, Phase B, through implementation (Phase C/D). This office will quickly and efficiently trade off instrument concepts and architectures, and provide a reasonable cost and performance assessment during the concept and Phase A activities. In Phase B and Phase C/D, this office will provide analysis tools that are (or can easily be) integrated into our suite of heritage discipline design and analysis tools for performing detailed analyses, such as the Structural-Thermal-Optical performance analysis; jitter analysis and detailed radiometric, spectrometric or interferometric analyses. Performance modeling (physics based functional modeling) and integrated physical or geometric modeling (structural, optical, thermal, etc.)are needed. OBJECTIVES: In order to achieve the aforementioned goals, the engineering organization at GSFC requests information and research regarding commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) instrument systems analysis tools, or tools under development, that would be applicable to the development of GSFC's space and earth science remote sensing instruments. This information request can include a literature search, a review and summary of these tools and their pros and cons, their platforms and operating systems and their cost. Insights into future developments and what needs to be further developed are requested also. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: NASA at GSFC will invite universities and industry throughout the U.S. to submit a commercialization business plan for a joint development on the instrument analysis tool. The submission due date for the commercialization plans is July 30, 1997. NASA does not intend to use the information submitted to pre-qualify offerors on a potential future procurement nor will NASA pay for the information submitted. Upon receipt of the commercialization business plans, the GSFC evaluation team, consisting of representatives from the Office of commercial Program and the Instrument Systems Analysis Office, will conduct a formal review. The evaluation team may request a demonstration at either the candidate's facilities or at GSFC, or they may consult with outside advisors, if necessary. BRIEFING: After the evaluation process is completed, the selected companies or universities will be informed and invited to attend a briefing at GSFC. The purpose of this briefing is to discuss how to proceed the joint development of the instrument analysis tool between NASA and industry. POINTS OF CONTACT: Any questions or comments related to the instrument analysis tool can be directed to Mr. Bill Hayden at 301-286-8963, e-mail: bhayden@div720.gsfc.nasa.gov, or Mr. Chi Le at 301-286-5258, e-mail: cmle@pop700.gsfc.nasa.gov. WEB: Click here for the latest information about this notice, http://procurement.nasa.gov/EPS/GSFC/date.html#NOTICE700-720-217.

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