MODIFICATION
A -- HUMAN & ROBOTIC TECHNOLOGY
- Notice Date
- 8/4/2004
- Notice Type
- Modification
- NAICS
- 541710
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences
- Contracting Office
- NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA Headquarters Acquisition Branch, Code 210.H, Greenbelt, MD 20771
- ZIP Code
- 20771
- Solicitation Number
- TB-04-02
- Response Due
- 8/13/2004
- Archive Date
- 8/4/2005
- Point of Contact
- Michael Sosebee, Contract Specialist, Phone (202) 358-1026, Fax (202) 358-3342, Email msosebee@hq.nasa.gov - Mark R Stiles, Contracting Officer, Phone (202) 358-1521, Fax (202) 358-3342, Email mstiles@hq.nasa.gov
- E-Mail Address
-
Email your questions to Michael Sosebee
(msosebee@hq.nasa.gov)
- Description
- This is a modification to the synopsis entitled Human & Robotic Technology TB-04-02 which was posted on Jun 29, 2004. You are notified that the following changes are made. Posting of Questions and Answers (See below) from the pre-proposal conference held on Jul 29, 2004. Additional information for Technology Database System BAA Supporting Information is available at the website referenced for the BAA below. The due date for responses is not extended. Documents related to this procurement will be available over the Internet. These documents will reside on a World Wide Web (WWW) server, which may be accessed using a WWW browser application. The Internet site, or URL, for the NASA/HQ Business Opportunities home page is http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eps/bizops.cgi?gr=D&pin=04 Offerors are responsible for monitoring this site for the release of the solicitation and any amendments. Potential offerors are responsible for downloading their own copy of the solicitation and amendments (if any). A link to briefing charts and further details on current acquisition activities includiing the Broad Agency Announcement is available at the website identified below: https://naccsli1.msfc.nasa.gov/ExplorationPortal H&RT Pre-Proposal Conference, Q&As Q1. Is cryogenic propellant the main in-space engine and is it necessary that it be cryogenic, if a non-cryogenic propulsion system can meet the requirements in a practical and affordable way In regards to high-energy space systems, if a proposer has a system that is not high energy and it meets the requirements. Is the high energy the important part, the cryogenic or is it the work that is produced? A1. If a system can meet the requirements it may be proposed. The technology themes mentioned in the High Energy Space Systems (HESS) Element Program are the areas that we feel have the most potential for H &RT. Q2. Page 43 of the view graphs, under ?Relevance to NASA objectives? it states ?objectives to including applicability to a sole primary and sole secondary program element?, please explain A2. By requiring the offerors to identify a primary and secondary element program of technology development, this will require the offerors to explain to NASA how relevant their projects are to H&RT goals and objectives. Q3. What is the total BAA budget? A3. There is no fixed dollar amount for a specific BAA. Q4. Is the intention to fund 1 to 2 projects within each 2nd level element or could it be that 5 or 6 projects are funded in one 2nd level element and none are funded in another? A4. H&RT will integrate a comprehensive investment portfolio based on the selected proposals. Q5. For NASA Co-Investigators, what is the allowable allocation of funds between industry-government A5. There is no set quota. It is up to the offeror to determine how the funds will be distributed based on the makeup of his management and technical teams. Q6. Is there a vision on what submission teams should look like? Is University involvement a plus? What kind of lead institution is NASA looking for and does that vary from project to project? A6. It is up to the offeror to determine the best makeup of his team that will provide the best quality research towards H&RT goals and objectives. NASA will not make any specific teaming suggestions other than to choose those partners that you feel will make a significant contribution to your project. Q7. Is fuel cell technology within advanced space technology? A7. YES Q8. If a NASA center teams with a successful proposer, can that same center manage the project? A8 The teaming arrangement will be identified by the NOIs, which will describe the relationship with any NASA Center. In no situation will a co-investigator, or the organization that has a fiduciary interest in the project be the contracting officer technical representative (COTR), or the host of the COTR. Q9. Is there going to be a second round of intramural requests? A9. Our goal is to make it through the first three stages in our portfolio development. We have just completed our ICP and are starting with this BAA. The third stage will involve the issuance of a gap H&RT BAA to fill in the research activities that were missed with the first two. Q10. For the ICP, there was a down select from 1,300 NOIs to 135 proposals submitted. How many proposals do you anticipate requesting for the H&RT BAA? A10. It really depends on the quality of the NOIs and the available budget for structuring a comprehensive H&RT portfolio. Q11. Will the winning/losing intramural proposals be released to the public in sufficient detail so proposers to the extramural can avoid duplication? A11. We have decided that it is appropriate for individual NASA ICP project proposal authors to share their individual proposals with potential extramural partners at their discretion so long as no proprietary information is released inappropriately. We don't want to disrupt the development of individual proprietary negotiations between NASA co-PIs and external offerors. However, because of the proprietary nature of most of the ICP proposals, a general release of the ICP proposals would be inappropriate. We leave it up to the individual Centers to decide how they want to handle the development of external partnerships. Previous discussion about development of summary descriptions of the ICP proposals is up to the discretion of the Centers. Q12. What are the mission power requirements anticipated for mars and lunar missions? What is the Mass anticipated for lunar missions? A12. No baseline mission architecture for H&RT has been established. Any future BAA information on mission architecture baselines will be determined by the combined efforts of the Requirements, H&RT, and Project Constellation activities. Q13. Who will take the lead for defining the mission architecture? Is NASA looking for industry to come up with the concepts or will there be guidance from NASA as proposals continue to come in? A13. No baseline mission architecture for H&RT has been established. Any future BAA information on mission architecture baselines will be determined by the combined efforts of the Requirements, H&RT, and Project Constellation activities. Q14. Explain the down select process among the different proposals from the first year to the second and how NASA plans to: time the process so that it ensures continuity in the programs that are progressing forward and also gives people time to redeploy people in the programs that will not continue A14. H&RT will oversee the progress of the projects based on the various status reports, earned value reports, project review, etc. These activities will allow NASA to identify early enough which projects have the best chance of proceeding to a Phase II. Q15. Can sounding rocket flight experiments be conducted under TM topics (not InSTEP)? A15. As with any other launch carrier, H&RT will use sounding rockets for its technology flight experiments (TFEs) only if its economical and it maximizes the achievement of the science & engineering objectives. Q16. A project with significant university and industry participation, is it better to have the industry or the university as the lead? A16. There is no quota or preference and it could go either way. It is imperative to look for technical leadership that makes the most sense from the project management and product delivery point of view. Q17. Will comments be sent back to the proposer for the white papers? A17. We are attempting to implement a process that would provide a high level of input back to the offerors. Q18. How does NASA expect H&RT programs to interact with Technology Development programs in other NASA directorates (e.g., ISP in science directorate or NMPL in science directorate)? A18. A coordination staff was created at NASA HQ that plans and discusses our mutual investments and continues to be worked internally. This will be an ongoing effort in order for NASA to maximize its return on investment of research dollars. Q19. Will proposals by consortiums of applicants including universities be accepted? A19. Yes, they will be accepted. Q20. Can primary and secondary elements in NOI (see page 40 of briefing) be from different cost ?buckets.? If yes, how will you judge from a cost perspective? A20. Each offeror is required to identify the type of project (I-VI) that he/she will propose. Within this type project, the offeror is required to identify the primary and secondary element H&RT programs that will be impacted. The primary and secondary define the cost buckets within the type of project proposed. Q21. Can national labs be the lead, such as Sandia National Lab? A21. Yes, any national laboratory and research institution can be a lead for proposed project. Q22. If you are not selected for this go around will the proposal be kept and be considered for future announcements. A22. There will probably be a pool of projects that we would recommend if additional funding would arise. However, recognize that as we move forward our needs will become clearer so the shelf life would be relatively finite of these proposals. Q23. In November of 2004 there is an expectation to have an international participation conference and its location of that conference defined yet and what are the expected outcomes of such a conference. A23. Expectation is to build an interest, stimulate partnerships within the international community and convey the new policies that NASA is trying to achieve. Explorations Systems Mission Directorate will work closely with NASA External Affairs regarding any future partnerships on space exploration. Information regarding any meetings with any International Partners will be posted on the Exploration website. Q24. What is the current $/kg goals for launch and deep space transport? Are space system assembly operations to be robotic A24. NASA has no set $/kg goals for launch and deep space transport. NASA looks forward to the various proposals to help determine an affordable range of $/kg goals. Space system assembly operations will be either robotic or a combination of both human and robotic. The type of mission to be carried out will determine the proper mix of human and robotic resources to use. Q25. Is significant participation by NASA centers encouraged, and what percentage of the effort should be by the contractor? A25. As a minimum, a NASA Center will participate as part of its subject-matter area oversight responsibility. Any further involvement by a NASA Center will depend on the technical and management approaches of the proposal. Q26. Do the technology theme elements have sub element themes and if so, where can we access the sub element themes? A26. The sub-element themes are referred to in the H&RT Formulation Plan definition of the element technology themes beginning on page-35. For example, ?Advanced Studies, Concepts And Tools Program? has a technology theme entitled ?Advanced Concepts?. The ?Advanced Concepts? definition (page-36) describes the sub-element themes. Q27. We have system-level studies we wish to propose that result in recommendations. We also have component technologies to develop to support that system. Can NASA provide any general guidance? A27. Reference the definition of Technology Readiness Level (TRL). Low TRL (2-5) generally corresponds to component research, and system level research corresponds to technologies having TRL > 5. Low TRL research usually belongs in ASTP and system level research belongs in TMP. In H&RT, TMP supports technology maturation from (4-6) and ASTP supports research from (2-5). The reason for the overlap is so that nothing will be missed. Refer to page 2 of the BAA for the definition of ASTP and TMP. Q28. Is a NASA center partnership letter of intent required for the NOI submittal? A28. No. The NASA center partnership letter of intent is not required for the NOI submittal but will be required for the submittal of the full proposals.
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