SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- TEAMING OPPORTUNITY FOR AERIAL REGIONAL-SCALE ENVIRONMENTAL SURVEYOR 2
- Notice Date
- 3/17/2010
- 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-ARES-2
- Response Due
- 4/16/2010
- Archive Date
- 3/17/2011
- Point of Contact
- Teresa M Hass, Contract Specialist/Contracting Officer, Phone 757-864-8496, Fax 757-864-7709, Email Teresa.M.Hass@nasa.gov - Robert B. Gardner, Contracting Officer, Phone 757-864-2525, Fax 757-864-7898, Email Robert.B.Gardner@nasa.gov
- E-Mail Address
-
Teresa M Hass
(Teresa.M.Hass@nasa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) is performing a technical assessment toform the basis of a possible proposal for the NASA Science Mission Directorate DiscoveryProgram opportunity. This assessment is focused on conducting scientific exploration ofthe planet Mars using ARES, a robotic aerial platform (ARES: Aerial Regional-scaleEnvironmental Surveyor).The purpose of this announcement is to enable LaRC to obtain potential providers toparticipate in the development of the technical concept, proposal, and mission elementimplementation of the planetary entry and descent mission areas in response to theupcoming NASA Discovery Program Announcement of Opportunity (AO). Specific mission areaswhere LaRC is seeking assistance are for the planetary entry area with an integratedthermal protection system and for the descent area via a supersonic parachute.Discovery Program investigations address NASAs planetary science goals as described inSolar System Exploration, NASAs 2006 roadmap for planetary science. The roadmap may befound at http://nasascience.nasa.gov/about-us/science-strategy/. While Discoveryinvestigations may focus on any body in the Solar System, excluding the Earth and theSun, and including Mars and the Moon, the ARES synopsis focuses on the exploration ofMars.Discovery investigations will be led by a Principal Investigator and will be comprised ofscientists in partnerships, potentially involving NASA Centers, academia, and industry.These teams will pursue missions of high scientific value utilizing observation platformsof their choice and design.Release of a draft Discovery AO is expected by the middle of CY 2010. It is anticipatedthat approximately two to three Discovery investigations will be selected for 9-monthPhase A concept studies. At the conclusion of these concept studies, it is planned thatone Discovery investigation will be selected to continue into Phase B and subsequentmission phases. A launch date of 2016 is planned. Key attributes of the baseline concept for the planetary entry and descent areas arenoted below. These attributes are provided as a guide, however, the final system designsubmitted for the Discovery proposal will be developed between the selected Offeror(s)and LaRC. All responses provided should have demonstrated space heritage. While each ofthe subsystems may be comprised of multiple elements, it is the intention of theGovernment to solicit entities to provide complete subsystems for eventual integrationinto the mission in lieu of procuring specific components via this announcement. Key attributes of the planetary entry system area include the use of a rigid bi-coniccomposite aeroshell with a major diameter of 3 meters, and a 70-degree sphere coneforebody. The aeroshell will also include a thermal protection system to accommodate thehigh heat of entry. Key attributes of the descent area include use of a mortar deployed supersonicdisk-gap-band parachute which provides additional deceleration in the supersonic regime. Offers will be reviewed, evaluated, and selected at NASA LaRC. If selected through thissynopsis, each provider is expected to participate in the technical assessment, proposaldevelopment, and on the mission implementation team. LaRC will require each selectedprovider to submit a detailed letter of commitment outlining their contribution, whichwill be included in the proposal.LaRC anticipates issuing contracts or other agreements to the Offerors provided the ARESmission concept is selected for implementation. Interested parties may propose as aprovider for any, all, or any combination of the areas sought. Provider selections willbe made by LaRC based on the listed criteria in the following order of importance:(1) Relevant Experience and Past Performance: This criterion evaluates the Offerorsrelevant technical experience and past performance in similar development activities.Provide a description of relevant technical experience including a summary of significantachievements and technical performance. The Offeror shall specifically discuss therelevance of their experience in reference to the design and development of compositestructures, thermal protection systems, and supersonic parachutes. (2) Cost and ScheduleControl: This criterion evaluates the Offerors ability to control both cost and schedule.The Offeror should provide evidence of successfully controlling cost and schedule forsimilar development programs and provide evidence of management processes in thisarea.(3) Technical Capability, Key Personnel and Facilities: This criterion evaluates theOfferors technical capability to perform the development proposed, the availability andadequacy of key personnel, and the availability and adequacy of facilities. The Offerorshall describe the technical capability, facilities and key personnel available tosupport the proposal and mission development.NASA will not reimburse organizations for the cost of submitting information in responseto this synopsis. NASA will not pay for technical assessment or proposal preparationcosts incurred by Offerors.It is expected that the selected providers will participate actively in the proposalprocess and that selection of the proposal for mission implementation would result incontract(s) for the selected providers. This synopsis opportunity does not represent aguarantee to selection of award of any contracts, nor is it to be construed as acommitment by NASA to pay for the information solicited. It is expected that provider(s)selected would provide (no cost to NASA), conceptual designs, technical data, proposalinputs, schedule and cost estimates consistent with the NASA Discovery guidelines asdescribed in the AO.Responses to this synopsis shall be limited to 5 pages for each mission area of interest.Offerors responding to more than one area of interest may submit up to 5 pages for eacharea of interest. Responses shall address each of the aforementioned evaluation criteria.A cover page that clearly identifies the area or areas of interest addressed by theresponse does not count towards the total allocated page count. All responses shall besubmitted to LaRC electronically via e-mail by 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on April 16,2010 to: e-mail: william.c.edwards@nasa.gov, Name: William Edwards and e-mail:teresa.m.hass@nasa.gov, Name: Teresa M. Hass.Technical and programmatic questions should be directed to: Name: William Edwards, Phone:(757) 864-1555, e-mail: william.c.edwards@nasa.govProcurement questions should be directed to: Name: Teresa M. Hass, Title: ContractSpecialist/Contracting Officer, Phone: (757) 864-8496 Fax: (757) 864-8863, e-mail:Teresa.M.Hass@nasa.gov
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/NASA/LaRC/OPDC20220/SS-ARES-2/listing.html)
- Record
- SN02095069-W 20100319/100317235059-1fce69ca0aa47441dd8dc692ea17c7b4 (fbodaily.com)
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