SOURCES SOUGHT
B -- HORIZONTAL LAUNCH STUDY
- Notice Date
- 9/15/2010
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 481212
— Nonscheduled Chartered Freight Air Transportation
- Contracting Office
- NASA/Dryden Flight Research Center, Code A, P.O. Box 273, Edwards, CA 93523-0273
- ZIP Code
- 93523-0273
- Solicitation Number
- NND11Z34567L
- Response Due
- 9/30/2010
- Archive Date
- 9/15/2011
- Point of Contact
- Richard M Swanson, Contracting Officer, Phone 661-276-3337, Fax 661-276-2904, Email Richard.M.Swanson@nasa.gov
- E-Mail Address
-
Richard M Swanson
(Richard.M.Swanson@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 their response to thisrequest to the procuremnt individual identified below, no later than September 30, 2010. When responding to this RFI, please indicate the reference number given above.NASA along with other government agencies is collaboratively looking at development oftechnologies that would have mutual payoffs in the area of horizontal launch. Horizontallaunch is the ability to take-off with a vehicle from a runway to a predetermined speedand altitude and then launch an orbital vehicle or an ascent system including orbitalvehicle to Low Earth Orbit (LEO).The Horizontal Launch Study (HLS) study will provide an assessment of horizontal launcharchitectures for several payload classes to access/service LEO for both military andcivilian applications.HLS will open the trade space to several payload classes frommicro to medium sized payloads and different staging scenarios from subsonic tosupersonic separations speeds for each payload classes. HLS will identify architecturesthat support near term LEO mission capabilities along with identifying mid-termtechnology investment areas that will enable larger payloads and future capabilities. Candidates for potential investments through future solicitations must have demonstratedtheir fundamental feasibility.Although future activities expect to accept technologicalrisk, a candidate near-term approach must be in accord with established scientific andengineering principles and must not depend on inventions or discoveries that are notcredible within a 5-year timeframe and have the potential to mature to a realisticflight. The defined timeframes for flight would include near-term which is from one to threeyears to integrate systems. A mid-term flight date would be from four to nine years, andfar-term architecture would be over ten to twenty years of development effort required. Payload weight classes include Micro (1 kg) to a medium weight payload of 10,000 kg.To support HLS, NASA is seeking information about horizontal launch architectures thatcould be included in the assessment. The information being sought is description of thehorizontal launch architecture, key technologies, and launch payload class. Theresponses will help NASA and other government agencies to understand the technicalpossibilities for horizontal launch, structure future solicitations to encompass theappropriate range of possibilities, and identify potential bidders.The information that is required in response to this RFI:1. Description of the Horizontal Launch Architecture/System which should include thefirst stage and second stage. (The first stage is an aircraft.The second stage could bean orbital vehicle or an ascent system including an orbital vehicle.) a. Provide a graphic or picture of the architecture if possible b. Provide empty weight and GTOW2. Key technologies that demonstrate the anticipated performance to low earth orbit3. Payload weight and total weight of second stage system4. Estimated System Integration and Development time required to a launch date5. Benefit over current systems for comparable payload weightNASA appreciates responses from all capable and qualified sources including, but notlimited to, NASA Centers, universities, university affiliated research centers,federally-funded research and development centers, private or public companies, andgovernment research laboratories. This is not a request for proposal, quotation, or invitation for bid notice and isintended for information and planning purposes only. NASA does not intend to make anyawards on the basis of this RFI. NASA will not provide reimbursement for costs incurredin responding to this RFI. NASA will evaluate submissions for its own purposes instructuring potential future program activities. It is requested that proprietary or trade secret information be limited in response tothis RFI. If proprietary information is submitted, it will not be directly used as partof the study, but may be used to help define the scope of the architectures available. NASA may contact respondents to this RFI by telephone or site visit if clarifications oradditional information is desired.Submissions under this RFI do not bind NASA to any further action other than theprotection of any proprietary or trade secret information provided. All futuresolicitations are subject to availability of funds and program direction of NASA or othergovernment agencies. This announcement contains all information required to submit aresponse (see below). No additional forms, kits, or other materials are needed. Oralcommunications are not acceptable in response to this notice.Although, NASA will not consider classified submissions through this solicitations,special arrangements can be made to if requested in writing. NASA will use submittedmaterials to inform its decisions on program development, to include future solicitationsand research areas. However, NASA will not release any individual RFI responses,proprietary information, or trade secret information identified as such in any of the RFIsubmissions.Submissions have the following formatting requirements: Microsoft PowerPoint presentation(.ppt) or portable document format (.pdf) formatted documents not to exceed ten(10)slides. A Microsoft word document (.doc) or portable document format (.pdf) not toexceed 2 pages with 12 point font will be accepted. A single concept may submit thepresentation format or a word document format but not both. NOTE: All responses to this RFI must arrive at dfrc-hls@mail.nasa.gov by midnight onSeptember 30, 2010. Mark all responses: RFI, Horizontal Launch Study. Questions shouldbe marked: Questions, Horizontal Launch Study.Only written responses or questions willbe accepted. Technical questions about this RFI may be directed to: David F Voracek, Horizontal LaunchPM, at dfrc-hls@nasa.gov. Procurement related questions should be directed to:RichSwanson, Contracting Officer, at richard.m.swanson@nasa.gov.No solicitation exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. If asolicitation is released it will be synopsized in FedBizOpps and on the NASA AcquisitionInternet Service. It is the potential offerors responsibility to monitor these sitesfor the release of any solicitation or synopsis. Please advise if the requirement is considered to be a commercial or commercial-typeproduct. A commercial item is defined in FAR 2.101.This synopsis is for information and planning purposes and is not to be construed as acommitment by the Government nor will the Government pay for information solicited. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation. Respondents deemedfully qualified will be considered in any resultant solicitation for the requirement. The Government reserves the right to consider a small business or 8(a) set-aside based onresponses hereto. Any referenced notes may be viewed at the following URLs linked below.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
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- Record
- SN02283769-W 20100917/100916000753-9ad324adb4cbcc5ab0005fbfb8855584 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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