SOLICITATION NOTICE
A -- TPS FOR MARS ENTRY DESCENT AND LANDING - ROUND 2 PHASE 1
- Notice Date
- 11/24/2010
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- NAICS
- 336419
— Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- NASA/Ames Research Center, JA:M/S 241-1, Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000
- ZIP Code
- 94035-1000
- Solicitation Number
- NNA11366031Q
- Response Due
- 12/9/2010
- Archive Date
- 11/24/2011
- Point of Contact
- Marianne Shelley, Contracting Officer, Phone 650-604-4179, Fax 650-604-3020, Email marianne.shelley@nasa.gov - Rachel Khattab, Contracting Officer, Phone 650-604-5237, Fax 650-604-3020, Email rachel.khattab@nasa.gov
- E-Mail Address
-
Marianne Shelley
(marianne.shelley@nasa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) plans to issue a Request for Quotes (RFQ) forThermal Protection Systems (TPS) materials (Round 2, Phase 1) for the Mars Entry,Descent, and Landing (EDL) Technology Development Project (TDP).In October 2009, NASAs Exploration Technology Development Program (ETDP) established theEDL TDP, to be managed programmatically at Langley Research Center (LaRC) and technicallyat ARC. The purpose of the project is to further the technologies required to land heavy(~40 metric ton) masses on Mars to facilitate exploration. The EDL TDP contains fourtechnical elements. They are 1) Flexible Deployable Thermal Protection Systems (F-TPS)development; 2) Modeling and Tools (MAT) development; 3) Supersonic Retropropulsion (SRP)development; and 4) Rigid Thermal Protection Systems (R-TPS). The primary goals of theEDL TDP TPS elements are to design and develop TPS materials capable of withstanding thesevere aerothermal loads associated with aerocapture and entry into the Martianatmosphere while significantly decreasing the TPS mass fraction contribution to the entrysystem on either a flexible, deployable system or a rigid system. Significantadvancements in flexible and rigid ablative TPS materials technology are needed in orderto enable heavy mass payloads to be successfully landed on the Martian surface forrobotic precursor and subsequent human exploration missions. In February 2010 NASA released Request for Quotations (RFQ) # NNA10323994Q for EDL TDPTPS materials for NASA testing. As a result of that RFQ, four non-commercial, firm fixedprice purchase orders were awarded to four vendors. That round of testing will bereferred to as Round 1, Phase 1. TPS materials were delivered to NASA, and testing ofthose Phase 1 materials is now complete. Depending upon NASA resources, a down-selectionprocess may occur to select some of those materials for Round 1, Phase 2 NASA testing inearly 2011.For Round 2, Phase 1, the subject of this synopsis, NASA intends to conduct another roundof Phase 1 testing of promising EDL TDP TPS materials that could ultimately meet thestringent requirements for Mars aerocapture and entry.This procurement will consist ofscreening tests of multiple flexible and rigid ablative TPS materials from multiplevendors within a detailed trade study framework in order to advance promising concepts toTechnology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 or 6 by 2014. All TPS vendors with materials thatmeet the requirements of the Statement of Work are eligible to submit a proposal forRound 2, Phase 1, including, but not limited to: vendors that submitted a proposal butwere not selected for Round 1, Phase 1; vendors that participated in Round 1, Phase 1 andhave subsequently modified their Phase 1 TPS material; or new vendors who did notparticipate in the Round 1, Phase 1 procurement.NASA plans that Round 1 and Round 2 (and perhaps additional Rounds) will be conducted inparallel, each having several down-selection phases, culminating in a final merging ofall late-phase rounds to select the most appropriate flexible and rigid ablative TPSmaterials required for NASA missions.For Round 2, NASA intends to conduct a Phased Acquisition Using Down-Selection Proceduresin accordance with NASA FAR Subpart (NFS) 1817.73 Phased Acquisitions.Thispresolicitation notice constitutes the required synopsis for Round 2, Phase 1.Theformal solicitation is expected to be released to industry in mid-December 2010. To beconsidered for a Round 2, Phase 1 award, offerors will demonstrate capability to performall phases of this Procurement.In accordance with NFS 1817.7301-4(a) Synopsis, the following information applies to thisphased acquisition process:(1) For Round 2, the Government plans to conduct a phased acquisition involving acompetitive down-selection process, as follows:Round 2, Phase 1 is for delivery of TPS material coupons that will be described in theStatement of Work Round 2, Phase 1, to be posted with the solicitation. NASA willperform a variety of tests on these submitted coupons, and results of the testing will beevaluated as part of the down-selection to Round 2, Phase 2.Round 2, Phase 2 is planned for continued testing, development, and extending the TRL forrigid ablator materials and deployable ablator materials. The down-selection to Round 2,Phase 2 is expected to be late FY2011.Round 2, Phase 3 is planned for continued development and further characterization ofrigid ablator and deployable ablator materials. The down-selection to Round 2, Phase 3is expected to be about FY2012.Round 2, Phase 4 is expected to culminate in FY2014 with a final merging of alllate-phase rounds to select the most appropriate flexible and rigid ablative TPSmaterials required for NASA missions.(2) Competitions for subsequent phases of Round 2 will build on the results of previousphases.(3) The award criteria for subsequent phases of Round 2 will include demonstratedcompletion of specified previous phase requirements.(4) The Government expects that only the initial phase contractors of Round 2 will becapable of successfully competing for the subsequent phase(s). Proposals for thesubsequent phase(s) will be requested from these contractors.(5) The Government intends to issue a new, formal solicitation for subsequent phases ofRound 2. (6) Each subsequent phase of the Round 2 acquisition will be synopsized in accordancewith FAR 5.201 and 5.203. (7) Notwithstanding the expectation that only the initial phase Round 2 contractors willbe capable of successfully competing for the subsequent phase(s), proposals from allresponsible sources submitted by the specified due date will be considered. In order tocontend for subsequent phase awards, however, such prospective offerors must demonstratea design maturity equivalent to that of the prior phase contractors. Failure to fullyand completely demonstrate the appropriate level of design maturity may render theproposal unacceptable with no further consideration for contract award.(8) Each subsequent synopsis during this Round 2 process will identify the current phasecontractors.This procurement is being conducted under Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP).NASA/ARC is planning to award multiple non-commercial purchase orders for Round 2, Phase1. The Round 2, Phase 1 procurement will be conducted in accordance with FAR Part 13,Simplified Acquisition Procedures. Depending upon NASA resouces, later phases areexpected to include more complex requirements, may have higher contract values, withlonger periods of performances, and may be conducted in accordance with FAR Part 15,Contracting by Negotiation.The tentative TPS for MARS EDL Round 2, Phase 1 schedule is: Issuance of Synopsis November 24, 2010; Issuance of RFQ# NNA11366031Q mid December 2010; Proposals Due 15 days following issuance of solicitation; Multiple Purchase Orders awarded early-mid January 2011.All contractual and/or technical questions must be submitted in writing (e-mailpreferred) by 4:00 pm Pacific Time, December 9, 2010. Telephone questions will not beaccepted. Please address any comments or questions to: Marianne Shelley, NASA AmesResearch Center. Email: Marianne.Shelley@nasa.gov. Any responses to questionssubmitted will be posted at this website as a modification to this synopsis or theresulting RFQ.The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12. The NAICS Code is 336419 - Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and AuxiliaryEquipment Manufacturing with Size Standard: 1000 employees.All responsible sources may submit a quote which shall be considered by the agency.NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. The installation Ombudsman is: Mr.Lewis S. Braxton III, Deputy Center Director, P. O. Box 1, Moffett Field, CA 94035-0001. Telephone: (650) 604-5068 Fax: (650) 604-0031 or (650) 604-1668 Email:lewis.s.braxton@nasa.gov. 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 NASABusiness Opportunities home page is http://procurement.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/EPS/bizops.cgi?gr=D&pin=.Prospective offerors shall notify this office of their intent to submit an offer. It isthe offeror's responsibility to monitor the Internet site for the release of thesolicitation and amendments (if any). Potential quoters will be responsible fordownloading their own copy of the solicitation and amendments (if any). Information about major upcoming ARC procurement actions is available athttp://ec.msfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eis/admin/admin.cgi?center=ARC
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