Loren Data's SAM Daily™

SAMDAILY.US - ISSUE OF JANUARY 16, 2022 SAM #7351
SPECIAL NOTICE

A -- 2022 Request for White Papers: NASA SBIR/STTR Phase II Sequential Awards - TNA 3

Notice Date

1/14/2022 10:36:32 AM
 

Notice Type

Special Notice
 

NAICS

541715 — Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)
 

Contracting Office

NASA SHARED SERVICES CENTER STENNIS SPACE CENTER MS 39529 USA
 

ZIP Code

39529
 

Solicitation Number

80NSSC22SEQUENTIALWPTNA3
 

Response Due

2/15/2022 2:00:00 PM
 

Point of Contact

Steven Brockway, Phone: 8776772123, Theresa Stanley, Phone: 8776772123
 

E-Mail Address

Agency-SBIR-STTRSolicitation@mail.nasa.gov, Agency-SBIR-STTRSolicitation@mail.nasa.gov
(Agency-SBIR-STTRSolicitation@mail.nasa.gov, Agency-SBIR-STTRSolicitation@mail.nasa.gov)
 

Small Business Set-Aside

SBA Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)
 

Description

1. Background NASA is considering inviting companies to propose for Sequential Phase II awards with an elevated award value from $2.5 Million to $5 Million through the Agency�s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs in 2022. These awards would facilitate rapid post Phase II development of technologies with the goal to infuse key technologies that reach specific milestones into specific NASA programs. 2. Purpose Why is NASA requesting this information? The SBIR/STTR Program is performing a portfolio evaluation exercise with the aim of determining what NASA SBIR Phase II technologies show the promise of risk reduction for key programs, and what firms are capable candidates for further investment through a potential Sequential Phase II award. NASA has a large SBIR Phase II portfolio to evaluate, and this exercise will help accomplish two objectives: 1. Highlight and map SBIR Phase II technologies to key programs with white papers providing additional context and details about opportunities for small business technology development. 2. Provide a participatory method for interested parties to communicate that they are engaged and ready to support a subset of NASA�s priorities that may be appropriate for small business participation, as described in this call for white papers. Please note that there are two 2022 Requests for White Papers � please ensure that you are referring to the correct Request for White Papers as well as the correct Technical Need Area number when responding. 3. Disclaimer NASA reserves the right to use the information received from these white papers in any way it chooses, including determinations to invite companies to propose for a Phase II Sequential award. A Phase II Awardee may receive one additional, Sequential Phase II award to continue the work of an initial Phase II award without additional competition. Responding to this call for white papers is not a prerequisite to participating in any post Phase II program. This white paper can be used for programmatic planning to assess the state of small business capability and does not constitute a funding opportunity or a formal competition. Respondents should be advised that NASA takes no financial responsibility for any expenses incurred for responding to the white paper call. Respondents should not expect to receive feedback or reply to their submission. Future awards (if any) will be subject to and contingent upon the availability of funds. If proposal invitations do occur, NASA notionally anticipates reaching out to firms around May 2022. 4. Timeline and Method for Responses NASA uses electronically supported business processes for the SBIR/STTR programs. An offeror must have internet access and an email address. Paper submissions are not accepted. The Electronic Handbook (EHB) for submitting white papers is located at http://sbir.nasa.gov under the Handbooks section; please refer to the SBIR/STTR Proposal Submission EHB link therein for the portal to submit a white paper. The EHB guides firms through the steps for submitting a white paper. All EHB submissions are through a secure connection. Communication between NASA�s SBIR/STTR programs and the firm is primarily through a combination of EHB and email. The submissions site will be available from January 14, 2022 to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on February 15, 2022. A complete white paper package shall be received no later than 5:00 p.m. ET on February 15, 2022, via the NASA SBIR/STTR website (http://sbir.nasa.gov), under the Handbooks section. The Electronic Handbook (EHB) will no longer accept submissions after the published deadline of 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on February 15, 2022 as reflected by the internal EHB clock. Submission after the deadline will result in the offeror receiving an access denied message from the EHB; this reflects that the deadline has been exceeded. Any remaining parts of the white paper package will not be uploaded or able to be completed. If a complete white paper package, containing all requested content per section 8 of this Request for White Papers, is not received by the 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time deadline, the white paper package will be determined to be incomplete and will not be assessed. Neither the NASA SBIR/STTR Technical Support Help Desk nor the NASA SBIR/STTR Program Management Office will be able to accept white paper packages after the 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on February 15, 2022 deadline has been exceeded. 5. Eligibility For this Request for White Papers, firms are eligible to submit a white paper if they have a prior NASA SBIR Phase II award from Program Years 2011 to present as long as the prior Phase II contract has not already received a Sequential Phase II award, from any government agency including NASA. Prior Phase II awards must also be completed, including any option periods, by July 1, 2022. Completed awards are awards where contract period of performance has expired, and all deliverables have been accepted by the Government. Technical Need Areas indicate subtopics which the SBIR program has assessed as having content that may be applicable to these Technical Need Areas. However, firms with prior SBIR Phase IIs from NASA Program Years 2011 to present who have not yet received a Sequential Phase II award on that prior Phase II from any agency may submit a white paper in response to a Technical Need Area, in this Request for White Papers, so long as they justify in the white paper how the continued development of their prior Phase II innovation meets stated goals within the Technical Need Area. For this 2022 Request for White Papers, NASA will also be accepting white papers on SBIR Phase IIs from the National Science Foundation (NSF) so long as they meet other appropriate eligibility criteria. Firms with complete SBIR Phase II awards from NSF whose Phase II contracts/grants were awarded in fiscal years 2012 to 2020 will also be allowed to submit white papers so long as the prior Phase II contract/grant has not already received a Sequential Phase II award, from any government agency. Complete awards are awards where contract performance has ended and the firm has received all funding for the deliverables it provided to the Government, if applicable. White Papers based on Phase IIs from other agencies besides NSF and/or that do not meet other applicability criteria will not be assessed. Firms may submit a white paper in response to the indicated Technical Need Area so long as they justify in the white paper how the continued development of their prior Phase II innovation meets stated goals within the Technical Need Area. Firms submitting white papers pertaining to NSF Phase II awards must identify the pertinent Phase II award identifying information (such as contract number), what form the prior Phase II award took (contract, grant, other), and whom the approving officials from NSF are for the relevant awards in the text of the white paper submission. Should NASA choose to invite a full proposal based on an NSF Phase II, the proposal will be contingent on NSF granting NASA the permission to issue a Sequential Phase II award on the prior Phase II and NSF confirming that the prior Phase II contract/grant performance has ended and the firm has received all funding for the deliverables it provided to the Government. Development efforts should largely continue from the end status and Technology Readiness Level (TRL) development status of the prior Phase II development and/or any continued efforts that happened since the end of the Phase II effort. The detailed effort should involve and justify the continued development of at least one of the primary technologies already developed during the prior applicable Phase II. While some re-development may be required for the specific application purposes called out in this Technical Need Area, any significant new developments that differ from the prior Phase II technology or re-developments that impact the technology should be justified as pertinent to the original Phase II award and the Technical Need Area the white paper is being submitted under. Likewise, impacts to the starting Technology Readiness Level (TRL) should be justified. White papers on technologies that are not adequately justified as relevant continuations of the prior cited Phase II or are not compliant may not be assessed or considered. Additionally, only firms who continue to qualify as Small Business Concerns (SBCs), as defined here: http://sbir.nasa.gov/content/nasa-sbirsttr-program-definitions, are eligible to submit white papers. White paper submissions are limited to a maximum of 3 responses per Technology Need Area (TNA). This Technical Need Area may have multiple vested programs and/or use cases. Within the Technical Need Area, white papers may justify the technology as applicable to as few or as many of those applicable programs or cases as is appropriate; however, each white paper may only pertain to one Technical Need Area. This Technical Need Area has been identified for this announcement due to its near-term NASA relevance. Subtopics within the Technical Need Area were identified based on the technical applicability of the original solicitation subtopic to current needs, pertinence and timeliness to priority objectives and needs, evaluations against the current state of the art and available technologies, and cross program relevance. Note that the lack of inclusion of a given subtopic/program year and the technologies developed from that cycle does not reflect a NASA position on those technologies. Note that while some subtopics in given program years are identified for a Technical Need Area, the original scope of those subtopics, and original awards therein, may have been more expansive than the current stated need. While a given prior award may be included within that subtopic and program year, please review the need statement for the Technical Need Area to decide if you think that your technology is pertinent to this current development opportunity. White papers on technologies that are not applicable, or whose development path diverges from the stated need, will not be considered. Developments must be directly related to and continue the prior Phase II work and must demonstrate relevance to both the applicable original solicitation subtopic and current cited NASA goals in this area. For Phase II awards from NSF, proposed technology development must demonstrate relevance to current cited NASA goals in this area but may also discuss cross-cutting applications. Note that any further development beyond the prior Phase II conducted (through various NASA SBIR/STTR program funding vehicles, other NASA mechanisms, or other development avenues), that may be completed or ongoing, should be discussed in establishing the current state of the technology leading into a potential future development effort. If there is ongoing work on the technology, detail the work, the anticipated completion timeframe, and any known risks/implications to a follow-on development resulting from the ongoing work. 6.� Technical Need Areas 6.3 Technical Need Area 2022-3: Robotics and Autonomy for Lunar Sustainability and Infrastructure NASA is seeking to advance and implement a range of robotics and autonomy technologies in support of our Artemis goals on the lunar surface. This includes component and system technologies described under �Robotic Systems� (TX04) and �Autonomous Systems� (TX10) of the 2020 NASA Technology Taxonomy. These technologies will be used to enable scalable, long term, sustainable exploration of the Moon, including both human and robotic missions. Responses need to address one or more of these specific applications which include the following, in no particular priority: Robotic components, systems, and automous control approaches for the establishment and maintentance of lunar infrastructure. This includes technologies in support of excavation (including implements for manipulating regolith and specialized digging tools), surface site preparation, and construction of surface assets in support of vehicles and human exploration habitats/operational sites. Components and systems in support of in-situ resource ulitization (ISRU) production needs. This includes the acquisiton, delivery, and transfer of lunar regolith and subsurface volatiles as well as the handling of any intermediate and final solid state products generated as part of the ISRU system processes. Lunar surface operations robotics. This includes mobility systems, interchangeable end effectors and tooling, and mechanisms to support a variety of applications (payload deployment, maintenance/servicing, inspection, human mission support). All of these technologies should be designed to operate on the lunar surface in an extravehicular activity (EVA) environment. Specifically, this means operations in the presence of radiation, low temperatures, dust, etc. Technology developments should discuss features for tolerating and operating successfully within this environment. Other extreme environment conditions technologies need to operate within may include: Surviving the long lunar night and/or long duration exploration of and/or operations within permanently or persistently shadowed craters in darkness. Extremes of ambient lunar environment factors including, but not limited to, radiation, electromagnetic effects, plasma, vacuum, and thermal conditions supporting operations at varied destinations including lunar poles All environments associated with launch, transfer, landing, deployment, and operations of the lunar vehicles and/or payloads that this technology may be appropriate for. Refer to the referenced �Cross-Program Design Specification for Natural Environments� (DSNE) Revision H for further information on environments associated with lunar surface operational phases. Refer to the referenced NASA STD 1008 ""Classifications and requirements for testing systems��� and hardware to be exposed to dust in planetary environments"" for further information on considerations for tolerating lunar dust. White papers should not only discuss the development of the technology but must also detail how this technology is pertinent to at least one of the stated applications. Discuss features, developments, and appropriate qualification/certification demonstrations pertinent to that application. Technologies may be scalable/applicable to a range or multiple of the specific lunar applications. This may include various scales of operations within a singular stated target application or need. This may also include applicability across multiple targeted applications/use scenarios. If that is the case, identify the applications being targeted, appropriate/expected scaling range, and developments and demonstrations that are both common across applications and/or that may be unique to a given application. Define anticipated requirements of your technology that would align with at least one representative vehicle or application use case. White papers should discuss component, subsystem, and/or system integration and interface features, requirements, and challenges. This should be discussed from the perspective of potentially being integrated to a range of potential future vehicles/robotic assets. However, if there is a specific notional or actual platform that you are designing/developing towards, please identify that case and unique pertinent developments/requirements thereof. Discuss operational considerations which may include degree of autonomy and expected level of command, human interaction, any pertinent interfaces to other systems/instruments that may be required, and other key features that enable integration, use, and operations. �White papers should define what the targeted key performance metrics and requirements of the proposed technologies are. This should include considerations and discussions of pertinent environmental conditions and how performance will be verified appropriately. Metrics are to be compared these versus the current state of the art (SOA). The key performance metrics and requirements of the system should be justified as to how they will enable the application while being exposed to and operating within the lunar surface environment. Define what appropriate tests would be to adequately demonstrate the achievement of those metrics and requirements. For all technology developments, discuss features, operations, and contingenices to enable a high degree of reliability as well as to enable maintainability autonomously, by other robotic assets, and/or by human astronauts in the lunar environment. For hardware developments, it is anticipated that the mechaisms will experience high cycle counts over a period of multiple years with long operational and quiescent periods throughout. Please state and justify any pertinent factors, design considerations, and metrics pertaining to enabling this expected lunar surface use scenario. For developments that entail software, discuss what approaches will ensure reliability of systems as well as the diagnosis and mitigation of anomalies, faults, and failures. Discuss any features that may help enable the maintainability of assets. Efforts should advance the maturity of the technology to readily progress toward a follow-on demonstration or implementation(s) as part of a lunar mission demonstration. Please discuss and justify any development effort, features, and/or experience pertinent to maturing concepts to certifiable flight-ready hardware and routine production beyond demonstration. Discuss appropriate integrated system operational considerations and features. Efforts should discuss the expected state at the end of this effort and discuss gaps or additional development that would be required prior to vehicle or payload integration, operation, and/or use, if any. The development discussion should detail how the effort addresses key technical risks that would need to be overcome to enable infusion and/or commercialization into vehicles and payloads including representative integrated tests. Additionally, features or developments that will enable the repeated and affordable manufacturability, scaling for different applications, and integration of the system should be discussed. References/Target Metrics: SLS-SPEC-159 - Cross-Program Design Specification for Natural Environments (DSNE) Revision H,� https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20205007447� NASA STD 1008 ""Classifications and requirements for testing systems and hardware to be exposed to dust in planetary environments"", https://standards.nasa.gov/standard/nasa/nasa-std-1008 2020 NASA Technology Taxonomy, https://www.nasa.gov/offices/oct/taxonomy/index.html TNA 2022-3 Potentially Applicable Subtopics by Solicitation Year: 2011 � S5.02, X1.01, X7.01, X7.02 2012 � H1.01, H6.03 2014 � H1.01, H6.01, H20.01 2015 � H1.01, S2.02, S4.02 2016 � H1.01, H6.01, S4.02 2017 � H1.01. H2.01, S4.02, Z3.02, Z4.01, Z5.02 2018 � H1.01, H6.03, S4.02, S4.04, Z5.02 2019 � Z5.04, Z5.05, Z12.01, Z12.02 7. Formatting Constraints: Note: The government administratively screens all white papers and may not assess any response that does not conform to the following formatting requirements and page limitations. Page Limitations and Margins A white paper shall not exceed a total of 10 standard 8 1/2 x 11 inch (21.6 x 27.9 cm) pages. White papers uploaded with more than 10 pages may not be accepted by the Electronic Handbook (EHB) system or assessed. Each page shall be numbered consecutively at the bottom. Margins shall be 1.0 inch (2.5 cm). The space allocated to each part of the white paper will depend on the project chosen and the company�s approach. The additional fields required for submission in the system will not count against the 10-page limit. Type Size� No type size smaller than 10 point shall be used for text or tables, except as legends on reduced drawings. White papers prepared with smaller font sizes may not be assessed. Header/Footer Requirements Header must include firm name, Phase II contract number, and white paper title. Footer must include the page number and proprietary markings if applicable. Margins can be used for header/footer information. Classified Information� NASA does not accept white papers that contain classified information. Project Title The white paper project title shall be concise and descriptive of the proposed effort. The title should not use acronyms or words like ""Development of"" or ""Study of."" The NASA research subtopic title or TNA title must not be used as the white paper title. 8. Requested Content of White Paper This part of the submission must consist of all seven (7) parts listed below in the given order. All seven parts of the white paper must be numbered and titled. Parts that are not applicable must be included and marked �Not Applicable.� The requested table of contents is provided below: Part 1: � Table of Contents - Page 1 Part 2:�� Identification and Significance of the Innovation and Results of the Phase II Contract Part 3:�� Technical Objectives for the Sequential Phase II Part 4:�� Work Plan Part 5:�� Key Personnel Part 6:�� Facilities/Equipment/Corporate Capabilities Part 7:�� Related, Essentially Equivalent and Duplicate Proposals and Awards 8.1. Detailed White Paper Content Requirements Part 1: Table of Contents The white paper shall begin with a brief table of contents indicating the page numbers of each of the parts of the white paper. Part 2: Identification and Significance of the Proposed Innovation Succinctly describe: The proposed innovation. The proposed innovation relative to the state of the art. Current development status, including any work beyond the initial Phase II. The relevance and significance of the proposed innovation to an interest, need or needs described in section 5 (Eligibility and Technical Need Areas). The product-market fit, identifying specific NASA programs or missions and/or commercial services or capabilities as the intended market. Please be advised that the evaluators may review the Phase II final technical report to verify accuracy of this summary. However respondents should not rely on this and should include relevant high-level Phase II results in the white paper. Part 3: Technical Objectives Define the specific objectives of the Sequential Phase II research and technical approach. This section should be high-level. Part 4: Work Plan Include a high-level description of the Sequential Phase II R/R&D plan to meet the technical objectives and to align with the identified NASA program or mission and/or commercial services or capabilities. The work plan should indicate what will be done, where it will be done and how the R/R&D will be carried out. Discuss the methods planned to achieve each task or objective. High-level task descriptions and planned accomplishments including high-level project milestones shall be included. Milestones should include major tests and/or resulting points of TRL advancement within the overall development effort. Identify the estimated milestone payments and schedule (at a high level) and if these subset efforts can be accomplished in parallel or in sequence. Discuss the rationale for why these milestones have been chosen and how their completion enables the further infusion, commercialization, and/or the next appropriate ground or flight demonstration of this technology. Period of performance can be determined by the firm based on the specific project, but 24 months can be used as a general guideline. Please also mention any significant subcontracts or consultants and the approximate percentage of work they will be performing. Subcontractors are subject to the same limitations as in a regular Phase II project as shown in the below: SBIR Phase II Subcontracts/Consultants The proposed subcontracted business arrangements including consultants, must not exceed 50 percent of the research and/or analytical work [as determined by the total cost of the proposed subcontracting effort (to include the appropriate OH and G&A) in comparison to the total effort (total contract price including cost sharing, if any, less profit if any)].������������ Part 5: Key Personnel/ Corporate Capabilities Identify the Principal Investigator and any other critical participants and provide an abbreviated description of their experience and credentials. Please do not provide full curriculum vitae (CVs). Briefly describe the workforce plan to perform the proposed work and the company�s overall resources and capability to manage larger ($2.5M-5M) contracts. Also include a description of any corporate or subcontractor/consultant flight hardware development experience. Part 6: Facilities/Equipment Briefly describe the necessary instrumentation and facilities to be used to perform the proposed work, Companies must ensure their resources are adequate and address any reliance on external sources, such as government furnished equipment or facilities. Part 7: Related, Essentially Equivalent, and Duplicate Proposals and Awards WARNING � While it is permissible with proposal notification to submit identical proposals or proposals containing a significant amount of essentially equivalent work for consideration under numerous federal program solicitations, it is unlawful to enter into funding agreements requiring essentially equivalent work. This white paper submission is being used for informational purposes only, but in the case that NASA chooses to invite a full proposal based on the white paper, it would be beneficial to be aware of any potentially related, essentially, equivalent, or duplicate proposals/awards. Please list any such proposals/awards in this section, indicating: The name and address of the agencies to which proposals were submitted or from which awards were received. Date of proposal submission or date of award. Title, number and date of solicitations under which proposals were submitted or awards received. The specific applicable research topics for each proposal submitted for award received. Titles of research projects. Name and title of principal investigator or project manager for each proposal submitted or award received. 8.2. Additional Information and Uploads Briefing Chart A briefing chart is required to assist in the review of white papers. The following information fields will be included during the submissions process which will provide NASA with the information needed to generate a briefing chart: Technical Abstract Identification and Significance of Innovation Technical Objectives Proposed Deliverables NASA Applications Non-NASA Applications Graphic Note: The briefing chart is public information and may be disclosed. Do not include proprietary information in this form. Summary Budget Please provide a high-level estimated total cost for each of the following elements in the template that has been provided in the EHB: Direct Labor Overhead General & Administrative (G&A) Profit Subcontractors/Consultants Materials Supplies Equipment Travel Other Direct Costs The minimum budget that can be requested is $2.5 Million, and the maximum is $5 Million over the period of performance of the effort. Additional Uploads Additional uploads other than those requested (white paper, budget, graphic) will not be considered during the review of the white paper. Please do not upload letters of support. 9. Help and Support For any questions regarding clarification of white papers instructions and any administrative matters, the Help Desk may be contacted by email at sbir@reisystems.com. Note: The requestor must provide the name and telephone number of the person to contact, the organization name and address, and the specific questions or requests.
 

Web Link

SAM.gov Permalink
(https://sam.gov/opp/2a9bc9308af14c6098828fe6bab95f1a/view)
 

Place of Performance

Address: USA

Country: USA
 

Record

SN06217787-F 20220116/220114230059 (samdaily.us)
 

Source

SAM.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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