NASA-Ames Research Center, Mail Stop JAC: 240-6, Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000

A -- STRATOSPHERIC OBSERVATORY FOR INFRARED ASTRONOMY (SOFIA) DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATION POC Contact Point: Hank Remmers, Telephone (415)604-5775, e-mail address to Hank_Remmers@qmgate.arc.nasa.gov NASA seeks qualified sources to provide comments on a draft solicitation for the prime contract for development and operation of the U.S. portion of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) program. NASA recognizes that the SOFIA Program has not been approved by Congress; this announcement is for planning purposes only. Synopsis of draft SOFIA System Development and Operations solicitation: NASA has determined that it will implement the SOFIA System by selecting a single Contractor who will form an integrated team that will be responsible for air craft acquisition and modification, observatory integration, and also for subsequent science and mission operations of SOFIA. A Science and Operations Center shall be established to include all of the elements necessary for airborne astronomy operation and for selection and support of scientific programs, including basing and airfield access, servicing and maintenance, associated facilities, and scientific and operating personnel. In addition, this Center will be responsible for the planning and implementa tion of an aggressive education and public outreach program for SOFIA. The team leader (Contractor) may be from industry, a university, a consortium of university, or any other non- government orgainzation. NASA installations, other government laboratories, and Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDCs) may also participate. The Team shall be totally responsible for all aspects of the program from aircraft acquisition through system integration and science operations, with the exception of telescope acquisition and the Deutsche Agentur fur Raumfahartangelegenhelten (DARA) portion of science and operations, which shall be integrated with the U.S. portion. The team shall take overall respon sibility for ensuring the quality of the scientific output of the observatory. NASA will establish a SOFIA Project Office at Ames Research Center (ARC) which will be responsible for contract oversight. The Project Office will generally define, and subsequently approve specific interfaces between the aircraft and the telecope, and will be responsible for agreements with (DARA) for provision of the telescope. The Project Office will provide a scientific and technical support group which is responsible for transferring results of previous definition studies to the Contractor, and which will be available for work on the program, if proposed. The contemplated issue date for the draft solicitation is October 4, 1995. The information requested from the qualified sources is due October 27, 1995, but will be accepted until one week prior to issuance of the formal SOFIA Development and Operations solicitation. To obtain a copy of the draft solicitation, requests should be in writing, FAX or E-mail and directed to Henry W. Remmers Jr., NASA Ames Research Center, Acquisition Division - Mail Stop 240-6, Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000. Telephone: (415)604- 5775, Fax: (415) 604-4987. EMail: hremmers@msmail.arc.nasa. gov. An Industry Workshop is currently scheduled for October 10-13, 1995, at ARC (in N201 at 9 a.m.) to describe the SOFIA program's current management and technical approach and data base of available information. This workshop will follow the release of the SOFIA draft solicitation, and will be rescheduled in the event that the draft solicitation is not released on October 4. For Industry Workshop attendance, send an e-mail message with your name, company, and citizenship to Marti_Klug@qmgate.arc.nasa.gov by October 4, 1995. The SOFIA Project Office is at NASA Ames Research Center, M/S 244-30, Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000. Telephone: (415) 604-5343 or 604-4886. Fax: (415)604-1094. NASA-Ames Research Center has an active Home Page. It is available at the following URL: http://www.arc.nasa/gov/org-listing. html via a worldwide web browser such as Mosaic, Netscape, or similar application. Look for Ames Acquisitions under the Center Operations Directorate. (0263)

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