HQ Space and Missile Systems Center (AFMC) SMC/CIKC, 2420 Vela Way, Suite 1467-A8, Los Angeles AFB, CA 90245-4659

A -- NOTICE OF CONTRACT ACTION, NPOESS SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE STUDIES POC POINT OF CONTACT: William S. Trombetta, Contracting Officer, (310)336- 4460. As briefed to industry on 20 June 1996, the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Integrated Program Office intends to direct three parallel system architecture study efforts under the existing Advanced Technology Support Program (ATSP) contracts. This effort will be performed by Hughes Aircraft Co., Lockheed Martin, and TRW, will be administered through the Sacramento Air Logistics Center (SM-ALC), and will support NPOESS system architecture definition and analyses. These ATSP efforts will provide consultative support to the IPO for interface definition, system constraints, implementation strategies, and engineering approaches. The studies will be performed in parallel with separate competitive awards for several critical sensor developments. Each contemplated ATSP task is valued at $4.5 million for a 3 year period. The NPOESS acquisition strategy subsequently envisions competitive system development contracts to be awarded in approximately 4QFY99, including provisions for the planning, management, and assumption of Total System Performance Responsibility (TSPR). Down-selection to a single development and integration contractor with TSPR for the entire NPOESS system will occur 15 months later. (0201)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0002 19960722\A-0002.SOL)