FISC Norfolk Detachment Washington, 901 M St., S.E., Bldg. 200, 4th Fl., Washington, DC 20374-5014

B -- FEASIBILITY AND ARCHITECTURAL STUDY OF A SPACEBORNE ASTROMETRIC INSTRUMENT SOL N00600-96-R-3921 DUE 030996 POC For additional information, contact Mr. David Brown, 202-433-8494. I. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the Format in FAR Subpart 12.6, supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued.II. This solicitation number N00600-96-R-3921 is issued as a request for proposal (RFP).III. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 37.IV. A list of contract line item number(s) and items.:CLIN 0001 A feasibility and architectural study of a spaceborne astrometric instrument IAW SOW Section V. CLIN 0002 Report of Findings - Not Separately Priced. Research will be conducted at the Contractor's facility. There will be no Government Furnished Property.V. The Fleet and Industrial Supply Center Norfolk Detachment Washington (FISC, Wash) has a requirement in support of the U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO) for A feasibility and architectural study of a spaceborne astrometric instrument. The acquisition shall be for a firm fixed price contract of performance from date of award through five months thereafter. A feasibility and architectural study of a spaceborne astrometric instrument is to be conducted to meet the astrometric needs of the U.S. Naval Observatory. The instrument would support a mission that would survey the sky to determine the astrometric parameters of millions of stars. The five astrometric parameters of interest are position (2), proper motion (2), and parallax (1). In addition, the instrument would estimate the brightness (stellar magnitude) of the stars to modest accuracy. The survey would be designed to cover most or all of the sky with a limiting magnitude to be estimated during the study and intended to be in the range from 13 to 16. For the purpose of the study, the nominal mission length is 2.5 years. It is intended that, based on the analysis of the data to be acquired by the mission, the astrometric parameters for most stars should be determined to an accuracy of better than 1 mas (mas/year). For bright stars (m(8), the accuracy is intended to be better than 0.050 mas (mas/year). The error sources are to be investigated to estimate whether this accuracy target can be achieved or exceeded. The cost goal for the spacecraft (instrument plus bus) is a midex mission. The feasibility of this goal is to be determined. The conceptual starting points for the study will be the successful European astrometric satellite, HIPPAROCS, its proposed advanced (interferometric) successor, GAIA, recent studies at JPL and USNO of FAME, and studies at CFA of POINTS and Newcomb. Although no aspect of the design is fixed at the start, a slowly spinning instrument (period of order two hours) with two or more fields of view in the spin plane is envisioned. If there are only two fields of view, they might be separated by a principal angle of order a radian. Description of Tasks. The following architectural questions and options are to be addressed in this study: a. Should the instrument use a telescope, an interferometer, or a combination of the two? b. Should the field of view be combined ahead of the rest of the optical train by a ''complex mirror,'' late in the optical train by such a device, on the detector arrays, or electronically after detection (i.e., use separate detector arrays)? How would the answer to this question depend on the principal angle and what does this dependence imply for selecting the principal angle? c. The information rate increases with the field of view (FoV). However, a large FoV requires a more complicated and expensive optical system and more detectors than does a small FoV. A trade-off study needs to be conducted d. The instrument's geometric stability is important, eventhough the mission would have some self-calibrating aspects. Various options should be investigated including ultra-stable structure (e.g., ULE metering), thermal control, and the use of laser gauges (plus possible active control). Personnel Required.Senior Physicist - physicist with at least 5 years experience in design and investigations of optical interferometers and astrometric satellites from a complete systems approach. Publications must include designs, error analysis, and studies demonstrating that the instruments could achieve 50 microarcsecond accuracies or better.Physicist - full time physicist to perform the tasks specified in this statement of work. The physicist should have at least 1 year experience in design, computer modeling, error analysis and investigations for spacecraft that can achieve 50 microarcsecond accuracies or better. There must be publications to support this experience.Performance Criteria.The contractor is expected to provide results verbally each month during the contract period. If a failure to meet this requirement occurs, the Head of the Astrometry Department must be notified.Contract Handling.The technical personnel of the Astrometry Department will review the progress for general accuracy and completeness. Suspected problems will be reported to the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) immediately. The COR will review the progress monthly to monitor systematic errors, precision, and accuracy. The contractor's representative shall meet the COR at the COR's discretion in order to review the progress of work and resolve problems with the contract. If the representatives disagree on an issue, the Contract Officer will be requested to rule on it. The decision of the Contract Officer is final and binding on both parties.Travel.Two trips for two people to Washington, DC for one day, and one trip for two people to Pasadena, CA for two days.Notification.The technical personnel at USNO will check the accuracy and completeness of the documentation as it is received in the first and second draft. If the performance criteria are not met, they will notify the COR immediately. The COR will review the documentation when it is complete to monitor its accuracy and completeness.VI. FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offers-Commercial Items, is incorporated by reference and applies to this acquisition.VII. FAR 52-212-2, Evaluation - Commercial Items, is incorporated by reference and applies to this acquisition. ADDENDUM. 52.212-2, Para. (a) The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers: technical capability and price. Technical capability is approximately equal to price.VIII. Offerors shall include a completed copy of the provision at DFAR 252.212-7000, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items, AND FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items, with its written proposal.IX. FAR 52.212-4, ''Contract Terms and Conditions-CommercialItem'' is incorporated by reference and applies to this acquisition and resulting contract. The following terms and conditions are added as an addendum to this clause:Type of Contract: The resulting contract will be firm fixed price.FAR 52.232-18 Electronic Funds Transfer Payment (APR 1984)X. FAR 52-212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items, is incorporated by reference, however for paragraphs (b) and (c) only the following provisions apply to this acquisition:52.203-6 Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to theGovernment, with Alternate I52.203-10 Price or Fee Adjustment for Illegal or Improper Activity52.219-8 Utilization of Small, Small Disadvantaged and Women Owned Small Business Concerns52.222-26 Equal Opportunity52.222-35 Affirmative Action for Special Disabled and Vietnam Era Veterans52.222-36 Affirmative Action or Handicapped Workers52.222-37 Employment Reports on Special Disabled Veteransand Veterans of the Vietnam EraDFAR 252.212-7001, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes Applicable to Defense Acquisitions of Commercial Items, is incorporated by reference, however only the clauses listed apply under paragraph b252.219-7006 Notice of Evaluation Preference for Small Disadvantaged Business Concerns (15 USC 644)252.225-7012 Preference for Certain Domestic Commodities252.247-7024 Notification of Transportation of Supplies by Sea (10 USC 2631)XI. Proposals are due 3 September 1996 at FISCNORDETWASH Customer Service Center, 901 M Street SE, Washington Navy Yard, Bldg. 200, 4th floor, Washington, DC 20374. Written proposals must contain the information required by FAR 52.212-3, DFAR 252.212-7000, FAR 52.212-1.XII. The following individual should be contacted for information regarding the solicitation, Mr. David Brown (202) 433-8494. (0226)

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