NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Wallops Flight Facility, Code 218, Wallops Island, VA 23337

M -- MISSION SUPPORT FOR NASA'S BALLOON PROGRAM, INCLUDING THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE NATIONAL SCIENTIFIC BALLOON FACILITIES (NSBF) IN PALESTINE, TEXAS, AND FORT SUMNER, NEW MEXICO SOL DRFP5-10257-615 DUE 031097 POC Donna Rafferty, Contracting Officer, Phone (757)824-1419, Fax (757)824-1974, Email Donna.E.Rafferty.1@gsfc.nasa.gov -- Richard Swanson, Contracting Officer, Phone (757)824-1426, Fax (757)824-1974, Email Richard.M.Swanson.1@gsfc.nasa.gov WEB: Click here for the latest information about this notice, http://procurement.nasa.gov/EPS/GSFC/date.html#DRFP5-10257-615. E-MAIL: Donna Rafferty, Donna.E.Rafferty.1@gsfc.nasa.gov. This is a DRAFT REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (DRFP). This solicitation is for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP). Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) solicits Contractors' comments and suggestions on the Government's approach to obtaining services to provide mission support for NASA's Balloon Program, including the operation and maintenance of the National Scientific Balloon Facilities (NSBF) in Palestine, Texas, and Fort Sumner, New Mexico. The period of performance will be a one year base period with four one year option periods, anticipated to commence October 1, 1997. NSBF is a Government-owned facility located in Palestine, Texas, with a permanent balloon staging facility at Fort Sumner, New Mexico. The Contractor will be required to provide operational balloon flight support including launching, tracking, and recovery of scientific balloons and payloads; facility operation and maintenance for the NSBF; and engineering services for operational support, quality control, and balloon research and development, located at the NSBF, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Wallops Flight Facility (WFF), Wallops Island, VA, and at the Contractor's facility. WFF anticipates the negotiation of a "performance based" contract for these services. The purpose of this draft solicitation is to afford industry an opportunity to comment on any perceived issues with regard to the impact of Performance Based Contracting and to allow the Government to receive the benefit of industries' comments to identify potential problem areas, and to receive alternative recommendations in order to enhance the success of NASA's Balloon Program. The Government believes that industry feedback is important, and is receptive to any and all ideas from industry which would result in eliminating constraining requirements, realizing cost savings or highlighting potential technical or contractual problem areas associated with this initiative. Any comments provided shouldnot be viewed as a vehicle for presenting a specific approach or product intended to be proposed but as an opportunity to improve the final solicitation package. Comments regarding performance based conversion, contract type, and period of performance are sought. Comments, whether supportive or critical, are earnestly solicited regarding every aspect of the proposed requirements. THE GOVERNMENT IS PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN CONTRACTORS' COMMENTS ON ITS COST PLUS INCENTIVE AND AWARD FEE (CPIAF) CONCEPT AND IN RECEIVING SUGGESTIONS ON ALTERNATE FEE ARRANGEMENTS. IT IS ALSO INTERESTED IN COMMENTS ON THE GOVERNMENT'S APPROACH FOR OBTAINING THE ENGINEERING SERVICES. Replies are not mandatory. The use of comments received from industry to complete the final resulting solicitation documents will be at the discretion of GSFC/WFF. Any subsequent solicitation will be synopsized prior to its release. In accordance with FAR 52.215-3, Solicitation for Information or Planning Purposes (APR 1984), the Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this solicitation, or to otherwise pay for the information solicited, except as provided in subsection 31.205-18, Bid and proposal (B&P) costs, of the Federal Acquisition Regulation. Proprietary information is not being solicited; information considered to be proprietary, if any, must be identified as such. The DRFP and any documents related to this procurement will reside on a World-Wide Web (WWW) server, which may be accessed using a WWW browser application. The documents will be in ASCII or RTF format and will be available in electronic form appearing on the GSFC Procurement Homepage at the following web address: http://genesis.gsfc.nasa.gov/procure.htm. It is the offeror's responsibility to monitor this site for solicitation release. The Government does not anticipate releasing paper copies of any documentation related to this solicitation. Potential offerors will be responsible for downloading their own copy of the solicitation and associated documents. See Numbered Note 26. An ombudsman has been appointed -- See Note "B" (0059)

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