NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA Headquarters Acquisition Branch, Code 210.H, Greenbelt, MD 20771

B -- BOOK-LENGTH HISTORICAL WORK ON NASA MANAGEMENT APPROACH SOL W10-90831 DUE 070198 POC Diane Harris, Contract Specialist, Phone (301)286-4402, Fax (301)286-0356, Email diane.harris.1@gsfc.nasa.gov WEB: Click here for the latest information about this notice, http://nais.nasa.gov/EPS/HQ/date.html#W10-90831. E-MAIL: Diane Harris, diane.harris.1@gsfc.nasa.gov. THIS NOTICE CONSTITUTES AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO THE COMBINED SYNOPSIS/RFO FOR BOOK-LENGTH HISTORICAL WORK ON NASA MANAGEMENT APPROACH. Companies shall acknowledge all amendment(s) in their quote. This notice serves as the official amendment to subject synopsis/RFO and a written amendment will not be issued. The purpose of this amendment is to provide answers to questions received in reference to Solicitation W10-90831. The due date for receipt of offers is July 1, 1998 at 3:00 pm EST as stated in Modification No. 1 to this solicitation. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: 1. Can you give us any insight regarding the magnitude of this project in terms of dollars? The Government is not providing a dollar estimate for this effort. The Offeror needs to provide an assessment of the estimate to accomplish the work. This procurement is being conducted under the Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP). This requirement is viewed as 300 typescript pages; the published work would be a monograph of less than half of that page count. 2. Can you suggest some NASA documents which may be useful to us as we prepare our proposal? There is significant periodical literature available at all major libraries relating to NASA's transformation in its methodology of operations undertaken during the 1990s. 3. Is there anyone within NASA with whom we can speak while we are writing our proposal? All questions should be submitted in writing to the contracting officer. They shall then be answered and the responses posted on the World Wide Web to which all have equal access. 4. At one point, the solicitation states that "NASA will contract with a single qualified aerospace historian to prepare this book." However, the rest of the solicitation could lead one to believe that proposals from companies or teams are acceptable. Can you please clarify? The solicitation is not intended to be restrictive. Individuals or teams are acceptable. The synopsis is hereby amended to state that NASA will contract with a qualified entity in response to this solicitation. 5. Is there a chance the response could be extended past 22 June? The response date has been extended to July 1, 1998. 6. Is it correct to assume that the manuscript should address NASA management across the organization rather than focusing on a single NASA facility? The historical study must reflect NASA in its totality and contain discussions of how the "faster, better, cheaper" philosophy has been incorporated into the efforts of the various strategic enterprises. 7. Since I plan to submit this proposal under my own name, am I correct in assuming that I am the "authorized company representative" whose signature is required on form 1449? Correct. 8. Is there any obstacle to my applying for this myself versus my University employer? No. 9. I assume that the "warranty duration" is not applicable to me as an individual proposer. Also, am I required to submit any Representations and Certifications under FAR 52.212-3? Warranty Duration not applicable for this effort. The successful Oferror will be required to submit Representations and Certifications under FAR 52.212-3. 10. Do you define "300 typescript pages" as typeset pages in a book or typed pages in the final manuscript? Since the proposal calls for a "monograph-length" study -- and since the audience of NASA and aerospace managers would be more inclined to read a compact study -- I am assuming that you want the latter. Please clarify or confirm. This is viewed as 300 typescript pages; the published work would be a monograph of less than half of that page count. 11. The Synopsis states, "The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item." Later on, it says, "...offerors are encouraged to use the Standard Form 1449, Solicitation/Contract/Order for Commercial Items." Please clarify whether the use of the SP 1449 is appropriate for an offer which does not involve a commercial item. Although this is not a commercial item acquisition, the use of the SF 1449 plus Representations and Certifications is still being used in that they provide format/information necessary for award. 12. Will the job require travel? When? How long, and how frequently? While the bulk of the research may probably be undertaken in the Washington, D.C., area, it will probably require some limited travel to southern California (JPL, aerospace industry) and probably to Houston (JSC) and Florida (KSC). There may also be at least one trip to one of the National Archives' regional repositories scattered throughout the nation since NASA centers retire their records to the closest regional repository. This synopsis his hereby modified to include Travel Costs in the amount of Not To Exceed (NTE) $5,000. 13. Will NASA furnish information? Hard copy? Electronically? The historian will be expected to conduct research and obtain the information necessary from whatever source uncovered. Some of that material may be NASA documents and the NASA History Office will help with their acquisition. The starting point for research shall be the NASA Historical Reference Collection in the NASA History Office in Washington, D.C., but the effort shall not be limited to that material. 14. Do you have sources or would the contractor be expected to gather their own? The onus of responsibility is on the contractor to obtain and use documentation for the study, as well as to conduct interviews and obtain transcriptions with individuals who might be able to shed light on the subject. There are some materials readily available in the NASA Historical Reference Collection, but these are insufficient to complete the detailed study required. 15. Is there a database index of the available raw material that you want the book to be based on? The NASA Historical Reference Collection has a database finding aid that may be used in identifying documents held in that collection, but this is only the starting point for additional research and deep exploration of the subject. There are also standard databases of all major periodicals and books published in the United States which might be accessed at virtually all university libraries and NASA center libraries that could be used to help identify documents. 16. Are there monthly reporting requirements (& if so how extensively)? Will there be interim reviews? The synopsis is hereby modified to incorporate the reporting requirements and interim reviews as follows: Time After Award -- - Conditions to be Met 3 Months -- - Progress report, research plan, initial archival research plan, outline of chapters 6 Months -- - Progress report, and draft chapters of first half of manuscript 9 Months -- - Progress report, comment draft of entire manuscript 12 Months -- - Final report, final revised chapters of entire manuscript 18. Will the contractor be working with one individual or with a committee? The contractor will be working principally with the NASA Chief Historian during the research and early writing phase of this manuscript study. For the 9 months progress report the NASA Chief Historian will involve a panel of readers who will provide peer review for the comment draft. This panel shall consist of not more than five readers who will read each chapter as a comment draft is completed and make suggestions for final revision. 19. Do you have any expectations not written in the contract? No, all requirements are set forth in the synopsis as amended by this notice. Posted 06/26/98 (0177)

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