NASA/Ames Research Center, JA:M/S 241-1, Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000

49 -- MIRROR COATING SYSTEM FOR SOFIA SOL RFO2-37014-RRK POC Rachel R. Khattab, Contract Specialist, Phone (650) 604-5237, Fax (650) 604-4646, Email rkhattab@mail.arc.nasa.gov -- Ronnee R. Gonzalez, Contracting Officer, Phone (650) 604-4386, Fax (650) 604-4357, Email rgonzalez@mail.arc.nasa.gov WEB: Click here for the latest information about this notice, http://nais.nasa.gov/EPS/ARC/date.html#RFO2-37014-RRK. E-MAIL: Rachel R. Khattab, rkhattab@mail.arc.nasa.gov. NASA/ARC plans to issue a Draft Request for Proposal (RFP) for the design, fabrication, installation and testing of a mirror coating system for the primary mirror on the Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). This procurement uses MidRange procedures and is being conducted under the NAIS/ARC Pilot for receipt of electronic offers. This pilot was developed in response to the National Performance Review's call for increased use of electronic commerce in exchanging procurement information. Vendors wishing to participate in this procurement must first install and utilize the applications (provided free of charge) identified at http://aesops.arc.nasa.gov. ARC requires a coating system for the primary mirror on SOFIA. The system shall be "turnkey" in building N211 at Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA. SOFIA is NASA's and DLR's (Germany's Space Agency) premier observatory for infrared and submillimeter astronomy into the next century. A Boeing 747-SP aircraft will carry a 2.7-meter telescope designed to make sensitive infrared measurements of a wide range of astronomical objects. SOFIA will fly at and above 12.5 km, where it will avoid over 99% of the obscuring water vapor, enabling it to make observations impossible for even the largest and highest ground-based telescopes. A team led by the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) has been selected by NASA to design, assemble, test, and operate SOFIA. USRA heads up a team that includes United Airlines, Raytheon Systems Co., Sterling Software, University of California, the SETI Institute, and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. DLR is funding the design and construction of the telescope in cooperation with NASA. The telescope will be built by MAN GHH, MAN Technologies and Kaiser Threde of the Federal Republic of Germany. Currently, the SHOTT Zerodur mirror is being polished in Paris, France. The Boeing 747-SP aircraft was dedicated in San Francisco in March 1997 and is currently undergoing modifications at Raytheon Systems Co. facility in Waco, Texas. The USRA/SOFIA Science Center will be located in hangar N211 at NASA Ames Research Center, the traditional home of NASA's airborne astronomy program. The Science Center will house the aircraft and scientists, air crews, engineers, technicians, and educators required to operate and maintain the aircraft, telescope, and associated science instruments. SOFIA's first science flights are scheduled for 2001. Plans call for 120 scientific flights per year of at least 8 hours duration, each. SOFIA is expected to operate for at least 20 years, primarily from Moffett Federal Airfield, but occasionally from other bases around the world, especially in the Southern Hemisphere. The provisions and clauses in the RFP are those in effect through FAC 97-12. The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12. See Note 26. The SIC Code is 3559 and 500, respectively. This procurement is being conducted under full and open competition. The DPAS rating for this procurement is DO-C9. The anticipated release date of the draft RFO2-37014-RRK is on or about June 30, 1999 with questions and/or comments from industry due on or about July 14, 1999. The anticipated release date of the final RFO2-37014-RRK is on or about July 26, 1999 with an anticipated proposal due date of on or about August 27, 1999. All qualified responsible sources may submit a proposal which shall be considered by the agency. An ombudsman has been appointed. See Internet Note "B". The solicitation and any documents related to this procurement will be available over the Internet. These documents will be in Microsoft Office Suite format and will reside on a World-Wide Web (WWW) server, which may be accessed using a WWW browser application. The WWW address, or URL of the NASA/ARC Business Opportunities page is http://procurement.nasa.gov/EPS/ARC/class.html. It is the offeror's responsibility to monitor the aforementioned Internet site for the release of the solicitation and amendments (if any). Potential offerors will be responsible for downloading their own copy of the solicitation and amendments (if any). Any referenced notes can be viewed at the following URL: http://genesis.gsfc.nasa.gov/nasanote.html. Posted 06/29/99 (D-SN348355). (0180)

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