NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 214.2, Greenbelt, MD 20771

A -- RELEASE OF DRAFT DOCUMENTS FOR THE ANTICIPATED PROCUREMENT OF THE ADVANCED BASELINE IMAGER (ABI) SOL ABI DUE 031500 POC Clelia Walker, Contracting Officer, Phone (301) 286-1351, Fax (301) 286-9777, Email Clelia.A.Walker.1@gsfc.nasa.gov WEB: Click here for the latest information about this notice, http://nais.msfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/EPS/bizops.cgi?gr=D&pin=51#ABI. E-MAIL: Clelia Walker, Clelia.A.Walker.1@gsfc.nasa.gov. The ABI instrument is an advanced version of the Imager instrument which flies on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES). The GOES are weather satellites built for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for use by the National Weather Service (NWS). The GOES are based on a three-axis, body-stabilized design that enables the sensors to continuously view the U.S. and environs. NOAA has delegated to NASA the responsibility for development of the GOES instruments and spacecraft. The ABI is a multi-spectral, earth-scanning instrument capable of sweeping simultaneously visible and infrared channels to monitor surface temperature, low-level moisture and convective intensity and other temperature and moisture profiles. NASA anticipates issuance of a Request for Proposals (RFP) in June 2000, for the acquisition of the ABI. NASA anticipates a phased acquisition approach involving the award of two to four parallel firm fixed price Formulation Phase contracts with a down-selection for a single CPIF/AF/FPI Implementation Phase contract. Key milestones for the acquisition are estimated as follows: Formulation contract award: September 2000 Implementation contract award: January 2002 Engineering Model delivery: July 2004 Flight Model (FM) 1 delivery: July 2006 FM 2-4 are options: TBD Presolicitation: This is a solicitation for information and planning purposes. NASA has posted a draft specification on the NASA Acquisition Internet Service Web site at http://genesis.gsfc.nasa.gov/procure.htm . The objective of this release is: to invite potential offerors to submit information that allows the Government to advise the offerors about their potential to be viable competitors; to promote competition; to improve potential offerors' understanding of the Government's requirements; and to improve the Government's knowledge of industry's capabilities. Prospective offerors are invited to submit comments on the specification or on other approaches to the Government's requirements. This preliminary information is being made available for planning purposes only, subject to FAR Clause 52.215-3, entitled "Solicitation for Information or Planning Purposes." It does not constitute a Request for Proposal, Invitation for Bid, or Request for Quotation, and it is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to enter into a contract. This procurement is subject to review or cancellation at any time. The preliminary documents described in this notice constitute all information concerning the ABI procurement that will be furnished at this time. As other preliminary documents become available, they will be posted at the same site. Potential offerors should monitor the site for such postings. Firms interested in obtaining a hardcopy of this synopsis and specification must submit a request, in writing, to Clelia Walker, Code 214.2, NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771. Offerors who intend to respond with a qualifications statement are requested to contact Clelia Walker within two days of receiving this notice. Interested firms are requested to submit their capability statements by March 15, 2000 to the address cited above. Any comments and suggestions on the preliminary documents are to be submitted by April 5, 2000 to the address cited above. We anticipate release of the final solicitation in June 2000. It is the responsibility of potential offerors to monitor the NASA Acquisition Internet Service. B. Government Assessment of viability 1. NASA invites potential offerors to submit information that will allow it to advise them of their potential to be viable competitors. This procedure is described in Part 15.202 of the FAR. In order to be evaluated for your viability, you must submit the information described below. NASA will utilize this information in order to advise you of your potential to be a viable competitor for the ABI. 2. Information Requested -- provide a capabilities and qualifications statement that includes: a. A discussion of your past experience in developing instruments similar in nature to the ABI, including a listing of contracts/subcontracts, and a brief description of the quality of your performance of these contracts. b. A discussion of your understanding of the ABI requirements, including: key technologies that can be applied to the ABI; the impact of the resource envelope and the 7 year in-orbit lifetime requirement in driving design considerations; lessons learned in past instrument development that can be applied to ABI. c. A brief description of your facilities and other resources necessary for formulating and implementing the ABI. Include the availability of your facilities and other resources. This statement should be no more than 15 pages (8.5" x 11") in length. 3. NASA will evaluate the submitted capability and qualification statements by considering the following criteria: a. Depth and relevance of experience and past performance history, which convey a demonstrated ability to successfully perform the formulation and implementation phases of the ABI. b. A demonstrated understanding of the ABI requirements, impact of design life on instrument design, and risks associated with the development and fabrication of the ABI. c. The adequacy and availability of necessary facilities and resources for implementing and performing the ABI contract. After NASA's evaluation of capability and qualification statements, NASA will advise each respondent, in writing, as to our assessment of viability as a competitor under this potential acquisition. To be considered a viable competitor, you must be rated viable for all three criteria. NASA anticipates completing this evaluation within one week of receiving qualification statements. NASA may ask for supplemental information to your qualification statement if there is uncertainty as to your viability. You will be notified in writing regarding the results of this evaluation. If you are found to be viable, you will be given the opportunity to set up a one-to-one meeting. Viable competitors will also be provided with a copy of Government feasibility studies. These reports are restricted to U.S. persons, in accordance with International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR) 22 CFR 120-130. If you are found not to be a viable competitor, NASA will advise you as to the basis for that determination. Notwithstanding the advice provided by the Government, non-viable respondents can also request copies of the aforementioned documents and participate in any resultant acquisition. All such requests must be in writing and sent to the Contracting Officer, Clelia Walker, at the address listed above. Posted 03/07/00 (D-SN431724). (0067)

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