SPECIAL NOTICE
A -- ARES V REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
- Notice Date
- 7/9/2008
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 336414
— Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing
- Contracting Office
- NASA/George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, Procurement Office, Marshall SpaceFlight Center, AL 35812
- ZIP Code
- 35812
- Solicitation Number
- RFI-ARESV-7-09-2008
- Archive Date
- 7/9/2009
- Point of Contact
- George E. Pendley, Contracting Officer, Phone 256-544-2949, Fax 256-544-6062, - George E. Pendley, Contracting Officer, Phone 256-544-2949, Fax 256-544-6062
- E-Mail Address
-
george.e.pendley@nasa.gov, george.e.pendley@nasa.gov
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- I.BackgroundNASA is in the concept phase to identify key performance indicators for the successfuldesign and production of the Ares V vehicle. Our goal is to meet NASAs LunarExploration requirements at the lowest life cycle cost. NASA is developing an Ares Vintegrated acquisition strategy to meet Constellations flight manifest while maximizingcompetition. Early planning also involves analysis of synergies to be gained fromexisting NASA projects such as Ares I and the Space Shuttle Program. II. ObjectiveThis RFI is issued to disseminate and request information from the aerospace industry perthe evolving Ares V requirements and specifically to give industry an opportunity tounderstand and provide input to the Government's acquisition planning. III. Technical RequirementsThe Ares V point of departure architecture is included as a separate attachment. Specific technical areas for comment may be requested in the future. Note that theConstellation Program will look for commonality in technical requirements and reportingbetween its projects, and will use commercial items and processes when available andwhich better meet its needs. IV.Acquisition StrategyA. Initial planning and market research has begun for all elements of the Ares Vvehicle. These plans are in the early stages of planning and will be refinedsignificantly over the next several months. Industry involvement early in the NASA leddesign and development phase is highly desirable. Therefore, we are reviewing strategiesthat include the potential for concept design contracts to be awarded as early as thefirst half of calendar year 2009. The Ares V planned acquisition approach will utilizethese guiding principles: 1. Maximize competition for all elements to include the ability to re-compete atappropriate times.2. Procure sufficient data, and identify production techniques and ease of operabilityto maximize the use of fixed price type contracts and competition for long termproduction efforts.3. Leverage existing programs to include Shuttle, on-going Constellation efforts, andany on-going industry programs (i.e., non-NASA) if they lead to an overall lower lifecycle cost.4. Effectively enable a blend of NASA led design efforts with contractorinvolvement while maintaining a competitive environment until the most effective time toaward full scale development and production contracts.5. Develop the appropriate set of performance measures and incentives.6. Leverage existing industry programs.7. Review all requirements from a zero-based approach.8. Maximize the use of all categories of small businesses, with particular emphasis insignificant technical areas.9. Optimize the cost/risk relationship for Ares V procurements.B. Using these principles as a guide, industry is invited to provide inputs in thefollowing specific areas:1. Pros and cons of early, multiple, fixed price concept design contracts that are partof phased acquisitions with subsequent competitions and award at a major programmilestone such as System Design Review (SDR) or Preliminary Design Review (PDR). Discussall alternatives you would like NASA to consider.2. Identify barriers to competition in any Ares V element that could be mitigated tofoster a more competitive environment.3. Discuss alternative procurement approaches to the Ares V stack integration approach. One alternative would be to compete a dedicated support contract for all Ares V stackdevelopment activities (e.g. systems management, requirements and verification,integrated design and analysis, supportability, etc.) in lieu of utilizing existingcenter institutional support contracts. In either case, appropriate organizationalconflict of interest clauses would be implemented.4. Discuss alternative procurement approaches to the hardware element approach followedin the Ares-1 procurement. One alternative would be to compete based on the primaryfunction (composite dry structures, metallic cryogenic tank systems, integrated stages,etc) vs. the individual major elements themselves (first stage, core stage, earthdeparture stage, shroud, etc). 5. Recommend process improvements and efficiencies, both in the acquisition phase as wellas the performance phase, along with identification of non-value added steps. V.Review of Shuttle AssetsNASAs number one priority is to safely complete the Shuttle manifest. Shuttleinventories of parts, tooling, raw materials and manufactured articles are in some areasalready at levels over and above that required to safely complete the Shuttle mission.NASA is, and will continue processing such property through the appropriate propertydisposal process. This includes utilizing excess Shuttle property for Ares Vdevelopment. To ensure we diligently review all potential uses, industry is requested toreview and comment on the following general areas:1.Potential reuse of Shuttle property for Ares V using the existing Point ofDeparture.2.Recommendations for efficient storage of assets, such as cost sharing and rentfree use of Industry underutilized warehouse space pending reuse for other programs.3.Recommendations for maximizing the Governments return on property sold beyondthe normal Government property disposition process. Lists of currently identified inventory may be posted to ensure industry is fully awareof the types of materials, parts, and tooling that may become available. VI.SummaryWhile there is no formal page limit or format, a page guideline of 30 pages isrecommended for the primary narrative text response. Inputs shall be compliant with alllegal and regulatory requirements concerning limitations on export controlled items. Responses are requested to be submitted in Microsoft Office products in a user friendlyenvironment to facilitate review. One hard copy and 3 CDs or DVDs are requested. Responses are to be submitted no later than August 4, 2008, to Earl Pendley/PS43/MarshallSpace Flight Center, AL 35812.Ares V will be the vehicle to enable the United States to return to the moon and beyond. Merging NASAs and industrys core expertise will foster this endeavor. Decisions madenow in our early planning phase may have significant impacts for decades to come. Wesolicit your response and will continue to utilize this site to provide further updatesto include the possibility of an Ares V Industry Day.Any questions can be directed toEarl Pendley at 256-544-2949.
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