SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- SPACE TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH GRANTS PROGRAM
- Notice Date
- 8/23/2010
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA Headquarters Acquisition Branch, Code210.H, Greenbelt, MD 20771
- ZIP Code
- 20771
- Solicitation Number
- NNH10UA005L
- Response Due
- 9/10/2010
- Archive Date
- 8/23/2011
- Point of Contact
- Claudia Meyer, Space Technology Research Grants Program Executive, Phone 216-977-7511, Fax 216-433-8000, Email hq-esi-strg@mail.nasa.gov
- E-Mail Address
-
Claudia Meyer
(hq-esi-strg@mail.nasa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- DescriptionIn Fiscal Year 2011, NASA plans to begin the Space Technology Research Grants Program. As part of the Office of the Chief Technologists Early Stage Innovation Division, thisProgram will foster the development of innovative low Technology Readiness Level (TRL)technologies for advanced space systems and space technology. The goal of this low TRLtechnology endeavor will be to accelerate the development of push technologies(technology development not directed at a specific mission) to support the future spacescience and exploration needs of NASA, other government agencies, and the commercialspace sector. To support Program formulation, the NASA Office of the Chief Technologist (OCT) isseeking input on the Space Technology Research Grants strategy described in this documentand suggestions for space technologies that NASA should consider. Efforts are expected to be short term - typically one year in duration - and willincrease the TRL of technologies that might be applied to multiple, current missions orto allow NASA to pursue entirely new missions. These Early Stage Innovation Divisionefforts will complement the NASA Mission Directorates focused technology activities thatdirectly support their planned missions. While the Mission Directorate efforts typicallybegin at TRL 3 or higher, the TRL of the efforts to be considered in this Program will be TRL 1 (basic principles observed and reported), TRL 2 (technology concept and/or application formulated) or early TRL 3 (analytical and experimental critical function and/or characteristic proofof concept) at the beginning of the selected effort. The full TRL scale and all associateddefinitions are provided in the Appendix J of NPR 7120.8. Through this sustained, deliberate investment in a low TRL portfolio, NASA is seeking Maturation of revolutionary technologies that will greatly advance NASAs missions Ideas that may result in beneficial changes to NASAs long-range plans Cross-cutting technologies that contribute new technological approaches for aerospaceapplications and, ideally, also fulfill national needs in areas such as communications,power, energy storage, propulsion, safety, and securitySpace technology being sought in this Program deals with the design, modeling, operation,maintenance, repair, testing, and reliability of any of the components and systems ofboth manned and robotic spacecraft. Several external and NASA-sponsored studies in thepast decade have identified key technology advances that would benefit potential futuremissions: FINAL REPORT of the Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee, October 22,2009, http://legislative.nasa.gov/396093main_HSF_Cmte_FinalReport.pdf. A Constrained Space Exploration Technology Program: A Review of NASA's ExplorationTechnology Development Program, 2008, http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12471. Report of the President's Commission on Implementation of United States SpaceExploration Policy, 2004,http://www.haydenplanetarium.org/tyson/media/pdf/MoonToMarsFinalReport.pdf. Stepping Stone to the Future of Space Exploration: A Workshop Report, 2004,http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11020. The 2004/2005 Advanced Planning and Integration Office (APIO) Technology CapabilityPortfolios: http://mediaman.gsfc.nasa.gov/NASA_Tech_Strategies/APIO_Tech_Portfolios_2005/APIO_Tech_Portfolios_2005.htm. The 2003/2004 NASA Capability Requirements Analysis and Integration (CRAI) process toturn broad NASA objectives into capability and technology investment strategies:http://mediaman.gsfc.nasa.gov/NASA_Tech_Strategies/CRAI_Tech_Reports_2004/CRAI_Tech_Reports_2004.htm. The 1999-2002 NASA Decadal Planning Team and NASA Exploration Team:http://mediaman.gsfc.nasa.gov/NASA_Tech_Strategies/DPT_Summary_Reports/DPT_Summary_Reports.htm.This list of references may be considered a starting point for the topics to beconsidered and is not intended to be comprehensive. The Space Technology Research Grants Program will seek technologies that, if successful,would lead to a dramatic improvement at the system level (performance, weight, cost,reliability, operational simplicity or other figures of merit associated with spaceflight hardware and missions).Although progress under any single award may beincremental, the projected impact at the system level must be substantial and clearlydefined. Typical Planned AwardsIt is expected that the typical award amount will be $250K and that the typical awardduration will be one year. Efforts between one and two years in duration will also beconsidered. Funding for all or part of a second year would be contingent upon review ofYear 1 progress and availability of funds. Awards greater than $400K/year are not expected. It is NASAs intent to share all knowledge developed under this Program and publicdissemination of results will be expected. Awards in the form of grants, cooperative agreements, contracts or intra-agency transfersare expected, depending on the nature of the submitting organization and the nature ofthe effort. It is expected that most awards will be grants and intra-agency transfers. Planned Eligibility RequirementsThe Program plans to fund efforts that are led by investigators from accredited UnitedStates Universities, not-for-profit R&D Laboratories and NASA Centers.Principalinvestigators do not need to have extensive space technology experience. Partnershipswill be encouraged and investigators will be permitted to team with any U.S. or non-U.S.organization, institution, or public or private company. Teaming with non-U.S.organizations is subject to NASA policy of no exchange of funds.Planned Limit on Number of Proposals and Proposal DetailsIn order to facilitate broad, nationwide participation in this Program, NASA is planningto limit a proposal participant Principal Investigator, Co-Investigator or otherwise -to participation in no more than two proposals. The science/technical/management section will be limited to 8 pages in length.Planned Evaluation CriteriaThe following criteria (listed in descending order of importance) are planned: Potential Impact (Value) If successful the proposed activities must increase the TRLto enable new approaches to our current missions or allow the pursuit of entirely newmissions. The following items will be considered: Innovation: Should be a truly innovative and forward-reaching concept, idea, ortechnology development effort that is important to new opportunities or creates criticalcapabilities. Comparative Assessment: By comparison with existing technologies, it has the clearpotential to be superior in terms of lower cost, less mass, high reliability, improvedsafety, operational simplicity, ease of manufacturing, or other figures of merit forspaceflight hardware and missions. The expected outcome of the research effort and potential path for further development Technical Merit Evaluation of the overall technical merit of the proposal. Thefollowing items will be considered: A sound technical approach to accomplish the proposed space technology researchobjectives. Feasibility and alignment of scope and schedule. Consistency with TRL requirements in the solicitation Clear statement of public availability of results; NASA intends to share all resultsdeveloped under this solicitation. Effectiveness of the proposed Work Plan. Suitability of Team, Proposed Collaborations and Justification of Cost - The followingitems will be considered: The appropriate technical knowledge and facilities for completion of this project andthe proposal teams awareness of the current state-of-the-art. The adequacy of the proposed budget to carry out the effort and the value of the idearelative to the investment requested.Proposals will be selected via peer review. There is no fixed internal/externaldistribution; the intent is to reward the best ideas. Typical Schedule:The typical NASA Research Announcement Schedule is expected to be as follows:T:Solicitation ReleasedT + 3 weeks:Notices of Intent DueT + 2 months:Proposals DueT + 4 months:Selections AnnouncedT + 5.5 months: Awards in PlaceNASA plans to issue one call and to make approximately 100 new awards per fiscal year.Additional InformationThe information provided above was presented, in abbreviated form, at the OCT IndustryForum on July 13-15. The Space Technology Research Grants presentation, and other OCTinformation, may be accessed from the following site:http://www.nasa.gov/offices/oct/industry_day_info.htmlInstructions to RespondersThis is not a request for proposal, quotation, or invitation for bid notice and isintended for information and planning purposes only. NASA does not intend to make anyawards on the basis of this RFI. However, NASA may consider issuing a formalsolicitation at a later date. NASA will not provide reimbursement for costs incurred inresponding to this RFI. Respondents are advised that NASA is under no obligation toacknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents withrespect to any information submitted under this RFI. NASA may contact respondents tothis RFI if clarification or additional information is desired. Responses to this RFI donot bind NASA to any further actions related to this topic. Any future steps taken toaward Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs), NASA Research Announcements (NRAs), Request forProposals (RFPs) or Space Act Agreements (SAAs) will be contingent upon Congressionalapproval and availability of funds. This announcement contains all information required to submit a response. No additionalforms, kits, or other materials are needed. NASA appreciates responses from all capable and qualified sources including, but notlimited to, NASA Centers, universities, university affiliated research centers,federally-funded research and development centers, private or public companies, andgovernment research laboratories. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice. NASA will not consider material that is marked classified or proprietary. NASA reservesthe right to use responses to develop future solicitations and other types of publiccorrespondence. However, NASA does not intend to release any individual RFI responses.Submissions have the following formatting requirements: a portable document format (.pdf)or Microsoft Word (.doc) document of 2 pages or less using 12 pt font.Only one responseper individual will be considered. RFI responses are asked to address one or both of the following areas: Do you have any comments for NASA consideration? Would you suggest any changes toimprove the strategy described above? Please provide the rationale for yourrecommendation(s). What space technologies do you think NASA should consider for pursuit within the SpaceTechnology Research Grants Program? A brief description of your recommendations withaccompanying rationale would be appreciated. NOTE: A response must be submitted electronically as an attachment to an email addressedto hq-esi-strg@mail.nasa.gov no later than 11:59 PM Eastern on September 10, 2010.Point of Contact Questions about this RFI may be directed toClaudia M. MeyerSpace Technology Research Grants Program Executivehq-esi-strg@mail.nasa.govThis presolicitation synopsis is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government,nor will the Government pay for the information submitted in response.Respondents willnot be notified of the results.[OMBUDSMAN STATEMENT IS REQUIRED]An ombudsman has been appointed -- See NASA Specific Note 'B'.The solicitation and any documents related to this procurement will be available over theInternet. These documents will reside on a World Wide Web (WWW) server, which may beaccessed using a WWW browser application. The Internet site, or URL, for the NASA/HQBusiness Opportunities home page ishttp://prod.nais.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eps/bizops.cgi?gr=D&pin=04 It is the offeror'sresponsibility to monitor the Internet cite for the release of the solicitation andamendments (if any). Potential offerors will be responsible for downloading their owncopy of the solicitation and amendments, if any. Any referenced notes may be viewed at the following URLs linked below.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/NASA/HQ/OPHQDC/NNH10UA005L/listing.html)
- Record
- SN02251578-W 20100825/100823235603-192a45ac9ca8fe39d4e81ce9f017420f (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
| FSG Index | This Issue's Index | Today's FBO Daily Index Page |