NASA Headquarters, Code SR, Washington, DC 20546 Attn:SR/Dr. Joseph Boyce

A -- STUDIES FOR MOST PROMISING MARS SURVEYOR PROGRAM LANDING SITES POC Dr. Joseph Boyce tel: 202/358-0302 STUDIES TO IDENTIFY THE MOST PROMISING MARS SURVEYOR PROGRAM LANDING SITES: Joseph M. Boyce tel: 202/358-0302. This notice constitutes a broad agency announcement as contemplated in FAR 6.102(d)2, and is expected to result in grants. A separate solicitation will not be issued though the same announcement will be posted on the World Wide Web at http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/solar-system/. NASA is seeking qualified sources (educational institutions, non-profit, profit, government, and NASA centers) to provide support for on-going planetary research activities by the scientific community for the identification and analysis of the most scientifically promising Mars Surveyor Program landing sites. The analysis sought must result in all of the following: I) the scientific and technical objectives to be addressed at the proposed site; ii) a detailed geological map of the site (including location of landing site, and if appropriate, rover traverses, etc.); iii) detailed documentation of type of landed vehicle required to meet the objectives (e.g., simple immobile lander, rover, small network configuration, balloon traverse) and the operational scenarios, and exploration strategy; iv) identification of engineering challenges (rough surface, high latitude and/or altitude, etc.) to visitation of the site by a Mars Surveyor landed vehicle; and v) identification of type and quality of new data that should be acquired by precursor Mars Surveyor missions that would support more detailed analysis of the site. The analysis efforts supported through this solicitation will be coordinated with the Mars Surveyor Program planning activities through a steering group composed of selected researchers. Coordination meetings between the Mars Surveyor program and the selected investigators will occur annually at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. It is anticipated that proposals will be for a duration of 24 months at up to $20k per year. Total program funding per year is planned at the $250-300k level. Proposals originating outside the US will not be funded by NASA, and would need to be supported by their national agency. In order to be considered responsive, prospective offerors must include as part of their proposal: a) transmittal letter signed by an official authorized to commit the proposing institution to the proposed task; b) statement on restriction of use and disclosure of proposed information; c) abstract describing the objectives of the proposed effort and method of approach; d) project description; e) management approach; f) personnel; g) facilities and equipment; h) proposed costs; I) security (if applicable); j) special matters (e.g. certificates). Proposal text should not exceed a total of 5 pages in length for items d) and e) combined, and a total of 15 pages for the entire proposal. Proposals will be evaluated based on scientific and technical merit, relevance to NASA's and the Mars Surveyor Program objectives (including; 1) the search for life, 2) an assessment of the resources of Mars, and 3) the desire to better understand the volatile and climate history of Mars, all within the theme of the identification of the history, sources, and sinks of water on mars), and cost. All criteria are of approximately equal weight. Selection decisions will be made by the Director, Research program management Division, following peer review of the proposals. Proposals (7 copies including the signed original) must be submitted within 45 days of publication of this solicitation to Joseph M. Boyce (MSLSSP), Research Program Management Division, Code SR, NASA Headquarters, 300 E Street S.W., Washington, DC 20546-0001. (0172)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0001 19960621\A-0001.SOL)