A -- GOES-R SERIES OF SATELLITES

Notice Date

August 16, 2001

Contracting Office

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

ZIP Code

20771

Solicitation Number

433-GOES-R

Response Due

September 14, 2001

Point of Contact

Barbara A. Hammond, Contract Specialist, Phone (301) 286-3230, Fax (301) 286-1699, Email bhammond@pop200.gsfc.nasa.gov -- John Baniszewski, Contracting Officer, Phone (301)286-9841, Fax (301)286-1699, Email John.D.Baniszewski.1@gsfc.nasa.gov

E-Mail Address

Barbara A. Hammond (bhammond@pop200.gsfc.nasa.gov)

Description

THIS IS NOT A NOTICE OF SOLICITATION ISSUANCE. Opportunity to respond to this Request For Information (RFI) is open to government agencies, academic institutions, private sector organizations, and other interested parties. The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) next series of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) satellites (GOES-R Series) are targeted to begin launching in 2010. Each carries operational instruments for observing weather, monitoring the solar-space environment, and relaying reports from remote environmental platforms on Earth. Each is designed to carry ancillary "instruments of opportunity" (IOOs) that may use the spacecraft's existing power, communications, and command and control subsystems. NOAA is prepared to offer the use of this IOO space on its GOES-R Series spacecraft for experimental payloads that are related to its overall mission. Payload concepts need not be limited to remote-sensing instrument prototypes and may include any apparatus with general applicability to NOAA's future geostationary spacecraft operations or mission objectives. In general, NOAA would require that any potential payload must: (a) not add risk to the operational GOES mission in any way (e.g., electromagnetic interference, pointing accuracy degradation, thermal loading beyond limits, etc.), (b) be delivered to NASA for integration onto GOES-R no later than April 2008 for GOES-R (GOES-S and beyond dates have not been defined), and (c) successfully complete a payload test plan, approved by NASA and NOAA, prior to the delivery date. We are currently exploring the accommodations for IOOs, and we need information to appropriately size the IOOs allocations. To help us refine the IOO allocations we need the following information based on potential instrument concepts developed to date: (1) the maximum expected size (height, width, and depth), power, and mass of the instrument module(s), (2) the required spacecraft mounting orientation (and position if critical) for the instrument module, (3) indication if there is a preference as to where the electronics/power supply module(s) (if separate from the sensor module) should be mounted in/on the spacecraft, and (4) identifation of any deployables envisioned that may extend beyond the instrument envelope when in the stowed or deployed state. It is understood that this information is very preliminary, and there should be no concern if your estimates ultimately turn out to be inaccurate. NASA will take the information provided and compare it against our own estimates and those of the other IOO instruments. A consolidated maximum estimate (probably including some margin and engineering judgment of our own) will be provided to the spacecraft vendors. NOAA and NASA will provide no funding for the design, fabrication, or testing of the IOO. NOAA will consider sharing costs of integrating the IOO onto the GOES-R series spacecraft, under an agreement to be negotiated with the IOO provider. NOAA will provide launch, operations, and data acquisition for the experimental payload and will deliver instrument telemetry and data to the provider via the Internet or other pre-determined means. NOAA assumes unrestricted rights to collect, analyze, and redistribute the data. NOAA will not be held accountable for any loss incurred by the payload provider associated with this project. This includes, but is not limited to, any loss due to a failure at any time of the satellite or the launch vehicle. All information received from this RFI will be compiled and used for planning purposes. However, future potential IOOs may be identified and procurement activities may result from this fact-finding exercise. The results of this RFI may be reported outside NASA and NOAA; therefore, any proprietary information submitted should be marked appropriately. Respondents are urged to describe their instruments in sufficient detail to allow NASA and NOAA to corroborate the ability of the respondent to meet the NOAA requirements. Responses must include the name and address of the firm or affiliation. Sources with information relevant to this request are asked to respond by submitting a response of no more than 20 pages of text (minimum font size: 10) and 5 pages of figures and/or tables. The response shall clearly contain: (a) a general description of the purpose of the experimental payload, (b) a statement describing the applicability of the payload to NOAA's space-based mission interests, (c) a general engineering concept for the payload, (d) a statement declaring the likelihood of the payload fitting into defined mission-of-opportunity space on the GOES-R series, and (e) a top-level development schedule. Responses that include a description of expected costs and sources of funding (Internal R& D funds, grants, etc.) would be beneficial to the reviewers. A panel of NASA and NOAA experts will review the information received in response to this RFI. Technical questions should be directed to: Sandra A. Cauffman at (301) 286-7607. Procurement-related questions should be directed to Barbara Hammond at (301) 286-3230. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government nor will the Government pay for information solicited. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation. Respondents deemed fully qualified will be considered in any resultant solicitation for the requirement. The Government reserves the right to consider a small business or 8(a) set-aside based on responses hereto. All responses shall be submitted to Barbara Hammond at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 214.2, Greenbelt, MD 20771 no later than September 14, 2001. Comments may be submitted via electronic transmission (bhammond@pop200.gsfc.nasa.gov) or by facsimile transmission (301-286-1699). THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT/RFI SYNOPSIS -- NOT A NOTICE OF IFB, RFP, OR RFO ISSUANCE. No solicitation exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. If a solicitation is released it will be synopsized in the CBD and on the NASA Acquisition Internet Service. It is the potential offerors responsibility to monitor these sites for the release of any solicitation or synopsis. An ombudsman has been appointed -- See NASA Specific Note "B". The solicitation and any documents related to this procurement will be available over the Internet. These documents will be in Microsoft Office 97 format and will reside on a World Wide Web (WWW) server, which may be accessed using a WWW browser application. The Internet site, or URL, for the NASA/GSFC Business Opportunities home page is: http://genesis.gsfc.nasa.gov/nasanote.html

Web Link

Click here for the latest information about this notice (http://nais.msfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/EPS/bizops.cgi?gr=D&pin=51#433-GOES-R)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010820/ASOL011.HTM (D-228 SN50V1R7)