The tandem reconnection and cusp electrodynamics reconnaissance satellite (TRACERS) is proposed by the contractor in response to the national aeronautic and space adminstration's (NASA) 2016…

NASA Goddard Space Center awarded a definitive contract to The University of Iowa for the Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellite (TRACERS) Phase A concept study on March 5, 2018, with a ceiling value of $190.979 million and an ultimate completion date of May 15, 2027, on a cost-no-fee basis.

The originating solicitation responds to NASA's 2016 Heliophysics Small Explorer (SMEX) announcement of opportunity. The University of Iowa shall deliver a Phase A concept study report encompassing principal investigator program office leadership, instrument system engineering including mission assurance, flight-qualified instrument design meeting mission and science requirements, integration and test planning for the flight system, field and launch operations planning, flight operations planning, and science team leadership. Deliverables include a concept study report, instrument and mission systems requirements documents, detailed block diagrams and technical descriptions, instrument-level design reviews, trade studies and analyses, and a science implementation plan presented at a Phase A site visit.

Place of performance is Iowa City, IA. The contract operates with no fee structure (cost-no-fee pricing).

Service Contract Inventory reporting for FY2025 shows 55.9 FTEs delivering 116,296 contractor hours at a derived government-paid rate of $51.57 per hour. Subcontractors account for approximately 75 percent of reported contractor hours, with 14 named subcontractors including Southwest Research Institute, Lockheed Martin Corporation, University of Colorado, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Dartmouth College, University of New Hampshire, West Virginia University Research Corporation, University of Maryland College Park, Auburn University, and Cleveland Aerospace Technology Services (a woman-owned small business), among others. The contract's labor footprint and pricing posture show declining trend across reported years, reflecting the Phase A study's maturation profile.

The tandem reconnection and cusp electrodynamics reconnaissance satellite (TRACERS) is proposed by the contractor in response to the national aeronautic and space adminstration's (NASA) 2016 heliophysics small explorer (SMEX) announcement of opportunity (AO). This statement of work (SOW) describes the work to be conducted by the contractor during the phase a (TRACERS) project. The contractor shall provide the necessary personnel, materials, equipment, and facilities to produce the TRACERS phase a concept study report (CSR) that encompasses: 1. Principal investigator program office (PIPO). 2. Instrument system engineering, including instrument mission assurance. 3. Design of a flight qualified TRACERS instrument meeting mission and science requirements. 4. Develop plans in support of integration and test of the TRACERS instrument flight system. 5. Develop plans in support of essential field operations. 6. Develop plans in support of launch operations, flight operations. 7. Develop plans for and lead the TRACERS science investigation, as well as the generation of resulting data products. The contractor shall provide a briefing on the TRACERS science and science implementation plan at the phase a site visit. The contractor shall provide an organization chart defining the contractor roles and responsibilities, reporting procedures, and lines of authority. Participate in defining the relationships between the contractor PIPO and the NASA explorers program office. The contractor shall develop a TRACERS instrument systems requirements document and a TRACERS mission systems requirements document. The contractor shall develop detailed block diagrams and technical descriptions of all instrument systems. The contractor shall conduct in-depth instrument-level reviews of the proposed instrument design. Conduct essential trade studies, analyses, modeling and simulations to assure compliance with instrument requirements. The contractor shall lead the science team. The contractor shall develop an instrument-level test plan and participate in planning for integration and test. The contractor shall prepare a detailed instrument development schedule covering all mission phases, listing major milestones and including a defined critical path and schedule reserves. The contractor shall prepare updated instrument budgets and review and approve the overall TRACERS budget. The contractor shall prepare and submit the concept study report.