Astrophysics decadal mission concept study support. The purpose, objective, background of work to be performed includes provide independent guidance and support for large mission concepts to prepare…

This federal contract award was issued by NASA's Goddard Space Center to The Aerospace Corporation, a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), to provide independent guidance and support for large mission concepts in preparation for the National Academies Astrophysics Decadal Survey 2020. The $320,909.94 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract requires The Aerospace Corporation to assist Science and Technology Definition Teams (STDTs) in identifying key science requirements, potential impacts on concept design, technical risks, and cost drivers. This includes supporting STDT meetings, conducting trade studies, and preparing for a cost and technical evaluation. The contract is not set-aside and has a period of performance through September 30, 2017. The Aerospace Corporation is an established prime contractor to NASA, the Department of Defense, NOAA, and other agencies, providing specialized engineering, research, and advisory services for a wide range of civil, defense, and commercial space initiatives.

Astrophysics decadal mission concept study support. The purpose, objective, background of work to be performed includes provide independent guidance and support for large mission concepts to prepare for the national academics astrophysics decadal survey 2020. Description of work to be performed includes that the contractor shall support the science and technology definition teams (stdt) to identify key science requirements and potential impact on concept design. Risk and cost driver identification - the contractor shall identify risk and cost drivers for each of the four stdt individual teams. The contractor shall support stdt meetings and teleconferences to facilitate the identification and understanding of a key science requirements and a potential impact on the concept design. The contractor shall provide trade study support. The contractor will assess trade studies for a baseline concept design, possibly multiple options for each of the four teams. The contractor shall support in depth reviews at suggested deep dive sessions in top technical risk areas and assist in trade studies to provide focus in development of more mature point designs. In these reviews, the contractor shall focus on the identification of where technology must be matured for the mission concept. The contractor shall provide periodic assessments of top technical and programmatic risks and identify key cost drivers. In the trade studies and deep dive reviews, the contractor shall focus on the identification of where technology must be matured for a specific mission concept. Prepare for cost and technical evaluation (cate). The contractor shall provide a questionnaire with detailed tables to be filled out by the individual stdt mission concept teams. The contractor shall work with existing team documentation to minimize additional effort by the teams. Deliverables - technical progress reports are due monthly on the fifteenth of each month. Attend science and technology definition team meetings as requested. No government furnished items. Travel. The contractor shall travel for efforts in support of face to face stdt meetings. Assumes up to two meetings for two to four experts for each team in fiscal year 16 and up to four meetings, for two to four experts, for each team between in fiscal year 17.