80ARC021R0001 ATOM-5 Cover Letter.pdf

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Reply to Attn of:

Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000

JAZ: N241-1

September 1, 2021

TO: All Prospective Offerors

SUBJECT: Request for Proposal (RFP), Solicitation No. 80ARC021R001, for Aerospace Testing and Facilities Operations and Maintenance (ATOM-5)

You are invited to submit a proposal in response to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ames Research Center's (ARC) Aerospace Testing and Facilities Operations and Maintenance (ATOM-5) solicitation. The ATOM-5 contract will provide support services to the Aeronautics and the Exploration Technology Directorates at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC). The work to be performed includes testing and facility operations, development projects and operation of support facilities, performance of maintenance and repairs, and administration. The purpose of this contract is to utilize ARC's aerospace facilities to satisfy the research, development, testing, and commercial needs of Government and commercial programs and projects.

NASA will conduct this acquisition as a full and open competition. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 561210 and the small business size standard is $41.5 million.

This competitive acquisition will result in a Single Award hybrid contract with Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Contract Line Items (CLINs) for Phase-In and Core Contract Management and Administration (CM&A); Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) CLINs for Core Technical Requirements: General Services, Testing Services; a Cost Reimbursable (CR) (No Fee) CLIN for Training, Certifications, and Travel; and Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) task order requirements under which FFP or CPFF task orders will be executed. The contract will have Core requirements with a base period of performance of 24 months, and three 12-month option periods. The IDIQ CLINs will have an effective ordering period of five years from the contract effective date.

The anticipated contract award date is 8 April 2022, with a contract effective date 30 days later. The Contractor shall perform the work under this contract at NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035-0001 and at other locations as directed in writing by the Contracting Officer.

Potential offerors should pay close attention to all solicitation instructions; however, the following requirements list is summarized to assist in proposal development. Please note that this list is not exhaustive, and the solicitation terms and conditions and provisions in sections L and M take precedence:

1. A Phase-in period will be conducted. Performance of Phase-in shall be 90 days from the effective date of the contract. Phase-in will be FFP and is CLIN 0001.

2. The Government will make available existing Installation-Accountable Government

Property (IAGP) for onsite contract performance.

3. A virtual pre-solicitation conference and virtual one-on-one meetings were held on July 13, 2021. Materials from the conference, as well as questions and answers regarding the Draft RFP, are posted on sam.gov.

4. NASA has determined that this acquisition may give rise to a potential organizational conflict of interest (OCI). Offerors should refer to L.9 of the RFP, Provision ARC 52.209-98 Organizational Conflicts of Interest and Limitation on Future Contracting, for a description of the potential conflict(s) and any restrictions on future contracting.

5. Please note that performance under this contract will involve access to and/or generation of classified information, work in a security area, or both, up to the level of SECRET, in accordance with the DD Form 254, Contract Security Classification Specification.

6. NASA Ames Research Center appreciates the comments received in response to the release of the Draft RFP. These comments resulted in improvements to the quality and content of the overall RFP. Offerors should review the RFP in its entirety, as its content has changed from the Draft RFP version. The following list identifies some areas where significant changes or clarifications have been made from the Draft RFP to this final RFP that may not have been addressed in the Draft RFP questions and responses;

• Updated NASA Escalation Rates in section L.15

• Technical Reference Documents have been added as attachment J.1.a.1(b).

• Collective Bargaining Agreement between the ATOM Group and Union

Representatives has been added as attachment J.1.a.2(c).

• The Calibration list has been changed to a “For Reference Only” document and moved to attachment J.1.b.7. Calibration requirements vary depending on testing and operations requirements.

• Submission instruction in section L.13(b) have been updated.

• The definition of “Major Subcontractor” has changed to $15M. See section

L.14(a)1.iv.1.

• The definition of “Major Subcontractor” for past performance purposes has also changed to $15M. See section L.15(b).

• The Past Performance Questionnaire has been provided. See Attachment J.1.b.5.

This list is not intended to cover all changes nor describe all RFP requirements.

Offerors should carefully review the RFP in its entirety.

7. Be advised, in accordance with provision L.15 Proposal Preparation-Specific Instructions, Offerors need to encourage their references to submit their Past Performance Questionnaires directly to the Contracting Officer prior to the proposal due date.

8. Offerors are required to have a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code that matches the corporate address submitted with its proposal.

9. Attachment J.1.a.1(b) - Technical Reference Documents, will be provided by request only. Requests for access shall be submitted through SAM.gov.

Offerors are encouraged to refer to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) provision 52.215-1, INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS -COMPETITIVE ACQUISITION, in particular paragraph (f)(4) which discusses the Government's right to award a contract without discussions.

In order to control and protect sensitive data owned by the Government and its Contractors, NASA policy required all acquisition-related documents be released in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). While most of the RFP's attachments are in PDF format, the Offeror's Cost/Price Volume proposal shall include completed Cost/Price Volume exhibits in Microsoft Office Excel format with working cell formulas. Specific instructions have been outlined in Section L.

Documents related to this acquisition, including this letter, the solicitation, attachments, exhibits, any amendments and links to online reference/technical/bidders library will be attainable electronically from the World Wide Web through the Government-wide point of entry website at www.SAM.gov. Potential Offerors are requested to periodically monitor the websites for updates.

NASA FAR Supplement (NFS) clause 1852.215-84, OMBUDSMAN, is applicable. The Center Ombudsman for this acquisition can be found at Procurement-Ombuds-Comp- Advocate-Listing.pdf (nasa.gov).

This RFP does not commit NASA Ames Research Center to pay any proposal preparation costs, nor does it obligate NASA Ames Research Center to procure or contract for these services. This request is not an authorization to proceed, and does not authorize payment for any charges incurred by the offeror for performing any of the work called for in this solicitation.

Proposals submitted in response to this solicitation shall be due no later than October 15, 2021, 9:00AM Pacific Time (PT). Proposals for this solicitation are required to be submitted through NASA's Enterprise File Sharing and Sync Box (EFSS Box), a FedRAMP Moderate certified platform. Potential offerors, especially those that have not previously submitted a proposal utilizing NASA's EFSS Box, are encouraged to review the solicitation instruction L.13(b) entitled “Electronic Proposal Delivery - Proposal Marking and Delivery Through NASA's EFSS Box” which provides instructions related to the submission of proposal via EFSS Box. Offerors are encouraged to check with their corporate IT staff to determine if there are firewall restrictions that would need to be addressed prior to the submission of proposal files through NASA's EFSS Box.

In accordance with NFS 1815.201(f), a “Blackout Notice” has been issued to NASA personnel. All inquiries/communications pertaining to this acquisition shall be directed only to the Contracting Officer and Contract Specialist listed below.

All questions regarding this RFP should be submitted in writing, electronically to Umetria Dickson, Contracting Officer, at u.t.dickson@nasa.gov and Contract Specialist, Joshua.D.Taggart@nasa.gov on or before September 10, 2021. Offerors are encouraged to submit questions as soon as possible for consideration.

Thank you for your support. We look forward to receiving your proposals.

Umetria Dickson Contracting Officer

Umetria Dickson Digitally signed by Umetria Dickson Date: 2021.09.01 10:30:00 -04'00'