80GRC020R0019 Sources Sought - Fast Tracking Antenna.pdf

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Glenn Research Center (GRC) is seeking responses from any interested businesses for the purpose of determining the appropriate level of competition for a potential acquisition, including subcontracting goals, North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code, and capabilities information from potential offerors.

The purpose of this sources sought synopsis (SSS), sources sought notice (SSN), and request for information (RFI) is for market research, informational and planning purposes only related to the potential procurement of Fast Tracking Ground Station Antenna System for its new Aerospace Communications Facility (ACF); the ACF is currently under construction.

The ACF at NASA’s John H. Glenn Research Center is dedicated to the research and testing of communications technologies and systems. The nature of test and measurements conducted at GRC is primarily research-based, requiring a high level of flexibility and re-configurability suitable for the characterization of both traditional and novel space and aeronautics based antenna technologies and communications systems. Antenna metrology expected to be conducted in this new facility range from omnidirectional to high gain reflector antennas, from L-band to W-band (1-110 GHz). Antenna technologies emphasize large aperture deployable antennas and active phased arrays, as well as in-situ measurements of antenna performance integrated onto small satellite and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platforms. Furthermore, GRC is working to establish full over the air (OTA) communications systems level testing which will combine channel emulation and motion control with real “hardware-in-the-loop” (e.g., antennas, RF front ends, radios, etc.) to assess system level performance of real life space and aeronautics conditions in a controlled/emulated environment. The new facility is expected to, at a minimum, provide for a reconfigurable RF quiet area that can additionally support this type of testing.

NASA requires a fast tracking ground station antenna system for the Aerospace Communications Facility (ACF) that will support high bandwidth (e.g. DVB-S2/S2X) space and aeronautics communications research. The antenna system will be permanently mounted on a raised platform on the ACF rooftop. This system shall be protected by a radome to enable experiments year round during inclement weather. The antenna shall be equipped for simultaneous S and Ka-band operation. The antenna feed system shall be designed to support replacement with minimal effort to enable operation in Q-band as well as other potential bands (e.g. C,X,Ku,V,W). The vendor shall provide heritage of producing Q-band antenna systems. The Ka-band feed system shall support three band configurations that are selectable for operation. This asset will enable TRL 5/6 demonstrations of technology developed in following operating regimes:

•LEO: Tracking of Small Satellites in LEO

•GEO: Communication to Commercial and to Government (e.g. TDRSS) Ka-band providers

•Lunar Payload Demonstrations

• Aircraft: Tracking of UAS/manned aircraft

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Glenn Research Center (GRC) is seeking capability statements from all interested parties, including Small, Small Disadvantaged

(SDB), 8(a), Woman-owned (WOSB), Veteran Owned (VOSB), Service Disabled Veteran Owned (SD-VOSB), Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUB Zone) businesses, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)/Minority Institutions (MI) for the purposes of determining the appropriate level of competition and/or small business subcontracting goals for the ACF fast tracking ground station antenna system procurement. The Government reserves the right to consider a Small, 8(a), Woman-owned (WOSB), Service Disabled Veteran (SD- VOSB), or HUB Zone business set-aside based on responses hereto. NASA is seeking capabilities from all categories of small businesses for the purpose of determining the appropriate level of competition and/or small business subcontracting goals for this requirement.

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 334220-Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing, with size standard of $12 million.

Responses shall be limited to no more than 10 pages. These pages shall consist of the following:

1. GENERAL INFORMATION: Briefly describe your company and the types of services performed. Please also include: the names, e-mail addresses, and phone numbers for any points of contacts (POCs), the company’s address, CAGE Code/DUNS number, and the type of business demographic that applies (i.e. small business, large business, women-owned).

2. PAST PERFORMANCE: The Offeror shall also provide contract information on similar contracts over the past three (3) years. This information shall include: the name of customer/agency, types of services provided, type of contract, total contract value, and whether the contractor was a prime or subcontract. If subcontract, please provide details regarding prime contract and your company’s role in supporting the prime contractor. In addition, please provide any examples about your company’s capabilities to quickly and efficiently staff to rapidly changing requirements.

3. CAPABILITIES: Information describing your company’s capabilities to meet the requirements in the current Statement of Work (SOW).

4. COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Comments and recommendations for the most effective incentive/performance criteria (if different from the current approach). Further, describe both risks and mitigations the Government should consider.

5. DESCRIPTION: Describe programmatic, financial, technical, and administrative lessons learned from similar engineering service efforts.

6. DESCRIPTION: Describe the type of information needed about the existing requirements that would be needed to submit a credible proposal.

All responses shall be submitted to 80GRC020R0019 Sarah DeRoche, Contract Specialist, via e-mail at sarah.a.deroche@nasa.gov no later than Friday, April 24, 2020, 4:30pm EST.

Responses shall be submitted with the e-mail Subject Line:

80GRC020R0019 and your firm/company name.

This sources sought is for informational and planning purposes ONLY and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government nor will the Government pay for any information solicited.

The Government may utilize the information provided by respondents in developing its acquisition strategy. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this SSN nor will the Government pay for information solicited.

Responses to this SSN will not be returned, and respondents will not be notified of the results of the review.

In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. The Government is under no obligation to issue a solicitation or to award any contract on the basis of this synopsis. The Government will not pay for any information solicited. No evaluation letters and/or results will be issued to the respondents.

No solicitation exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. If a solicitation is released it will be synopsized in beta.sam.gov. It is the potential offerors responsibility to monitor these sites for the release of any solicitation or sources sought. The Government intends to review all responses submitted by Industry. This data will not be shared outside the Government and may be used to further refine requirements. Please do not submit proprietary information.

System for Award Management (SAM): Offerors shall have and shall maintain an active registration in the SAM database at beta.sam.gov to be eligible for a Government contract award.

If the Offeror is a Joint Venture (JV), the JV entity shall have valid SAM registration in the SAM database representing the JV as one business/firm/entity. If at the time of award an Offeror is not actively and successfully registered in the SAM database, the Government reserves the right to award to the next prospective Offeror.