SS-CLS Draft NRA Questions and Responses.pdf

SS-CLS Draft NRA Questions and Responses

1) Regarding the IT Security Management Plan, does this fall under certain guidelines such as the Department of Defense NIST 800-171 self-assessment , CMMC (if so what level), or Federal Contract Information (FCI)?

a. The IT Security Management Plan requirement came from NFS 1852.204-76 Security Requirements for Unclassified Information Technology Resources, which is a clause in the Model Contract. PCD 21-01A resulted in a deviation to the clause NFS 1852.204-76, and as a result the IT Security Management Plan will not be a required submission for the final NRA. However, the “Security Requirements for Unclassified Information Technology Resources” DRD is now a requirement for submission.

2) Pre-Solicitation question/answer 2) identifies that “Offerors need to address the complete scope of work specified in the NRA.” Please confirm that Offerors should provide a proposal that identifies the cost, technical approach and schedule required to complete entire project scope (from concept through technology development through the flight demonstration), including reviews and deliverables including additional recommended technical milestones/deliverables.

a. Correct. Offerors should provide a proposal that identifies the cost, technical approach and schedule required to complete entire project scope (from concept through technology development through the flight demonstration through conducting experiments to fully evaluate the link and system level performance, and providing opportunities for an academic institution(s) to perform space-communication experiments using the V-Band cross-link capability), including reviews and deliverables including additional recommended technical milestones/deliverables. See sections 5, 6, 8 and 10 of the NRA.

3) With regards to question 1 above, does NASA intend to award the entire project scope at initial contract award?

a. Yes. This is intended to be a standalone procurement activity. Offerors need to address the complete scope of work specified in the NRA.

4) Will NASA award the entire scope (at a cost level greater than $14.3M) and fund the project incrementally should/as additional funding become available? (note: The scope outlined in the NRA does not seem to allow for an incremental approach in the event that the current funding level cannot support both technologies that need to be developed as well as the flight program.)

a. NASA intends to award the entire scope at a cost level of $14.3M dependent upon future NASA funding profiles.

5) If the entire scope is awarded with incremental funding applied as budget becomes available, has NASA identified a maximum contract ceiling for this effort? If so, will NASA provide the maximum contract ceiling value?

a. NASA intends to award the entire scope at a cost level of $14.3M, dependent upon future NASA funding profiles.

6) Please confirm that NASA also does intend for the Offeror to develop and build the small satellite-based system for demonstration under this effort to include space vehicle, V-Band transceiver payload, antennas, operational flight software, etc.

a. The extent of such developments is to be determined and defined by the Offeror. For example, NASA does not prescribe the data type, latency, nor data rates of the V-band cross-link nor the downlink. Proposals shall include plans to characterize V-Band cross-link capability, and Offeror’s definition of targeted performance characteristics and metrics.

7) Does NASA have a minimum acceptable candidate system TRL for entry into this effort?

a. NASA does not have a minimum acceptable candidate system TRL for entry into this effort. NASA will clarify in the final NRA that proposals shall include plans to characterize V-Band cross-link capability, and Offerors to define their targeted performance characteristics and metrics. Note that all deliverables shall be delivered within the period of performance of the contract, which is not to exceed five years.

8) Does NASA have an objective starting/ending TRL for systems developed under this effort?

a. NASA does not have an objective starting/ending TRL for systems developed under this effort. NASA will clarify in the final NRA that proposals shall include plans to characterize V-Band cross-link capability, and Offerors to define their targeted performance characteristics and metrics. Note that all deliverables shall be delivered within the period of performance of the contract, which is not to exceed five years.

9) Draft NRA Section 5.1 describes this effort is for development and demonstration of the V-

Band cross link capability “using at least two small satellites” indicating a point-to-point network architecture. Will NASA also consider other network architectures for this effort (i.e. mesh network)?

a. NASA would consider other network architectures for this effort. Note that NASA intends to award a firm fixed price contract to this effort.

10) Will NASA provide any hardware as Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) in support of the program?

a. No. NASA does not intend on providing any hardware as GFE to this program.

11) Will NASA provide the launch opportunity?

a. No. NASA does not intend on providing the launch opportunity. As stated in the NRA, Offerors should follow their own practices for designing, building, launching, and operating small satellites for the purposes of demonstrating and characterizing V-Band cross-link performance and conducting academic experiments.

12) Could the scope of work be clarified and/or expanded upon in the Offerors Statement of

Work (SOW)? For example, the milestones seem to assume that enabling subsystems are currently at a high TRL level, given that the milestones focus on the mission concept and mission implementation.

a. NASA does not presuppose a current TRL level to perform this work. NASA will clarify in the final NRA that proposals shall include plans to characterize V-Band cross-link capability, and proposers to define their targeted performance characteristics and metrics.

Note that all deliverables shall be delivered within the period of performance of the contract, which is not to exceed five years.

13) Can the Offerors SOW include Optional Scope to accommodate development of prototype systems that represent enabling technologies?

a. Yes, the current SOW does not preclude this accommodation. Note that NASA intends to award a firm fixed price contract to this effort. Note that all deliverables shall be delivered within the period of performance of the contract, which is not to exceed five years.