RFP 80GSFC24R0001 - Cover Letter - SMAS III.pdf

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD 20771

April 8, 2024

Reply to Attn of: 176.1

TO: All Prospective Offerors

SUBJECT: Request for Proposal (RFP), Solicitation No. 80GSFC24R0001, for Safety and Mission Assurance Services (SMAS) III

You are invited to submit a proposal in response to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center’s Safety and Mission Assurance Services (SMAS) III solicitation. The principal purpose of this requirement is to support the Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) Directorate’s (Code 300) objective of reducing the risk of exploring Earth and Space by providing a highly respected SMA workforce, who continuously characterizes risk, judiciously applies requirements, and conveys lessons learned to achieve 100% mission success. Specifically, this acquisition will provide safety and mission assurance services, independent surveillance, audit, review and assessment of design, development, test and mission operations activities on-site and at supplier facilities for the SMA Directorate who is responsible for providing support to Goddard Space Flight Center projects. This includes management of institutional risk related to project operations.

NASA will conduct this acquisition as a total small business set-aside competition. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 541715 and the small business size standard is 1000 employees.

This competitive acquisition will result in a single-award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract with the capability to issue Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) task orders. The contract will have an effective ordering period of 5 years from the contract effective date. FAR clause 52.217-8, Option to Extend Services, will be included in the resultant contract for unplanned, unforeseen circumstances or events that are beyond the control of the contracting officer which will allow for extension periods up to 6 months beyond the 5-year period of performance limitation, provided that the option is exercised consistent with the limits outlined in FAR 37.111 and 17.207(f).

The anticipated contract award date is November 2024, with a February 1, 2025 contract effective date. The contract will be performed onsite at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, offsite at the Contractor’s facilities, and other locations that may be specified in the task orders.

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 under a separate contract or purchase order during the 60-day period prior to the effective date of the contract.

2. The Government will make available existing Installation-Accountable Government Property (IAGP) for onsite contract performance as described in the RFP.

3. NASA has determined that this acquisition may give rise to a potential organizational conflict of interest (OCI). Offerors should refer to clause 1852.209-71 Limitation of Future Contracting, for a description of the potential conflict(s) and any restrictions on future contracting. In addition, the attention of prospective offerors is invited to FAR Subpart 9.5 -- Organizational Conflicts of Interest. Offerors should also refer to provision L.30 Notice of Potential Organizational Conflicts of Interest for OCI plan instructions and NFS clause 1852.237-72 Access to Sensitive Information. The proposed OCI plan shall be consistent with all other areas of the proposal. Material inconsistencies between the plan and other proposal areas may render the proposal invalid, resulting in an unacceptable proposal that is ineligible for award.

4. The SMAS III contract will provide SMA services across Goddard Space Flight Center’s various missions, directorates, and locations. The nature of the contract will involve reviewing contractor work and participating in review boards (see SMAS III Statement of Work: Section 6.2). The SMAS III work would create inherent impaired objectivity OCIs (depending on the parties and the work evaluated) because the SMAS III awardee (and its subcontractors) will necessarily be evaluating its competitors or itself. In 2020 NASA waived unmitigable OCIs related to the SMAS II contract on a class basis, notably those OCIs related to Standing Review Board (SRB) participation. Prior to the award of the SMAS III contract and in accordance with FAR 9.503, a request for Class Waiver to FAR Subpart 9.5 – Organizational and Consultant Conflicts of Interest for SMAS III will be sought to allow individuals who would perform work under the Goddard Space Flight Center SMAS III contract, to participate in the SRB process for specified Programs and projects.

5. Please note a SECRET facilities clearance is required for this acquisition in accordance with the DD Form 254, Contract Security Classification Specification. Interested vendors shall have an established Secret facilities clearance at the time of proposal submittal for performance of this contract and this clearance shall be maintained throughout the life of the contract. For proposals submitted as Joint Ventures, the facility clearance must be granted in the name of the Joint Venture.

6. NASA Goddard Space Flight 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 “Summary of Changes” list identifies some areas where changes or clarifications have been made from the Draft RFP to this final RFP.

7. Be advised, in accordance with provision L.28 GSFC 52.215-230 PAST

PERFORMANCE VOLUME. (MAR 2020), Offerors need to encourage their references to submit their Past Performance Questionnaires directly to the Contracting Officer prior to proposal due date.

8. Below is a list of the Source Selection Authority (SSA) and voting members along with their associated NASA Goddard Space Flight Center organizational codes, for the Source Evaluation Board (SEB). The names provided are for informational purposes only and other than the Contracting Officer, Miranda G. Meyer, these individuals shall not be contacted regarding this acquisition. The Government may change personnel associated with this acquisition at its discretion.

SSA

Wesley Deadrick, Code 180

Voting Members Nancy J. Lindsey, Code 370, SEB Chairperson Chris Hoffman, Code 301 Charlie Knapp, Code 371 John Rauscher, Code 360 Teresa James, Code 383 Darren Bergan, Code 390

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

10. Offerors are encouraged to thoroughly review the e-library on SAM.gov as technical documents have been added. The SMAS III online Reference Library can be found at www.SAM.gov, Notice ID 80GSFC24R0001-elibrary.

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 the RFP’s Cost Volume exhibits are in PDF format, the

Offeror’s Cost Volume proposal shall include completed Cost Volume exhibits in Microsoft Office Excel format with working cell formulas. Instructions for converting from PDF format to Excel format can be found in the provision L.27 GSFC 52.215-223 COST VOLUME

INSTRUCTIONS. (JUL 2020).

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 https://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/regs/Procurement-Ombuds-Comp-Advocate- Listing.pdf

This RFP does not commit NASA GSFC to pay any proposal preparation costs, nor does it obligate NASA GSFC 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 May 8, 2024, 4:00PM EDT. 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 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 listed below.

All questions regarding this RFP should be submitted in writing, electronically to Miranda G.

Meyer, Contracting Officer, at miranda.g.meyer@nasa.gov on or before 10 days from release of the RFP. Offerors are encouraged to submit questions as soon as possible for consideration.

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

Miranda G. Meyer Contracting Officer https://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/regs/Procurement-Ombuds-Comp-Advocate-Listing.pdf https://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/regs/Procurement-Ombuds-Comp-Advocate-Listing.pdf

Enclosure:

Summary of Changes