Questions_and_Answers_Set__4_(5-17-18).pdf

Questions and Answers for NASA Research Announcement

Study for the Commercialization of LEO

Solicitation # 80JSC018LEOCOM

May 17, 2018

(Questions 1-83 have been posted in separate files)

84. Do you have notional pricing for NASA services to be used in assumptions for cost data in this study? Or should we assume those services to be no cost to a future enterprise?

A: Many NASA services are envisioned to be available for future commercial endeavors on a reimbursable basis. Your business plan should include estimates for NASA services. After selection, NASA will assign a Technical Point of Contact (POC) to each awardee. The Technical

POC will be available for data requests, including cost estimates, during the conduct of the study.

85. Can we work directly with the International Partners for the study or does NASA want to broker information exchange?

A: To avoid inundating the ISS International Partner Agencies (IPs) with many unsolicited requests, prior to award, NASA requests that offerors limit IP contact about this announcement to that essential to proposal development. After selection, NASA will assign a Technical Point of

Contact to each awardee. During the study, NASA requests that information exchange with the

ISS International Partner Agencies concerning the ISS Program involve the assigned Technical

Point of Contact. This does not apply to matters related to commerce. Note that guidance on the use of NASA funds for foreign participation in the study is contained in the NASA FAR

Supplement 1835.016-70 Foreign participation under broad agency announcements (BAAs) and the NASA Guidebook for Proposers section 3.2.

86. How is the LEO commercialization effort/study to address the systems/capabilities discussed in

Section 4.4 versus those in Section 4.1 of the ISS Transition Report?

A: Section 4.4 details how NASA intends to continue utilizing ISS in the near-term for exploration technology demonstrations; these needs are not included in the study objectives. NASA’s long-term needs in LEO are detailed in Section 4.1, and are included in the study objectives because

NASA anticipates purchasing these services from commercial providers in the future. However, offerors may provide recommendations associated with any section of the ISS Transition Report.

87. Should this study effort address future lunar and/or Mars exploration commercial capabilities?

A: This study effort focuses on commercialization of LEO, while other Agency efforts are looking at exploration. NASA’s long-term needs in LEO, including those related to exploration, are detailed in Section 4.1, and are included as part of the study objectives.

88. Why is lack of past performance data considered neutral?

A: NFS 1815.305 (a) (2), states “In the case of an offeror without a record of relevant past performance or for whom information on past performance is not available, the offeror may not be evaluated favorably or unfavorably on past performance.”

Note that an NRA does not require past performance in the same manner as a standard procurement. Rather, offerors shall propose in accordance with NFS 1852.235-72, which provides offerors with specific instructions for responding to a NRA.

The proposal should include a section on Capabilities, where information pertaining to participant qualifications, capabilities and related experience may be provided to NASA. You may choose to discuss past performance or other measures of productivity and/or expertise in this section. This information will be evaluated as part of Intrinsic Merit in the evaluation criteria. In addition to the FAR documentation, please also reference the NRA Guidebook for

Proposers, including Appendix D:

(https://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/nraguidebook/proposer2018.pdf).

https://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/nraguidebook/proposer2018.pdf