Request for Proposal (RFP) Cover Letter.pdf

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Kennedy Space Center Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899

July 31, 2020

Reply to Attn of: OP-LS

TO: All Prospective Offerors

SUBJECT: Request for Proposal (RFP), Solicitation No. 80KSC020R0036-RFP, for

Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation Structure and Storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS) Mission Launch Services

You are invited to submit a proposal in response to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Kennedy Space Center’s Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation Structure and Storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS) Mission Launch Services solicitation. The principal purpose of this requirement is to provide launch services (rideshare or a dedicated) for the Earth Venture (EV) risk-tolerant TROPICS mission consisting of six (6) CubeSats in three low-Earth orbital planes. NASA will deliver CubeSats with the dispensers and isolators to the launch vehicle provider. The total payload mass, including all six CubeSat payloads, margin, dispensers, and isolators, will not exceed 56.04 kg. The launch vehicle provider will be responsible for planning, analysis, design, development, production, integration, and testing required to provide a launch vehicle system to transport the payloads into their operational orbit within a 120 day period (first insertion to final insertion). The spacecraft availability is January 31, 2022 with all CubeSats in orbit by July 31, 2022.

NASA will conduct this acquisition as a full and open competition. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 481212 and the small business size standard is 1,500 employees.

This competitive acquisition will result in a Firm-fixed Price contract. The contract will have a total potential period of performance from contract award through 2 months after delivery of all CubeSats. All six CubeSats must be placed into their operational orbit within a 120 day period (first insertion to final insertion) between January 31, 2022 and July 31, 2022.

The anticipated contract award date is November 17, 2020, with a November 17, 2020 contract effective date. The contract will be performed offsite at the Contractor’s, or a government facility.

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 6 and 7 take precedence:

1. NASA Kennedy Space 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 attached change log identifies some areas where 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;

The change log is not intended to cover all changes nor describe all RFP requirements. Offerors should carefully review the RFP in its entirety.

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

Offerors are encouraged to refer to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) provision 52.212-1, INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS-COMMERCIAL ITEMS, in particular paragraph (g), which states that the Government intends to evaluate offers and award a contract without discussions with offerors.

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).

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.beta.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 http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/pub/pub_library/Omb.html.

This RFP does not commit NASA Kennedy Space Center to pay any proposal preparation costs, nor does it obligate NASA Kennedy Space 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 4:00 PM EDT, August 31, 2020.

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 Jason Siewert, Contracting Officer, at jason.r.siewert@nasa.gov on or before 4:00 PM EDT, August 10, 2020. Offerors are encouraged to submit questions as soon as possible for consideration.

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

Jason R Siewert Contracting Officer