VADR Industry Day Q and As.pdf
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- Solicitation number
- 80KSC020R0058-DRFP
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This document contains questions and answers from an industry day held for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare Launch Services solicitation. The solicitation will request pricing for Standard Launch Services on a not-to-exceed basis and labor rates for Special Task Assignments to provide FAA licensed launch services capable of delivering payloads to orbits of 200 km or higher, including escape trajectories. Questions and answers addressed the number of missions requiring Category 1 certification, submitting multiple launch vehicle configurations or simplified proposals as incumbents, providing responses for orbital transfer vehicles using other launch vehicles, how different types of proposals for dedicated, primary or rideshare launches would be evaluated, and resources for developing labor rates. The draft solicitation and slides from the industry day have been posted online for potential offerors to review and submit written comments on all aspects within 30 calendar days of release to inform the final solicitation planned for release in June 2021 with proposals due 30 days later and contract award anticipated in October 2021.
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VADR Industry Day Questions & Responses 80KSC020R0058-DRFP
1. Question: How many missions do you expect will require the launch vehicle to have category 1 certification?
Response: At this time the number of missions that will require Category 1 certification is not known.
2. Question: Does an offeror need to propose to each CLIN?
Response: No, the information requested in section 6 is not CLIN specific. Therefore, offerors do not need to indicate which type of missions they would respond to under a Request for Launch Services Proposal (RLSP).
3. Question: Can more than one launch vehicle configuration be proposed?
Response: Yes, proposals may include more than one launch vehicle configuration.
4. Question: What does a company need to do to request Category 1 launch vehicle certification?
Response: The RFP will be updated to clarify.
5. Question: How many contracts does NASA anticipate awarding.
Response: The number of contracts to be awarded under the resultant solicitation cannot be determined at this time.
6. Question: What is the technical rationale that will be used to determine if a task order is required to be “dedicated”, requiring all the excess performance on the launch vehicle? Can NASA instead specify the schedule authority, excess performance, or technical requirements needed?
Response: Refer to RFP Section 2.12.2 Request for Proposal. Each task order RFP will provide specific information unique to the mission. The rationale will be mission dependent and there is not a single criteria for making a dedicated launch service need determination.
7. Question: Is it possible for existing NLS-II contract holder to submit a simplified proposal since the contracts are very similar and all/most the data being requested in the proposal has already been provided to NASA?
Response: Refer to RFP Section 6.4.10.
8. Question: If the offeror (e.g. orbital transfer vehicle) proposes to use a launch vehicle provided by another company, are they required to provide responses to the minimum launch service criteria quick look items (DRFP Section 6.4.11.1) and the launch vehicle overview items (DRFP Section 6.4.11.2) for both the orbital transfer vehicle and the proposed launch vehicle, or just for the orbital transfer vehicle?
VADR Industry Day Questions & Responses 80KSC020R0058-DRFP
Response: The RFP will be updated to clarify that all offerors must respond to Section
6.4.11.1 paragraphs (a) and (b) regarding launch vehicles. For 6.4.11.2, the RFP will be updated to request orbital transfer vehicle specific information in Attachment 5, LAUNCH SERVICES CAPABILITIES, SPECIFICATIONS AND ENVIRONMENTS (an update to Attachment 5 has been posted to the GPE. In addition, the RFP definitions will be updated to include new language for the common launch vehicle configuration (in red) and add the definition of a non-core propulsive stage. The following definitions will be applied when determining what information is required in this section:
Common Launch Vehicle Configuration (CLVC): A distinct combination of core propulsive stages and launch vehicle hardware used to deliver payloads to earth orbit or escape trajectories.
Non-Core Propulsive Stage: Any upper stage not included as part of the common launch vehicle configuration (e.g. orbital transfer vehicle, tugs, propulsive secondary payload adapters, kick stage, spacecraft bus).
9. Question: Given that some RLSPs may not specify a dedicated, primary, or rideshare launch service, how will proposals be evaluated that proposed different types of launch services? For example, one provider proposes a dedicated and another proposes a primary? How will the evaluation criteria account for this difference in offer?
Response: Refer to RFP Section 2.12.2 Request for Proposal. Each Request for Launch Service Task Order Proposal will specify the evaluation criteria.
10. Questions: Do you have any recommended resources for developing labor rates? Some companies are not using CAS systems and do strictly FFP contracts, therefore don’t have set systems in place for rates.
Response: The Government cannot make recommendations on how offerors should develop their rates. It is the offeror’s responsibility to submit a proposal that provides information responsive to the items set forth in the solicitation, and that demonstrates it understands and has the ability to meet requirements. Refer to RFP Section 6.4.10.
11. Question: Will the slide presented today be posted and available for potential bidders
Response: Yes, the slides along with the questions and answers have been posted on https://beta.sam.gov/
12. Question: Is a successful launch required in order to avoid an "unacceptable" past performance rating?
Response: A successful launch is not required to obtain an “acceptable” past performance rating.
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