80LARC20R0002_EASSS 3_Exhibit A_SOW.pdf

80LARC20R0002 EXHIBIT A

EXHIBIT A – STATEMENT OF WORK

EVALUATIONS, ASSESSMENTS, STUDIES, SERVICES, AND SUPPORT 3

(EASSS 3)

1.0 Introduction and Scope

The Science Office for Mission Assessments (SOMA) is located at NASA Langley Research Center and is responsible for the management and oversight of evaluations, assessments, and studies for the NASA Headquarters Science Mission Directorate

(SMD).

The scope of this contract will include evaluations, assessments, studies, services, and support for SOMA, other NASA organizations, and other Government agencies as designated in individual task orders.

2.0 Contract-Level Requirements

The Contractor shall provide all services required to meet the contract requirements defined herein and as detailed in individual task orders.

2.1 The Contractor shall ensure that all evaluations, assessments, and studies are objective and meet all requirements regarding organizational and personal conflicts of interest and limitations of future contracting as defined by this contract and as further defined in individual task orders.

2.2 The Contractor shall be responsible for submitting NASA IdMAX requests for those employees, consultants, and subcontractor personnel who require access to NASA-provided computers and/or access to IT resources behind the NASA firewall.

2.3 The Contractor shall maintain a Facility Clearance rating at the Top

Secret level with no safeguarding required. The Contractor shall access classified information at a Government or other applicable facility to be identified on the Department of Defense Contract Security Classification Specification, DD Form 254.

2.4 The Contractor shall comply with all U.S. export control laws and regulations including, but not limited to, International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120 through 130, and the Export Administrator Regulations (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730 through 799, in performance of this contract.

2.4.1 In the absence of available license exemptions/exceptions, the

Contractor shall be responsible for obtaining the appropriate license or other approvals, as required, for exports of hardware, technical data, and software, or for the provisions of technical assistance.

2.5 The Contractor shall conduct monthly status meetings with the Contracting Officer (CO) and Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) to review the Monthly Status Report as detailed in Exhibit B.

3.0 Proposal/Concept Study Report Evaluations

Proposal/Concept Study Report (CSR) evaluations are conducted in accordance with the NASA Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Supplement PART 1872 ACQUISITION OF FLIGHT INVESTIGATIONS. Evaluations for multiple solicitations may overlap, which shall require staffing of a large number (275 or greater) of panel positions simultaneously. These panels will include a large number of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs).

A typical evaluation task order requires the Contractor to staff one panel, which may comprise multiple sub-panels, with expert panel/sub-panel leads, full members, and specialist members to evaluate proposals/CSRs for space science missions/investigations, the results of which will play an integral role in selection/down-selection (KDP A/KDP B) decisions by NASA SMD. Acquisition Webpages for recent solicitations and a planning list for applicable SMD solicitations are available at https://soma.larc.nasa.gov/. A NASA Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) acts as the NASA Evaluation Panel Chair and will provide instructions to the evaluation panel members on NASA’s evaluation standards, definitions, and processes to be used. The NASA Evaluation Panel Chair also provides guidance on the format of the evaluation findings to ensure that they meet NASA standards and are suitable for use in briefing NASA Headquarters personnel, and for debriefing the proposers. Each panel member evaluates their assigned proposals/CSRs and submits individual initial evaluation comments via a NASA-provided secure web site. The panel engages in a series of web conferences and/or teleconferences over a specified period of time to draft strengths and weaknesses findings based on the applicable evaluation criterion or criteria defined in the solicitation. The draft findings are then posted on the NASA-provided secure web site. All panel typically members gather together physically to discuss evaluation findings at a plenary evaluation meeting/meetings. In the case of CSR evaluations, a site visit for each submitted CSR, comprising two full days over three days and two nights, will require participation by roughly half of the panel members. Panel members will be polled on their assessment of the overall risk ratings or grades for each proposal/CSR at the plenary/final plenary meeting.

3.1 The Contractor shall evaluate proposals/CSRs consistent with the applicable evaluation criterion or criteria in the areas of science, technical, management, cost, schedule, and other areas of emphasis as defined in individual task orders. The Contractor shall:

3.1.1 Prepare supplementary material to accompany Announcements of

Opportunity (AOs), NASA Research Announcements (NRAs), Cooperative Agreement Notices (CANs), or other Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs), including technical information related to the solicitation, report formats, and logistics guidelines for proposers.

https://soma.larc.nasa.gov/

3.1.2 Evaluate proposals/CSRs in response to AOs, NRAs, CANs, or other BAAs.

3.1.3 Identify expertise needed for the evaluations and staff panels with appropriate experts as identified in individual task orders. Areas of expertise include, but will not be limited to, one or more of the following areas: science across one or more SMD Division portfolios, science instruments, project management, systems engineering, spacecraft systems (e.g., power, propulsion, attitude determination and control, mechanical, thermal, communications), mission design, ground systems, mission operations, entry descent and landing, safety and mission assurance, schedule, and cost.

3.1.4 Provide independent cost estimates for the evaluation of each proposal/CSR as defined in individual task orders.

3.1.5 Provide expertise in stochastic methods for CSR cost and schedule evaluations.

3.1.6 Provide highly-qualified, non-conflicted expert evaluators, panel/sub-panel leads, and factor-based consistency leads as required by the task order.

3.1.6.1 Panel members shall interpret conceptual designs and

explain findings to those who are not experts in the same field.

3.1.6.2 The Contractor shall train all evaluators on evaluation standards.

3.1.7 Review all findings to ensure all proposals/CSRs are evaluated consistently and raise potential consistency issues at the plenary meeting(s) for resolution by the panel.

3.2 The Contractor shall comply with associated procedural requirements for the panel as established by NASA.

3.3 The Contractor shall provide validated and approved analysis tools and models necessary to conduct the evaluation, as defined in individual task orders. Applicable cost tools may include both NASA and commercial tools: examples of NASA cost tools are NICM (NASA Instrument Cost Model), PCEC (Project Cost Estimating Capability), and MOCET (Mission Operations Cost Estimation Tool); examples of commercial cost tools are SEER and PRICE.

3.4 The Contractor shall comply with administrative requirements of the AOs, NRAs, CANs, BAAs, or other agency announcements.

3.5 The Contractor shall document evaluation panel findings and prepare interim and final evaluation reports.

3.5.1 The Contractor shall refine the evaluation reports for each proposal/CSR during the evaluation process, and deliver final evaluation reports at the conclusion of the task order.

4.0 Assessments

Assessments are typically independent reviews of missions/investigations and programs that evaluate progress at major milestones in accordance with specified procedures (e.g., NASA Policy Requirement (NPR) 7123.1B, NPR 7120.5E, NASA/SP-2016- 3706/REV B). Assessments include analyzing technical, management, cost, schedule, and other aspects of SMD missions/investigations and programs, as well as other NASA missions/investigations and programs, as defined below.

Technical assessments include, but are not limited to, assessing the likely performance of technical systems and the impact of new technologies on technical systems.

Management assessments include, but are not limited to, analyzing effectiveness of management systems, processes, and tools.

Cost assessments include, but are not limited to, estimating mission/investigation development and life cycle costs, and assessing cost risk.

Schedule assessments include, but are not limited to, analyzing past mission/investigation development schedules, estimating mission/investigation development schedules for new missions/investigations, and assessing schedule risk.

Other assessments include, but are not limited to, assessment of mission/investigation risk, safety, environmental impact, mission trajectory, resource utilization, analyses of instruments, spacecraft and launch vehicle designs, systems engineering, safety and mission assurance, fabrication and assembly, and test and launch operations on programs or projects.

4.1 The Contractor shall conduct assessments of current and potential NASA missions/investigations and programs as defined in individual task orders.

4.2 The Contractor shall provide the analysis tools and models required to conduct the assessments as defined in individual task orders.

5.0 Studies

Studies are typically analyses where the conclusions or recommendations may affect assessments and proposal/CSR evaluations. Studies include analyzing scientific, technical, management, schedule, cost, and other aspects of SMD missions/investigations and programs, as well as other NASA missions/investigations and programs, as defined below.

Scientific study activities include, but are not limited to, gathering information supporting science missions/investigations, systems analysis, conducting trade studies for handling and analyzing samples of extraterrestrial materials, and defining payloads to meet scientific goals. Studies may also include investigating potential science objectives for small low-cost missions/investigations and planetary protection.

Technical study activities include, but are not limited to, analyzing the feasibility of an instrument, a spacecraft, and/or a mission design; investigating mission options with regard to associated performance expectations; and analyzing system designs, technologies needed to accomplish specific goals, propulsion and mission operations capabilities, and sample handling and analysis systems.

Management study activities include, but are not limited to, gathering information and analyzing the structure, performance, and effectiveness of existing management systems in NASA programs, missions/investigations, and in similar endeavors.

Schedule study activities include, but are not limited to, gathering information on past schedule performance of selected/down-selected NASA missions/investigations, and analyzing the results (e.g., regression of normalized data) for use on future mission/investigation schedule evaluations.

Cost study activities include, but are not limited to, gathering information on past cost performance of selected/down-selected NASA missions/investigations, and analyzing the results (e.g., regression of normalized data) for use on future mission/investigation cost evaluations.

5.1 The Contractor shall conduct studies of specific elements of NASA programs and missions/investigations, or across NASA programs and missions/investigations, as defined in individual task orders.

5.2 The Contractor shall provide the analysis tools and models required to conduct the studies as defined in individual task orders.

6.0 Quick Studies and Assessments

6.1 The Contractor shall perform quick studies and assessments as defined above in sections 4.0 and 5.0. These quick studies and assessments shall:

6.1.1 Not exceed a total cost of $75,000.

6.1.2 Be completed within 90 days.

6.1.3 Commence no later than 10 calendar days after the Contracting

Officer provides the Contractor with a notice to proceed with certain restrictions and before a formal task order is in place.

7.0 Logistics, Facilities, and Information Support

The Contractor shall provide logistics, facilities, and information support related to the performance of evaluations, assessments, and studies.

7.1 The Contractor shall, in conjunction with the evaluations, assessments, and studies and as required by individual task orders, provide logistics support to include, but not be limited to, the following:

7.1.1 The Contractor shall regularly train all evaluators on conflict of interest (COI) and non-disclosure issues.

7.1.2 The Contractor shall ensure evaluators have signed non-disclosure agreements and shall provide to evaluators all personal and organizational conflict of information documentation required by the contract and individual task orders.

7.1.3 The Contractor shall ensure that all required training for access to integrated technology systems and sensitive or proprietary data has been completed.

7.1.4 The Contractor shall distribute required information to evaluation panel members.

7.1.5 The Contractor shall develop and maintain evaluator contact lists, proposal/CSR distribution plans, and meeting attendance plans.

7.1.6 The Contractor shall plan and coordinate secure logistics for each meeting or site visit.

7.1.7 The Contractor shall prepare and maintain COI compliance matrices and an attendance log for each teleconference and meeting.

7.1.8 The Contractor shall prepare lists of Potential Major Weaknesses or Significant Weaknesses, Questions, and Requests for Information for the TPOC’s review at the specified time.

7.1.9 The Contractor shall edit evaluation reports during meetings, prepare spreadsheets used for polling, and record polling results.

7.1.10 The Contractor shall file hard copies of proposals, CSRs, evaluation reports, and supporting documentation in the SOMA Vault and/or a Contractor-provided secure facility; in the case of digital-only materials, this will require the secure creation of derived hard copies.

7.2 The Contractor shall provide support for conferences and workshops including, but not limited to, logistics, reporting results of studies and assessments, and gathering external input on NASA missions/investigations and programs, as defined in individual task orders.

7.2.1 The Contractor shall generate and distribute explanatory materials that include specifics about how the goals of the conference/workshop will be achieved.

7.2.2 The Contractor shall protect Government sensitive data and non-public proprietary information.

7.2.3 The Contractor shall prepare documentation on

conference/workshop results ranging from a straightforward compilation of material presented at the conference/workshop to the generation of a narrative report.

7.2.4 The Contractor shall distribute documentation on

conference/workshop results.

7.2.5 The Contractor shall generate an appropriate number of copies of videos, handouts, and other materials developed during the conference/workshop.

7.2.6 The Contractor shall provide logistical support including audio-visual equipment, copiers, and printers.

7.3 The Contractor shall, as required by individual task orders, arrange suitable facilities, teleconferencing capability, internet access, and web-based conferencing tools at a level of protection sufficient to prevent unauthorized access to Sensitive But Unclassified (SBU) material for up to 100 attendees.

7.3.1 The Contractor shall ensure that the facilities are secure from unauthorized access at all times.

7.3.2 The Contractor shall provide a separate, secure area or room for up to four support personnel to include a copier and printer.

7.4 The Contractor shall provide information support necessary for a third-party NASA contractor to implement and populate information systems, such as databases, web pages, or analysis tools, as required by individual task orders.

7.5 The Contractor shall provide product deliverables in the application (e.g., PowerPoint) and version (e.g., MacOS and/or Windows) specified in the individual task order.