Questions and Government Responses Part I (BAA-NOAA-SSA-STC-2025).pdf

TraCSS Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Research and Technology Development

Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)

BAA. #: BAA-NOAA-SSA-STC-2025

Government Responses to Questions submitted before and on Community Day (April 3, 2025)

SN Offeror’s Question Government’s Response Question Submitted Before Industry Day

Could you confirm whether a foreign-owned company is eligible to serve as a subcontractor under this BAA? If so, are there any specific restrictions or disclosure requirements we should be aware of?

The BAA, Section 3.0, Foreign Participation states that “[t]his BAA is restricted for United States businesses, subsidiaries, and entities.” That sentence, and the remainder of that paragraph, is not limited to only prime contractors.

The future of space traffic management / space situational awareness / debris monitoring is likely to be in the form of onboard instruments (cameras). If OSC put a cost value per debris measurement based on accuracy, timeliness, novelty, etc. that would open up a lot of possibilities. What kinds of economic levers will OSC use to incentivize the creation of a system of onboard detectors and how their knowledge is shared/distributed?

Please see research topic “General Category for SSA Technologies” for submission of white papers on this topic.

Can the Space Surveillance Network (SSN) share their raw observations with commercial companies through this program? If so, it could support data fusion with commercial data observations.

The SSN is a DoD asset and as such the DoD determines what information they are willing to share and under what circumstances.

Can catalog object size information (hard body radius (HBR) or characteristic length) based on SSN observations and/or commercial providers be made available through this program?

The SSN is a DoD asset and as such the DoD determines what information they are willing to share and under what circumstances.

Can the SSN tracking radar frequency be made available through this program? This will allow operators to calculate HBR using NASA's Size Estimation Model (SEM).

The SSN is a DoD asset and as such the DoD determines what information they are willing to share and under what circumstances.

Would OSC be interested in a technology (navigation filter/estimator) that can fuse any data type or data source into a single best estimated trajectory?

Please see research topic “Space Situational Awareness Data” for submission of white papers on this topic.

Would OSC be interested in data fusion from the perspective of simultaneous observations of a single object with multiple sensors to improve SSA?

Please see research topic “Space Situational Awareness Data” for submission of white papers on this topic.

Will the TraCCS program, as a civil space traffic coordination system, track both non-cooperative (debris, spacecraft) and cooperative (spacecraft) objects?

The TraCSS program is receiving the unclassified catalog of objects from the DoD which will include rocket bodies, debris and all unclassified active and inactive objects.

SN Offeror’s Question Government’s Response

Can we gain clarification around the "Not to Exceed" price? Is just the price needed? Or is an explanation around that price necessary as well?

The “Not to Exceed” price is the maximum price the proposed solution will cost the Government.

Are companies limited to how many white papers can be submitted against one or all of the BAA Areas of Interest?

No. There is no limit on how many white papers can be submitted against one or all of the BAA Areas of Interest.

In regards to a joint response, can a white paper be submitted with a teammate and then an additional white paper be submitted individually?

Yes. Joint white papers can be submitted and individual white papers can be submitted.

If a joint response is submitted on behalf of a team by the "team lead organization", what are the ramifications (if any) if a response is chosen for a proposal submission and the team roles need to reverse? For example, the initially indicated "prime" in the white paper, now becomes a sub for the proposal?

The Offerors are prohibited from changing the team lead organization.

What if some of the submitter's content for "Basic Research" or "Applied Research" has overlap with OSC's current TraCSS procurements (Presentation layer, System Integrator and Cloud Mgmt, etc.)?

The BAA is focused on research and development projects and not current procurements for the TraCSS operational system. Offerors should submit white papers under the applicable research area.

Does performance on a BAA proposal prevent competition and/or create OCIs for future RFPs?

The Government does not anticipate Organizational Conflict of Interests (OCI) for future RFPs.

Is OSC interested in new techniques, policies, and architectures for automated launch-to-orbit flight planning, tracking, and CA of commercial launches and/or USG procured launches? If so, to what extent is appropriate to cover in the white paper submission?

Please see research topic “General Category for SSA Technologies” for submission of white papers on this topic.

Should the white paper focus only on our current TRL stage, requesting funding for that phase alone? If so, should most technical content be centered on this phase, with only a brief outline of future work?

OSC is interested in funding research across all TRL levels. Proposals should clearly state the TRL level of proposed research.

If we take this approach, and if both White Paper and Proposal are accepted, should we expect that there will be follow-on funding opportunities for subsequent phases within this BAA?

Follow-on funding is not guaranteed.

Alternatively, should/can we structure the white paper to cover the full transition from Fundamental Research → Prototyping → Applied R&D, incorporating expected timelines and costs?

The Government is indifferent to whether a proposal targets a specific TRL level or covers the full development cycle from fundamental research to applied technology.

Would it be permissible (or advantageous) to submit multiple white papers for the same concept, e.g., one for Fundamental Research and another for Prototyping or Applied R&D?

The Government is indifferent to whether a proposal targets a specific TRL level or covers the full development cycle from fundamental research to applied technology.

How much weight does the early-stage nature of our company carry in white paper acceptance? Would we be better positioned applying only for Fundamental Research vs.

later-stage R&D?

OSC is interested in all TRL levels.

Should each white paper be limited to one Area of Interest? If so, can we submit separate white papers tailored to each, even if they address the same overarching system?

Submit one topic per white paper. There is no limit on how many white papers can be submitted against one or all of the BAA Areas of Interest.

Or is it preferable to submit a single white paper listing multiple relevant Areas of Interest?

There is no limit on how many white papers can be submitted against one or all of the BAA Areas of Interest.

Is it more advantageous to present the entire system in a single white paper?

The Government is indifferent to whether a proposal targets a complete system or components of a system

Or would it be better to submit multiple white papers, each focusing on a specific module while referencing the full system?

The Government is indifferent to whether a proposal targets a complete system or components of a system

If both options are acceptable, does OSC prefer R&D proposals for comprehensive system-level solutions or smaller, module-based contracts?

The Government is indifferent to whether a proposal targets a complete system or components of a system

Can you share more about how submitted content will be treated so that we can determine how best to project ideas submitted prior to funding (in white papers, proposals, etc.)?

No additional information is available. Please see BAA for submission and evaluation criteria.

Specifically, we seek to determine if it will be sufficient to label content as Company Proprietary or if we should we propose a more formal IP protection strategy even at the white paper stage?

The BAA describes the intellectual or copyright terms and conditions. For white paper, the offeror may submit alternate terms, but it must be submitted within the 5-page white paper submission. Additional Intellectual Property information is required for Proposal Submission. See BAA for publishing requirements.

If additional IP ownership related documentation is necessary, can it be submitted on a separate page or must it fit within the 5-page limit?

All Intellectual Property and/or Copyrights information shall be submitted within the 5-page limit white paper submission.

Is each key personnel permitted to have a one-page biographical sketch, resulting in multiple pages?

No. The white paper submission shall not exceed one (1) single page addendum for Item 3 of Section BAA Step #1 White Paper Preparation and Submission Instructions

Or must all personnel bios be confined to a single page?

Yes. The white paper submission shall not exceed one

(1) single page addendum for Item 3 of Section BAA Step #1 White Paper Preparation and Submission Instructions

At the white paper stage, please confirm that it is preferred that no content

Price Breakdown is not required for white paper submission.

related to cost breakdown of the not-to-exceed price be included?

Will invitations for full proposals be issued on a rolling basis (for early submissions) or only after May 30?

All white paper submissions will be evaluated after May 30, 2025.

Since full proposals are due within three weeks of invitation, can you provide an estimated white paper review timeline to aid our planning?

Notifications of interest for proposals: June timeframe Proposals due/evaluation: July/August timeframe

If we are also submitting for BAA and/or SBIR opportunities from other government agencies, should we disclose this in the white paper, or is this information only required at the proposal stage?

The disclosure should be provided in the white paper

Is OSC interested in approaches to probability that go beyond the traditional assumptions to explicitly account for lack of information?

Please see research topic “General Category for SSA Technologies” for submission of white papers on this topic.

SN Offeror’s Question Government’s Response Question Submitted At Industry Day

Is OSC planning to fund future BAAs, (2x /yr) at this same level?

The budget of future BAAs are to be determined.

Regarding SSA data collection:

What RSO altitude range are you interested in?

What RSO size range, minimum RSO size?

There are no limitations on altitude ranges and sizes.

Regarding SSA data collection:

What latency (time from data capture to information delivered to user)?

Please see research topic “Space Situational Awareness Data” for submission of white papers on this topic.

There are existing TraCSS contracts such as SAIC, AWS, and Slingshot. How will existing contracts impact step 2 proposal scope?

The Government doesn’t anticipate any impact. This funding is for research level activities.

Is there a limit on the number or white papers the same organization/PI/team can submit on different topics?

There is no limit on how many white papers can be submitted against one or all of the BAA Areas of Interest.

Will access to the Horizon Master environment be provided to industry without cost? Will there be specific entry requirements like a cyber security compliance level?

Eventually yes, but HORIZON MASTER won't be available during this BAA cycle. HORIZON MASTER Cybersecurity requirements are TBD

Clarifying question about orbital regimes. Does interest include SA of objects in CISLUNAR orbits?

Cislunar will be something we are thinking about in the future for TraCSS. While we are not doing cislunar CA right now, we are interested in ideas concerning cislunar

STM.

Is there preference for collaborative teams over single offeror submissions? The Government does not have a preference.

What is the process from initial submission to this RFI to being funded under this BAA? The process is outlined in the BAA

What is the selection criteria?

Selection criteria listed in the BAA document, there are no expected additions

Will you evaluate submissions as they come in?

or wait until after the submission deadline for this BAA?

All submissions will be evaluated after the May 30th deadline.

What is the level of funding or funding range anticipated for awarded efforts? Is the $9.9M intended to be applied to how many awards?

The $9.9M is a cumulative cap. The number of awards is to be determined.

13 How many awards do you anticipate making? The number of awards is to be determined.

Should each white paper be limited to one of the three Areas of Interest?

Each white paper should be submitted under the appropriate area of interest.

Can sub-contractors be foreign?

The BAA, Section 3.0, Foreign Participation states that “[t]his BAA is restricted for United States businesses, subsidiaries, and entities.” That sentence, and the remainder of that paragraph, is not limited to only prime contractors.

Do you envision any conflict of interest exclusions between research efforts like this BAA and future service support efforts/contracts?

At this time, the Government does not anticipate a conflict of interest for future acquisition

Will the second step of this process when invitations are sent in response to the white papers still be competitive? Or is the white paper the only competitive step, and the invitations only provided to teams to refine pricing?

The white papers are competitive. The proposals are non competitive; proposals will be determined "selectable” or

“non selectable” based on the evaluation criteria. The number of “selectable” proposals awarded funding may be based on funding availability.

Should teams currently in the early research phase keep their white paper focused on seeking funding for that phase alone, or can they propose for the full scope of the effort through

Applied R&D?

The Government is indifferent to whether a proposal targets a specific TRL level or covers the full development cycle from fundamental research to applied technology

Would there be access granted to the DoD releasable data catalog discussed as one of the current inputs to the TraCCS system? Or are proposals expected to find their own data sources?

If access to releasable DoD data that TraCSS has access to is required, OSC will work with the offeror and the DoD to explore granting access.

For the Risk Assessment: do you need to use the

HORIZON MASTER or can open software be used?

HORIZON MASTER will not be available during this BAA cycle.

21 If multiple white papers are submitted, is there Yes. There is a possibility to be selected for multiple an opportunity to be selected for multiple step 2 proposals?

proposals.

Can we submit a white paper to this BAA as a follow-on to previous TraCSS work?

Yes. Offerors can submit a white paper as a follow-on to previous TraCSS work.

For the Past Performance Factor is Phase 2, does the past performance have to demonstrate the capability delivered in a space setting, or demonstrate the capability related to a different industry with similar requirements?

The past performance factor is to determine relevant information regarding an offeror's actions under previously awarded contracts. The Government will evaluate whether projects are relevant to the scope of work.

The type of set-aside designations that will be applied (e.g., small business, 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, WOSB, etc.)?

BAA is unrestricted requirement, there are no set-aside designations

Are proposers permitted to submit to this opportunity more than once? For example can a proposer submit under one Scope as a Prime and also a second DIFFERENT scope as a sub?

Yes. Joint white papers can be submitted as the prime or the subcontractor. Note: the Offerors are prohibited from changing the team lead organization after the white paper is .

What is the balance, if any, you're aiming for industry vs academic institutions for the awards?

There is no designated balance, we are looking primarily for ideas instead of the proposers.

For a proposed complex multipart system: Is it preferred to present the entire system in a single white paper or would it be better to submit multiple white papers, each focusing on a specific sub-system?

The Government is indifferent to whether a proposal targets a complete system or components of a system

Our organization is expecting to submit two whitepapers, for different solutions - one as a prime, and one as a sub. In this case, is it advisable (either for eligibility or optics reasons) to avoid submitting two separate whitepapers in the same area of interest?

Rephrasing my previous question about more than 1 submission per area of interest: Is it advisable to avoid submitting two distinctly different whitepapers proposing separate solutions to distinct problems, in the same area of interest?

There is no limit on how many white papers can be submitted against one or all of the BAA Areas of Interest.

Clarification for Bio sketches addendum:

Should each key personnel have a one-page biographical sketch, resulting in multiple pages?

Or must all personnel bios be confined to a single page?

The white paper submission shall not exceed one (1) single page addendum for Item 3 of Section BAA Step #1 White Paper Preparation and Submission Instructions

Is OSC interested in Space Situational Awareness primarily in the context of altitudes where most satellites are clustered (mid-LEO) or is there also pointed interest in SSA in VLEO, which is measurement-starved and can introduce uncertainty in end-of-life operations. There are no limitations on altitude ranges.

Who owns the IP of the output after the funding? Can the output be published?

The BAA describes the intellectual or copyright terms and conditions. For white paper, the offeror may submit alternate terms, but it must be submitted within the 5-page white paper submission. Additional Intellectual Property information is required for Proposal Submission.

See BAA for publishing requirements.

Regarding Data storage, Compute, and AI/ML.

Will there be an IT hardware requirement for these areas? There are no hardware requirements for this BAA.

At the white paper stage, please confirm that it is preferred that no content related to cost breakdown of the not-to-exceed price be included (ie you prefer we simply list the not-to-exceed price?)

Offerors shall only provide the not-to-exceed price in the white paper. Price breakdown is not required for white paper submission.

Any estimate on when the written Q&A will be on sam.gov?

Part II of the written Q&A will be posted no later than

April 30, 2025.

If we are also submitting for BAA and/or SBIR opportunities from other government agencies, should we disclose this in the white paper, or is this information only required at the proposal stage?

The disclosure should be provided in the white paper

Will the government preference any cost sharing proposed from industry? If a company provides some supporting IRAD funding, will that improve the scoring of the proposal?

The BAA awards will be firm fixed-price.

Is the Risk Assessment scope primarily focused on on-orbit and end-of-life operations or does it also include launch operations?

Any aspect of space traffic management that involves risk is included in scope.

Just to clarify, the white paper is the competitive phase and the invited proposals should all be awarded if all goes nominally?

The white papers are competitive. The proposals are not competitive; proposals will be determined "selectable” of

“non selectable” based on the evaluation criteria. The number of “selectable” proposals awarded funding may be based on funding availability.

Can you clarify that this BAA is limited to proposals that are building systems intended to become an integral part of the actual TRACCS system, vs a fully commercial system that would integrate with TRACCS? The BAA is not limited to one or the other.

40 The anticipated number of awards to be made? The number of awards is to be determined.

Does the government have a preference for time and materials, cost plus, or firm fixed pricing contracts? The BAA awards will be firm fixed-price.

Just to clarify, because that answer was different from what was said earlier--the proposal stage will be competitive as well? I.e., not all who submit proposals will receive an award?

The white papers are competitive. The proposals are not competitive; proposals will be determined "selectable” of

“non selectable” based on the evaluation criteria. The number of “selectable” proposals awarded funding may be based on funding availability.

Minimum distance at which we can distinguish two or more RSOs?

Please see research topic “Space Situational Awareness Data” for submission of white papers on this topic.

Will there be a limit on the number of white papers that the same team/PI or organization can submit on different topics?

No. There is no limit on how many white papers can be submitted against one or all of the BAA Areas of Interest.