Amendment 0001 Questions and Answers.docx

Broad Agency Announcement BAA-RV-10-02, Call 001 Space Situational Awareness Environmental Monitoring (SSAEM) Sensor Risk Reduction Questions and Answers

1. Question: In the description of Objective 4 (p6), the BAA says: " The Air Force is interested in acquiring the capability to provide an in situ measurement of the 3D neutral wind field in a low inclination orbit with the F region ionosphere." Is the Air Force looking exclusively at “in-situ” approaches, or would you consider other methods like limb scan remote sensing to measure the neutral winds?

Answer: The requirement for Objective 4 remains unchanged--providing “in situ” measurements. For this CALL, the Air Force will not be considering alternative approaches. However, we may consider expanding the scope of this objective to include remote sensing solutions in a subsequent CALL, if this current CALL does not yield adequate acceptable proposals.

2. Question: Does this BAA allow for either teaming with or licensing technology from National Labs & other government entities?

Answer: The BAA does not preclude teaming or licensing of technology from National Labs or government entities. However, depending upon the particular arrangement there may be limitations and additional considerations that must be addressed by any offeror planning to do so.

Reference BAA RV-10-02, paragraph 6E:

“Department of Defense (DOD) Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) (C31 Lab, Lincoln Laboratory, or Software Engineering Institute) may submit proposals in response to this announcement. Other FFRDCs or contractors that propose using FFRDCs not discussed herein shall provide rationale in its proposal that the research is within the purpose, mission, general scope of effort or special competency of the FFRDC and that research to be performed would not place the FFRDC in direct competition with the private sector. The Government does not intend that FFRDCs use privileged information or access to facilities to compete with the private sector. If a contractor proposes using a FFRDC as a subcontractor, other than DOD-sponsored FFRDCs in the capacities discussed in DFARS 235.017, it must provide rationale in its proposal that supports the unique capability of the FFRDC. Also, the contractor’s proposal must demonstrate that the FFRDC can accept work from other than the sponsor.”

Additionally, CALL 001 specifies that Aerospace Corporation, Tecolote Research Incorporated, Quantech Services Incorporated, Galorath Incorporated, Booz Allen Hamilton Incorporated and Canyon Consulting, LLC are prohibited from submitting a proposal.

3. Question: Can the Air Force make copies of the Briefing For Industry (BFI) charts (dated 23 Mar 2010) available?

Answer: Due to the time lapse between the BFI and CALL 001, the requirements have undergone some modest refinement and updating. Consequently, the information presented during the BFI is no longer the most current. In order to avoid any confusion, we have decided to not make the BFI charts available and instead ask that offerors refer to CALL 001 for the most current requirement descriptions.

4. Question: The Space Test Program’s Standard Interface Vehicle (SIV) Payload User’s Guide is called out as a reference document. Is it the Air Force’s intent that the SIV Payload User’s Guide be a compliance document or be a required standard for interfaces?

Answer: No, it is not our intent to imply that offerors must comply either fully or in part with the SIV Payload User’s Guide. This document was included as a reference simply to serve as an aide in helping offerors gain a better understanding of a variety of interface issues that should be thought through in developing proposals. Proposals will not be evaluated based on their compliance to this document, nor should any additional requirements be implied.