XS-1_Proposers'_Day_Public_Q_and_A_Sponable Glista.pdf

XS-1 Public Questions and Answers from Proposers’ Day

Publication Date: 12 November 2013

1. Question: How do you plan to handle third party liability for the flight program? Will the government cover the cost of insurance?

Answer: The Government cannot cover insurance, but DoD may provide indemnification if certain requirements are met. See Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 52.250-1.

2. Question: Define LEO. What is your target orbit for the payload?

Answer: 100 Nautical Miles altitude due East is the minimum suitable orbit.

3. Question: In regard to critical technology risk reduction awards. Are you open to funding upper stage propulsion, or are you only looking to fund spaceplane propulsion as part of Phase I?

Answer: We are willing to transition relatively mature propulsion systems to support

Phase II/III. This can be with the spaceplane vehicle or with the upper stage.

4. Question: Jess suggested that all subsystem technologies would be Government intellectual property (IP). If we propose a concept that employs subsystem technologies developed at private expense that we retain IP rights to, does that disadvantage our proposal?

Answer: The extent to which IP rights will potentially impact the Government’s ability to transition technology will be evaluated. However, the inclusion of certain subsystem technologies developed at private expense does not necessarily mean that transition will be impeded. In general, if the Government pays for the development of a concept, the Government obtains Unlimited Rights. If you pay for its development the

Government receives Limited/Restricted Rights. For concepts developed with mixed

Government/private funding the Government receives Government Purpose Rights.

See Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) Part 227 for more information.

5. Question: Do all reviewers have to agree that a proposal is “selectable” for it to be eligible for selection? What happens if an innovative approach scares some reviewers but not others?

Answer: Proposals will be reviewed using a scientific review process consistent with FAR

35.016 and corresponding DARPA Instructions.

6. Question: Can you clarify what will be necessary to construct the Phase II/III Statement of Work (SOW) for the Phase I proposal?

Answer: The Phase I proposal will require a notional SOW for Phases II and III. The information necessary to construct the Phase II/III notional SOW is included in the XS-1

Broad Agency Announcement (BAA).

7. Question: High speed exhaust of the XS-1 will make high amplitude sound. This may cause sonic fatigue especially when the same structure will be repeatedly exposed to the high amplitudes. Can universities submit stand-alone proposals for eliminating this or other risk items?

Answer: Yes, universities can submit stand-alone proposals under the component/subsystem risk reduction part of the BAA. Also, you should talk to potential

Primes to ensure the technology is appropriate for these applications.

8. Question: Will slides presented today be made available on a website? Where?

Answer: Yes. Slides are available at https://www.fbo.gov/spg/ODA/DARPA/CMO/DARPA-

BAA-14-01/listing.html . FOUO slides will be available in the Bidders’ Library. Access to the Library will be made available to proposers who follow the process given in the instructions, which will be attached to the FedBizOpps web page for the BAA, at https://www.fbo.gov/spg/ODA/DARPA/CMO/DARPA-BAA-14-01/listing.html Please allow some time for the instructions to be finalized and posted.

9. Question: If a non-traditional contractor wishes to propose an OTA contract, they may not have certified cost & price data. How can they submit the FAR-based cost proposal you are asking for?

Answer: “Certified cost or pricing data” is defined by the FAR as follows:

https://www.fbo.gov/spg/ODA/DARPA/CMO/DARPA-BAA-14-01/listing.html

“Certified cost or pricing data” means “cost or pricing data” that were required to be submitted in accordance with FAR 15.403-4 and 15.403-5 and have been certified, or are required to be certified, in accordance with 15.406-2. This certification states that, to the best of the person’s knowledge and belief, the cost or pricing data are accurate, complete, and current as of a date certain before contract award. Cost or pricing data are required to be certified in certain procurements (10 U.S.C. 2306a and 41 U.S.C.

254b).”

“Certified cost or pricing data” is not required if an OTA is proposed. However, the contractor must still provide costing data that establishes cost reasonableness even though this data is not subject to the certification required by the Truth in Negotiations

Act (10 U.S.C. 2306a and 41 U.S.C. 254b) This specific costing data that must be provided is specified in the cost proposal instructions contained in the BAA.

10. Question: There are reusable ground launch booster systems in development that will lower the cost of space launch. What is the need for a Mach 10 spaceplane v.s a low cost ground launched booster concept with a recoverable first stage?

Answer: The XS-1 will be a low-cost recoverable booster concept. The rationale for the

Mach 10 requirement was provided in the presentations, including the potential to dramatically lower launch costs. Winners of the Phase I contract will be eligible to recommend adjustments to the stated requirements.

11. Question: Though the charts present several notional unpiloted concepts, will piloted concepts be acceptable to DARPA if they are competitive? Will DARPA accept a human pilot during development before transitioning to an unmanned platform?

Answer: Yes, manned, optionally-manned, or unmanned concepts may be considered compliant as long as they meet the overall technical and cost objectives, and credible risk reduction plans are proposed.

12. Question: What is the best way for small businesses to participate in the early phases of

XS-1? Do we reach out to primes?

Answer: The XS-1 acquisition is a full and open competition. Small businesses may bid directly as a prime contractor or participate as a subcontractor. Small businesses are also encouraged to network using the Proposers’ Day meeting attendees list provided with the BAA.

13. Question: Is there a portion of this early phase that is set aside for small businesses?

Answer: No portion of the program is specifically set aside for small businesses;

however, large businesses (see www.sba.gov for size standards) are required to submit a small business subcontracting plan when proposing FAR-based contracts valued at more than $650,000.

14. Question: Will DARPA encourage direct small business proposals on select portions of

XS-1 during the early phase?

Answer: Businesses of all sizes are encouraged to respond to this solicitation, and the responses will be treated equally. It will be up to proposers to decide what to propose.

15. Question: How much of the system must be reflown? For example, is it acceptable if the proposed approach swaps out engine parts (pumps, bells), TPS, whole engines

(solids), tanks, etc. within the time and cost constraints?

Answer: XS-1 is a reusable vehicle. The removal and replacement of parts is acceptable as long as it meets the cost and time constraints for the program, and is fully justified in the proposal.

16. Question: What is the procurement approach for Phases II and III for the BAA? Rough

Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost? Exercisable option?

Answer: A detailed, exercisable option for Phase II/III will not be required in the proposal. The BAA describes what is expected. As stated in the BAA, a detailed proposal for Phases II/III will be requested from Phase I performers only. The Phase II/III proposal will be provided by the Phase I performers approximately nine months into

Phase I of the program.

17. Question: When will the proposals be due?

Answer: In order to be considered during the initial round of selections, proposals are due January 16, 2014 at 12 PM EST. However, proposals received after this deadline may be received and evaluated up to six months (180 days) from date of posting on

FedBizOpps. The ability to review and select proposals submitted after the initial round deadline will be contingent on availability of funds. Proposers are warned that the http://www.sba.gov/ likelihood of available funding is greatly reduced for proposals submitted after the initial closing date deadline.

18. Question: What was the notional altitude at Mach 10 used to generate the notional

CONOPS and cost?

Answer: This was covered on slide 26 of the Introductory/Overview Brief. The notional altitude was 250,000 ft. This was one of several possible trajectories, and is not a requirement.

19. Question: At what phase should the separation risk be addressed?

Answer: The entire mission should be addressed in Phase I of the program. It is not expected that all of the risk will be reduced in Phase I, but the risks should be addressed.

20. Question: Is there a requirement for return or capture? Must it return to the launch site?

Answer: There is no requirement to return to the launch site.

21. Question: Can NASA be a subcontractor? Exclusive or non-exclusive?

Answer: Please see slide 8 of the DARPA Contracts Management Office Proposers’ Day presentation discussing restrictions on the participation of Government agencies and

FFRDCs.

22. Question: What are the foreseeable challenges for internal vehicle thermal management and thermal cycling? (MTTF, maintenance considerations)?

Answer: Mach 10 flight involves significant thermal management challenges. It is expected that the proposal will address these issues.