Draft NRA SS-CLS 80GRC024R0017.pdf

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Glenn Research Center (GRC) NASA

Research Announcement (NRA) for

Small Satellite Cross-Link Systems

(SS-CLS)

ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: 80GRC024R0017

KEY DATES

Draft NRA Issued: June 28, 2024

Questions Due: July 15, 2024

Proposals Due: August 16, 2024 (Estimate)

Contents

1. Overview

2. Introduction

3. Background

4. Approach and Objectives

5. Description of Solicited Topics

5.1 Flight Demonstration

5.2 V-Band Cross-Link Performance Characterization

5.3 Academic Partnership and Opportunity

6. Expected Outcomes and Data

7. Intellectual Property

8. Reviews and Deliverables

9. Eligibility Information

10. Proposal and Submission Information

Title Page

Section I - Executive Summary

Section II - Past Experience

Section III – Technical Merit

Section IV – Price

Section V – Business Volume

11. Proposal Review Information

Section I – Executive Summary

Section II – Past Experience (Acceptable/Unacceptable)

Section IV – Price

Section V- Business Volume

Evaluation Process

12. Provisions

13. Representations and Certifications

14.Summary of Key Information

List of Attachments

1. Overview This Glenn Research Center (GRC) Center-Level NASA Research Announcement (NRA) is issued in accordance with NASA Federal Acquisition Regulation (NFS) 1835.016-71. This NRA is being used to announce the Small Satellite Cross-Link Systems (SS-CLS) effort that is focused on the demonstration and characterization of a V-Band cross-link capability to allow the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to assess the potential for V-Band cross-links to enable low latency transmission of large volumes of science data.

Unlike a traditional Request for Proposal (RFP) containing a defined Statement of Work (SOW) or specification to which Offerors are to respond, this NRA provides for the submission of competitive project ideas, conceived by the Offerors, in the program area of interest. Specifically, this solicitation focuses on identifying and demonstrating innovative small sat based V-Band cross link capabilities that may enable low latency transmission of large volumes of science data, and providing opportunity for academic institution(s) to conduct experiments on this V-Band cross-link capability (see Section 5). Additionally, whereas a traditional RFP provides the Government’s defined SOW within Section C of the RFP, this NRA is requesting that Offerors submit a Work Plan in the form of a Statement of Work (SOW) as part of their proposal that, if selected, is intended to become the SOW included in Section C on any awarded contract(s). In addition, this NRA includes a Model Contract (See NRA Attachment A) with all potential clauses that will be included in the final contract(s) to inform Offerors of NASA’s expectations to expedite contract award at the conclusion of this NRA.

Upon completion of the NRA proposal evaluations, NASA intends to award a Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) contract to the Offeror whose proposal best meets the objectives set forth in this NRA. The actual number and value of awards will depend on the funding available based on approved NASA budgets as well as the quality and content of proposals. In accordance with NFS 1835.016- 71(d)(4), a competitive range will not be established, and final proposal revisions shall not be requested/accepted. If an Offeror’s proposal is selected at the conclusion of the Final NRA evaluation period, NASA will advise the Offeror that the Government intends on entering into negotiations and will follow up with a contract that includes (if necessary), modifications contemplated in the Offeror's Statement of Work, and request agreement or identification of any exceptions. NASA will request the Offeror to complete and return certifications and representations and Standard Form 33, Solicitation, Offer, and Award. Any necessary negotiations will be conducted in accordance with FAR Subparts 15.3 and 15.4.

Issuing Office:

NASA Glenn Research Center Office of Procurement, MS 60-1 21000 Brookpark Road Cleveland, OH 44135-3127

Agency Contacts:

Tyler R. Braden, Contracting Officer, Phone – 216.433.5150, Email – tyler.b.braden@nasa.gov Eric T. Hartman, Contracting Officer, Phone—216.433.2540, Email – eric.t.hartman@nasa.gov

2. Introduction

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) seeks to investigate the use of V-band relay networks to transmit large volumes of science and Earth remote sensing data. Specifically, this solicitation focuses on identifying and demonstrating innovative small sat based V-Band cross link capabilities that may enable low latency transmission of large volumes of science data and providing opportunity for academic institution(s) to conduct experiments on this V-Band cross-link capability.

3. Background

Scientific and Earth remote sensing missions are primary users of Earth-proximity space-relay communication services. These missions support several vital capabilities including but not limited to climate monitoring, resource management, oceanography, and disaster response.

As sensing technologies develop, the data volume needs for remote sensing missions are increasing.

Likewise, the need for scientists to receive data in near-real-time is also increasing. These two key factors may require the development of high-speed, low-latency communication systems.

4. Approach and Objectives

This solicitation is intended to focus on the objectives of this solicitation shown below in Section 5.

NASA intends to award a single contract of approximately $14.3M to complete a flight demonstration of the V-Band cross link capability, conduct experiments to fully evaluate the link and system level performance, and provide opportunities for an academic institution(s) to perform space-communication experiments using the V-Band cross-link capability. The actual number and value of awards will depend on the funding available based on approved NASA budgets as well as the quality and content of proposals.

5. Description of Solicited Topics

The objectives of this solicitation are to demonstrate V-Band cross-link capability in space, characterize the performance of V-Band cross-links, and to provide opportunity for academic institution(s) to conduct experiments on this V-Band cross-link capability.

Proposals shall include the following elements:

• A small satellite-based flight demonstration of a V-Band cross-link capability.

• Experiments to characterize the performance of the V-Band cross-link capability.

• Opportunities for an academic institution(s) to perform experiments using the V-Band cross-link capability.

Proposers should follow their own best practices for designing, building, launching, and operating small satellites for the purposes of demonstrating and characterizing V-Band cross-link performance and conducting academic experiments. Proposals are not required to follow NASA Procedural Requirement (NPR) 7120.5 NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management Requirements, nor NPR 7120.8 NASA Research and Technology Program and Project Management Requirements.

Details on each element are outlined in the following Sections.

5.1 Flight Demonstration

The proposals shall include plans to develop and conduct a space-based demonstration of a V-Band cross link capability using at least two small satellites.

Proposals shall include contractor-led milestones, with NASA subject matter experts (SMEs) participation. At these contractor-led milestone reviews, NASA SMEs participation is that of insight, to a) understand the Contractor’s activities and data, including those activities necessary to assess technical progress and schedule performance and to b) provide observations and recommendations for the purpose of maximizing the probability of a successful demonstration. The recommended milestones are: a Mission Concept Review (MCR), Mission Design Review (MDR), Characterization and Experiment Plan Review (CEPR), and Launch and Operational Readiness Review (LaORR) and a Post Launch Review (PLR).

5.2 V-Band Cross-Link Performance Characterization

Proposals shall include plans to characterize V-Band cross-link capability. Characteristics can be directly measured, calculated, or extrapolated from measurements and can be conducted in orbit or on the ground, as appropriate. Depending on specific demonstration ConOps recommended characterizations could include:

• Antenna pattern and pointing performance to quantify realized antenna gain as a function of the relative position between satellites and pointing stability under various spacecraft conditions.

• Link budget performance to quantify realized link margins and signal to noise ratios as a function of various systems parameters and relative position between satellites.

• Bit Error Rate (BER) performance curves for available modulation and coding schemes to quantify the quality of the cross-link communications channel.

• Data throughput and latency performance under various spacecraft conditions and use cases to quantify the ability of V-Band cross-link systems to support remote sensing and Earth observation science use-cases.

• Ranging and positioning performance to quantify the ability of V-Band cross-link capability to support range and velocity measurements between the small satellites.

• End-to-End system performance to evaluate the ability to use the V-Band cross-link capability in real-world use-cases and applications.

5.3 Academic Partnership and Opportunity

The proposal shall include an opportunity for an academic institution(s) to conduct experiments on the V-Band cross-link capability. These experiments may directly support V-Band characterization testing or be supplemental at the discretion of the proposer. All proposals shall identify the anticipated academic partner(s).

6. Expected Outcomes and Data

The desired outcomes and data of a successfully awarded contract are listed below. They should be incorporated into the appropriate deliverable in Section 8.

• Flight Demonstration (Section 5.1) o A successfully completed space-based demonstration of a V-band cross-link capability involving at least two small satellites

• V-Band Cross-Link Performance Characterization (Section 5.2) o Characterization of the V-band cross-link capability See specific data recommended in Section 5.2

• Academic Partnership and Opportunity (Section 5.3) o A description of the experiments conducted by the academic partner and a summary of the results of those experiments

All deliverables shall be delivered within the period of performance of the contract, which is not to exceed five years.

7. Intellectual Property

Data Rights. Normally, the Government has unlimited rights in technical data created under a NASA agreement. Delivery or third-party licensing of proprietary software or data developed solely at private expense will not normally be required except as specifically negotiated in a particular agreement to satisfy NASA's own needs or to ensure the commercialization of technology developed under a NASA agreement.

A clear statement is required of what intellectual property is expected to be available to the Government, U.S. Aeronautics Community, and Public at the conclusion of the work. It is NASA’s preference that all deliverables under the contract be provided to NASA with unrestricted/unlimited rights; thus, any restrictions must demonstrate a significant net benefit to the Government.

Patent Rights. The Government will have certain statutory rights in an invention that is conceived or first actually reduced to practice under a NASA award. 51 U.S.C. 20135 provides that title to such inventions vests in the United States, except where 35 U.S.C. 202 provides otherwise for nonprofit organizations or small business firms. However, NASA may waive all or any part of the rights of the United States subject to certain conditions.

8. Reviews and Deliverables

The desired contractor led reviews and deliverables of a successfully awarded contract include:

Project Coordination

• Technical and schedule progress virtual meeting every six-months (or as agreed upon) to assess progress

Reviews

• Kick-off review (virtual), recommended to include:

o Project Kickoff Presentation charts package o Preliminary project planning and control documentation including schedule and resource baselines o Preliminary risk assessment and risk management approach

• Mission Concept Review (MCR) (virtual), recommended to include:

o Completed Concept of Operations document o Preliminary system requirements document o Preliminary design documentation o Updated project planning and control documentation o Updated risk management assessment

• Mission Design Review (MDR) (virtual), recommended to include:

o Updated Concept of Operations document o Completed system requirements document o Completed design documentation o Preliminary launch planning documentation o Preliminary spectrum authorization documentation o Preliminary characterization and experiment planning documents o Preliminary system integration and test planning documents o Preliminary verification and validation test planning documents o Updated project planning and control documentation o Updated risk management assessment

• Characterization and Experiment Plan Review (CEPR) (virtual), recommended to include:

o Updated Concept of Operations document o Updated system requirements document o Updated design documentation o Updated launch planning documentation o Updated spectrum authorization documentation o Updated system integration and test planning documents o Updated verification and validation test planning documents o Completed characterization and experiment planning documentation o Updated project planning and control documentation o Updated risk management assessment

• Launch and Operational Readiness Review (LaORR) (virtual), recommended to include:

o Final Concept of Operations document o Final system requirements document o Final design documentation o Final launch authorization documentation o Final spectrum authorization documentation.

o Final system integration and test planning documents and results o Final verification and validation test planning documents and results o Final characterization and experiment planning documentation o Updated project planning and control documentation o Updated risk management assessment

• Post Launch Review (PLR) (virtual), recommended to include:

o Launch performance documentation o Spacecraft commissioning documentation

• Closeout Review (CR) (virtual), recommended to include:

o Demonstration performance documentation o Characterization and experiment results documentation, including those performed by academic partner Reports

• Quarterly status reports documenting the technical, financial, and schedule progress.

• Final report (limited and unlimited versions) documenting the results of the entire contract, V-Band capability performance and conclusions.

o This report shall be prepared in accordance with NFS 1852.235-73 Final Scientific and Technical Reports (DEC 2006) o The final report shall consist of a public and Government-only review NASA requests two versions of the presentation, one with non-proprietary content suitable for presenting in a public forum and one for NASA Government review only

9. Eligibility Information

Eligibility Subject to the restrictions and exceptions discussed in the following paragraph, participation in this program is open to all categories of small business U.S. organizations, including educational institutions, industry, and not-for-profit institutions. Historically black colleges and universities, other minority universities, small disadvantaged businesses, veteran-owned small businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, historically under-utilized business zone small businesses, and women-owned small businesses are encouraged to apply.

NASA funding through this NRA may not be used to support research and development efforts by non-U.S. organizations at any level. Participation by non-U.S. organizations is not permitted, except that (a) research may be conducted with foreign entities on a cooperative, no-exchange-of funds basis; or (b) U.S. award recipients may directly purchase supplies and/or services, which do not constitute research, from non-U.S. sources. Team members who are not U.S. citizens but are employed by or studying at a U.S. organization, may receive funding to support their research activities through this NRA. Each Offeror shall submit– NRA Attachment E - Eligibility Certification and Supplemental Information Form to determine its eligibility for this NRA.

Other Eligibility Limitations To the extent a participant proposes Government funding of any part of a commercial launch, the entity providing those launch services must meet the above eligibility requirements. In accordance with the National Space Transportation Policy, use of a non-U.S. manufactured launch vehicle is permitted only on a no-exchange-of-funds basis.

Number of Proposals and Teaming Arrangements Interested Offerors, including organizations and teaming arrangements, are limited to submitting only one proposal in response to this solicitation.

Proposed Use of Unique NASA Capabilities The use of NASA software, technical staff, and/or facilities/capabilities is not required. NASA uses a variety of specialized computing software and equipment to achieve its mission. Most of the software is available to Offerors as open source or via requests submitted through https://software.nasa.gov. Any need for additional software packages and NASA computing equipment must be explicitly described in the proposal, including the asset, rationale, and justification of the need, how it supports the mission, and when during the proposed period the resource will be required.

Programmatic Considerations Currently, the total Government estimate for the SS-CLS is anticipated to be approximately $14.3M, dependent upon future NASA funding profiles. The actual number and value of the awards will depend on the quality and price of the proposals received and the availability of Government funds.

10. Proposal and Submission Information

Electronic Submission of Proposals – Proposal Marking and Delivery Through Nasa Box

Please note that it is the Offeror’s responsibility to fully complete Steps 1 and 2 of the procedure described in NRA Attachment D no later than 3 calendar days prior to the proposal submission deadline in Section 14.

(a) The Offeror shall submit its proposal via NASA Box, a FedRAMP Moderate certified platform.

Electronic submissions shall not contain hidden formulas, tables, be locked, be protected, or contain links to data not included in the electronic copy. All electronic submissions shall be searchable and shall not contain scanned documents, except those documents that must be provided in their native format (e.g., signature pages, evidence of teaming arrangements, as applicable).

The Offeror shall ensure documents are free from viruses and malware, as documents determined by NASA to contain a virus or malware will not be opened or evaluated. Major Subcontractors and Teaming Partners may submit their required proposal information separately using the instructions in this RFP.

The Offeror is solely responsible for ensuring that proposal content submitted to NASA by its Major Subcontractor(s) or Teaming Partner(s) complies with all solicitation instructions.

(b) All individuals intending to submit proposal content to NASA on behalf of an Offeror in response to this solicitation shall create a Box account in accordance with the instructions in NRA Attachment D, Instructions for Setting up a Box Account.

NASA recommends that Offerors, Major Subcontractors, and Teaming Partners create multiple Box accounts per company for redundancy (but only one Box account per individual). Please note that it is the responsibility of the Offeror, each Major Subcontractor, and each Teaming Partner to fully complete Steps 1 and 2 of the procedure described in NRA Attachment D no later than 3 calendar days prior to the proposal submission deadline in Section 14 – Summary of Key Information.

As Steps 1 and 2 of this procedure can take more than one day to fully complete, NASA strongly recommends that all individuals who intend to upload proposal files begin completing these steps more than 3 calendar days prior to the proposal submission deadline. Failure by the Offeror, each Major Subcontractor, and each Teaming Partner to complete Steps 1 and 2 of the procedure described in NRA Attachment D by 3 calendar days prior to the proposal submission deadline shall result in NASA rejecting any proposal content submitted (i.e., at least one individual acting on behalf of the Offeror, each Major Subcontractor, and each Teaming Partner must first complete Step 1 of the procedure, and then the NASA Contracting Officer must be in receipt of the confirmation email described in Step 2 from the Offeror, each Major Subcontractor and each Teaming Partner, no later than 11:59 p.m. EDT 3 calendar days prior to the proposal submission deadline).

Note: Individuals who already have an existing Box account still need to complete Step 2 – logging into Box account, emailing the NASA RFP Points of Contact to confirm account creation, and providing the email address associated with the account.

The email address provided to the Contracting Officer in Step 2 must match the one used to set up the Box account. As described in Step 3 of the NRA Attachment D procedure, the Contracting Officer will subsequently set up a folder for each individual name submitted in which only that individual can upload proposal documents.

This methodology enables Offerors, at their own discretion, to view the proposal file(s) that they have uploaded and/or verify that the file(s) saved to Box in the format, size, etc. intended by the Offeror. NASA recommends that each Offeror independently verify that its proposal is complete.

NASA will not verify receipt of proposals in part or in whole. NASA will only accept proposal content submitted through the methodology specifically described within this solicitation.

If an Offeror experiences problems when using the NASA Box system (e.g., Box account creation, login, file transfer), the Offeror shall contact the Contracting Officer via e-mail as soon as possible, and NASA will attempt to help the Offeror remediate the issue. However, please note that, as more fully explained in paragraph (d) below, it is the Offeror’s responsibility to timely submit complete proposals.

The Offeror shall upload all proposal files to the folder that the Contracting Officer granted them access to in paragraph (b), above. If NASA receives multiple versions of a required proposal file (e.g., two versions of a Volume I—Mission Suitability), the Government will only evaluate the content within the most recent file submitted prior to proposal submission deadline and the Government will discard all prior versions.

(c) Offerors are encouraged to include all individual proposal files within a single .zip file.

Electronic file names shall be limited to letters, numbers, and single spaces, with the exception of the period that is required before the file extension (e.g., .zip, .pdf), in order to successfully upload and download files from the NASA Box system.

The Offeror shall not use special characters “/” or “\” in file names. The Offeror should clearly label the contents of the file and include the name of the Offeror in the file name. Examples of acceptable file names are as follows (not specific to this solicitation):

Offeror name Solicitation number – MS Volume.pdf Offeror name Solicitation number – PP Volume.pdf Offeror name Solicitation number – Price.xlsx Offeror name Solicitation number – Model Contract.docx

Subcontractor and Teaming Partner submissions should follow the same naming nomenclature detailed above and include both the Prime and Subcontractor/Teaming Partner names for the Offeror Name.

Individual files shall not exceed 150 GB per file. Files shall not include password protection.

NASA will not accept alternate proposal submissions.

(d) The Offeror is responsible for ensuring its proposal reaches the Government office designated in the solicitation by the date and time specified in the solicitation (see FAR 52.215-1(c)(3)). The Government is not responsible for any failure attributable to the transmission or receipt of documents submitted using electronic means, including the missing of any submission requirements and established deadlines.

Please note that uploading documents via NASA Box and the transmission of the files from the Offeror to the Government may not be instantaneous. To ensure timely delivery, per FAR 52.215- 1(c)(3)(ii)(A)(1), the Offeror is encouraged to submit its proposal at least 24 hours prior to the due date specified in the solicitation.

(e) Offerors shall submit each proposal Volume in the formats specified in the table below. Any document that NASA is unable to open will be considered non-responsive. Offerors shall not submit multiple formats of a single proposal file (e.g., one Microsoft Word file of Volume I – Mission Suitability and one Adobe PDF file of Volume I – Mission Suitability). If NASA receives multiple formats of a proposal file, NASA will use only the most recent version of the file in the Required File Format for evaluation.

Proposal Content and Format The proposal format and content requirements are outlined below in Table 1. Summary of Proposal Content. The below noted sections of the proposal must be submitted as one searchable, unlocked PDF file with edit permissions enabled, with the exception of Section IV – Price, which will be submitted via Attachment B to this NRA. The Offeror’s Price Volume proposal shall include completed Price Volume exhibits in Microsoft Office Excel format with working cell formulas.

Offerors must comply with the format and page limit requirements as described below.

1852.215-81 Proposal Page Limitations (APR 2015) The following page limitations are established for each portion of the proposal submitted in response to this solicitation.

Table 1. Summary of Proposal Content

Section No Subsection No

Title Page Limit

Title Page 1 I Executive Summary 2 II Past Experience 3 III Technical Merit

(Technical Approach and Capabilities and Proposed Work Plan)

IV Price Volume No Page Limit V Business Volume

*Waiver of Rights Inventions

NRA

Attachment A

Signed Model Contract, and Section 13 Provisions

No Page Limit

NRA

Attachment E

Eligibility Certification and Supplemental Information Form

No Page Limit

A page is defined as one side of a sheet, 8 1/2" x 11" with at least one-inch margins on all sides, using not smaller than 12-point font, with the exception of tables and figures, which may use 8-point font. It is recommended that expository text necessary for the proposal not be located solely in figures or tables, or in their captions. Offerors may submit foldout pages (11” x 17” or smaller);

however, the fold out will be considered as two (2) 8 1⁄2” x 11” pages. Any font that the Government determines is smaller than this amount shall not be evaluated. Proposals may not include references to materials outside the proposal (e.g. published articles and sites on the internet) for information or material needed to either complete or understand the proposal.

Pages submitted in excess of the limitations specified in this section will not be evaluated by the Government.

(End of Provision)

Title Page This section shall include the following:

• Include any notice of restriction on use and disclosure of proposal information.

• An optional graphic image may be included.

• The Offeror’s name of the proposal or proposed project

• Date of the proposal

• The title and solicitation number

• Organization name and address and CAGE code

• Offeror’s point of contact name, title, e-mail address, and phone number

• Type of organization (e.g. other than small, educational, small business, minority, women-owned, etc.)

• Proposal validity period (minimum of 90 days from proposal submission)

Section I - Executive Summary The Offeror shall describe the proposal’s prominent and distinguishing features. The executive summary shall provide an overview of the proposed study that is suitable for release through a publicly accessible archive should the proposal be selected.

Section II - Past Experience The Offeror (inclusive of experience of key personnel, sub-contractors and academic partners) shall describe experience providing services performed in the past three (3) years on a maximum of 5 projects that are of a similar size, scope, and complexity to the technology development proposed. Include any work related to the proposed technology area such as current and pending support.

Section III – Technical Merit

Technical Approach and Capabilities

(a) Describe the link and relevance between the proposed work and the SS-CLS objectives in Description of Solicited Topics defined in Section 5.

(b) Describe the technical approach to perform the proposed work.

(c) Describe the capabilities and techniques required to perform the work, key risks, and the facilities and expertise needed to achieve the work.

(d) Describe the Offeror’s team qualifications.

Proposed Work Plan (Statement of Work)

(a) Describe the work plan to perform the proposed work. This includes the use of resources, management approach, and key personnel for meeting the objectives.

(b) Provide a proposed schedule to complete the Expected Outcomes and Data in Section 6 and the Reviews and Deliverables in Section 8. This includes time to kickoff and ramp up the contracted effort.

(c) Describe key tasks, milestones, and deliverables.

(d) Describe the plans to document the final results as described in the Reports deliverable of Section 8 Reviews and Deliverables.

(e) Identify intellectual property as described in Section 7, particularly that proposed to be limited and to be publicly available at the conclusion of the work.

Tab F – Other Direct Costs - Details

General price Information:

1. The offeror shall explain in detail all pricing or estimating techniques (e.g., direct labor rates, indirect rates, projections, percentages) which support the proposed price/cost so that audit, calculation, and verification can be easily accomplished. Offerors shall provide the methodology and rationale used to establish salary rates for each labor category as applicable, including consideration of the various skills and disciplines, labor salary surveys, and other sources utilized.

2. The offeror shall also submit a synopsis of accounting policies and procedures. The proposed fringe benefits, overhead, and general & administrative (G&A) rates shall be supported by forecasts and substantiating rationale which provide the following specific information for each rate, including any forward pricing rate agreements (this applies to the offeror and each major subcontractor).

3. The offeror and all major subcontractors shall provide a pricing narrative BOE that explains in detail all pricing and estimating techniques. The information provided will be used to assess the reasonableness of the offeror's price. For proposal purposes, major subcontractors are defined as subcontractors having a contract value equal to or greater than 10% of the total contract value.

Section V – Business Volume Offeror shall provide the below information:

Business Systems State whether all business systems, including but not limited to accounting, property control, purchasing, estimating, and employee compensation, which require Government acceptance or approval (as applicable) are currently accepted/approved without condition.

Provide the date of acceptance/approval for each system and the cognizant contract administration office. Explain any existing conditional acceptances/approvals and the compliance status of any system(s) for which acceptance or approval is currently withheld.

Summary of Exceptions Include a statement of acceptance or list all specific exceptions to any terms and conditions included in the model contract and all contract attachments.

Include the reason for any exception, new terms, conditions, and/or clauses, including any proposed benefit to the Government. This list must include all exception(s), deviation(s) and/or conditional assumptions taken and be supported by sufficient justification to permit evaluation.

NRA Attachment A - Signed Model Contract A Model Contract is provided in Attachment A of this announcement. A Model Contract shall be provided for each proposal, signed by an official authorized to contractually bind the Offeror. This can be done by signing the attached SF33 on the first page of the Model Contract. Please be advised that all sections designated with the text [OFI] represent “Offeror Fill-Ins”. Offerors shall fill in [OFI]’s and submit as part of the signed Model Contract with the proposal submittal. Additionally, sections designated with the text [TBD] stand for “To Be Determined”. Offerors should not fill in the [TBD]’s. The Government will update these prior to contract award. Offerors may take exception to, or have unique interpretations of, any Model Contract clauses. These exceptions and/or unique interpretations shall be listed clearly in the Summary of Exceptions above. Note, taking exception to, or having unique interpretations of any required clauses MAY have a negative impact on potential selection. Consistent with FAR 52.227-15(b), each Offeror shall identify and list any Limited Rights Data and Restricted Computer Software proposed to be delivered in performance of the contract in the Table included in section (b) of clause H.13 Identification and Representation of Limited Rights Data and Restricted Computer Software, which is included in the Model Contract provided as Attachment A to this Announcement.

NRA Attachment E - Eligibility Certification and Supplemental Information Form The Eligibility and Compliance Certification Questionnaire File shall be completed by the Offeror and each of the Offeror’s partners listed in the proposal’s Teaming Approach (see Section 9 above) that will be supporting the partner’s research and technology development efforts.

11. Proposal Review Information

NASA intends to select a proposal from the responsible Offeror(s) proposing the most advantageous demonstration. The focus is to demonstrate a V-Band cross-link capability in space and evaluate the potential for those V-Band cross-links to enable low latency transmission of large volumes of science data and provide opportunity for academic institution(s) to conduct experiments on this V-Band cross-link capability.

Each proposal will be evaluated by a NASA panel to assess the proposal’s relevance to the SS-CLS objectives, technical merit, Work Plan, and its price reasonableness. These factors will also go into evaluating the best value to the agency and to the SS-CLS, utilizing the Trade- Off Method (FAR 15.101-1). Each proposal will be evaluated and scored on its own merits using the criteria described below in Section 11.

Administrative Review Proposals that are submitted late or fail to meet the minimum administrative requirements may be rejected without further review. Proposals are reviewed to determine if they meet the minimum administrative requirements. These requirements include but are not limited to these factors:

• Proposal was submitted by due date and time;

• Offeror is eligible to submit a proposal;

• Proposal meets the page, font, and spacing limits; and

• Proposal was submitted with a SIGNED Model Contract.

Proposal Review Information Evaluation Criteria

Section I – Executive Summary This section will not be evaluated.

Section II – Past Experience (Acceptable/Unacceptable) NASA will evaluate the proposals to determine the relevance of the Offeror’s (inclusive of experience of key personnel, sub-contractors and academic partners) past experience relative to the required effort. Failure to show experience performed in the past three (3) years on a maximum of 5 projects that is of a similar size, scope and complexity to the effort proposed will receive an "unacceptable" rating and the proposal will be disqualified from any further evaluation for contract award.

Rating Description Acceptable Based on the Offeror’s performance record, NASA has a reasonable expectation that the Offeror is technically capable of performing the required effort

Unacceptable Based on the Offeror’s performance record, NASA has no reasonable expectation that the Offeror s technically capable of performing the required effort

Section III - Technical Merit

Overall Technical Approach: NASA will evaluate the proposals to determine if there is a clear link and relevance between the proposed work and the SS-CLS objectives in Description of Solicited Topics defined in Section 5. NASA will evaluate the proposal to determine if there is a comprehensive and credible technical approach to perform the SS-CLS objectives.

Overall Work Plan: NASA will evaluate the proposals to determine that there is a comprehensive Statement of Work, effective use of resources, a clear management approach, and a proposed schedule for meeting the Expected Outcomes and Data in Section 6 and the Reviews and Deliverables in Section 8. NASA will evaluate the proposals to determine that there are clear statements of intellectual property that align with the Data Rights and Patent Rights in Section 7 Intellectual Property.

Section IV – Price

Although the Price Factor is not numerically scored nor receives an adjectival rating, it is important in determining that the Offeror understands the solicitation and the resources required.

The Government will perform a price analysis of all acceptable proposals received (see NFS 1815.305-70) in accordance with FAR 15.305(a)(1) and FAR 15.404-1, Proposal Analysis Techniques.

Consistency between the technical merit and the Price factor section will be considered in determining if the offeror’s proposed price is fair and reasonable. Additionally, failure by an offeror to provide all required Excel Pricing Model data (e.g., labor rates for all labor categories for all years of performance) could adversely impact the offeror’s technical Merit score or result in a determination that the proposal is unacceptable (see NFS 1815.305-70(a)(3)).

Price information provided in this section will constitute the offeror's proposal submission for price comparison purposes.

The total price will be presented to the Source Selection Authority (SSA).

Section V- Business Volume This section will not be evaluated. Although the Business Volume is not numerically scored nor receives an adjectival rating, it is important in determining that the Offeror understands the SS- CLS objectives. Risks identified from the Business Volume evaluation will be presented to the SSA for consideration in making the source selection decision.

Evaluation Process Each of the Technical Merit sub-factors will be evaluated based on the criteria in Table 2.

Based on the cumulative sub-factor evaluation, an adjectival rating will be given to each proposal for the Technical Merit Factor, based on the adjectival scale in Table 3. The Technical Merit Factor will not be numerically scored. Each proposal will be evaluated on its own individual merits after consideration of the evaluation results.

Table 2. Definitions of Strengths, Weaknesses, and Deficiencies

Ratings Definition Significant Strength

An aspect of the proposal that greatly enhances the potential for successful contract performance

Strength An aspect of the proposal that will have some positive impact on the successful performance of the contract

Weakness A flaw in the proposal that increases the risk of unsuccessful contract performance.

Significant Weakness A flaw that appreciably increases the risk of unsuccessful contract performance

Deficiency A material failure of a proposal to meet a Government requirement or a combination of significant weaknesses in a proposal that increases the risk of unsuccessful contract performance to an unacceptable level.

Table 3. Adjectival Scale for Evaluation

Ratings Definition Exceptional A thorough and compelling proposal of exceptional merit that fully responds to the objectives of the NRA with one or more significant strengths. No deficiency or significant weakness exists.

Very Good A competent proposal of high merit that fully responds to the objectives of the NRA as documented by a proposal having no deficiencies, one or more significant strengths and strengths that out-balance any weaknesses that exist.

Good A competent proposal of moderate merit that represents a credible response to the NRA. There may be strengths, weakness, or both. As a whole weaknesses not offset by strengths do not significantly detract from the Offeror’s response.

Fair A proposal having no deficiencies and which has one or more weaknesses.

Weaknesses out-balance any strengths.

Poor A seriously flawed proposal that is not responsive to the objectives of the NRA.

The proposal has one or more deficiencies or significant weaknesses that demonstrate a lack of overall competence or would require a major proposal revision to correct.

Overall Evaluation for Award In deciding which offer(s) represents the best overall value to NASA, the Government will consider Technical Merit to be significantly more important than evaluated Price. The best value selection decision will be made with these considerations:

• If there are significant differences in Technical Merit among competing proposals, a more expensive proposal may be selected for award if the value of the selected proposal is deemed to be worth the price differential.

• Conversely, as technical scores become closer, differences in Price increases importance.

Total evaluated Price will be the determining factor for award where all proposals are considered equal from a Technical Merit standpoint.

• NASA reserves the right to select proposals other than those of the lowest priced Offeror(s) or the highest rated Offeror(s) to achieve the SS-CLS objectives.

• NASA reserves the right to select for award one, multiple, or none of the proposals received in response to this NRA.

Partial Awards and Participation with Others NASA intends to make a single award in response to this solicitation, however, reserves the right to select only a portion of a proposed activity, (i.e. a level of support reduced from that requested in the original proposal), and/or to select a portfolio of proposals that best meets the objectives of the SS-CLS NRA, as described herein. Offerors shall provide proposals that reflect the complete scope of work from beginning to end. It is not anticipated that there will be any follow-on activities or additional funding to support phasing the completion of the demonstrations or performance evaluation scope. Offerors shall specify if a proposal is offered as a non-separable package of work.

Additionally, NASA may decide to make an award for less than the full period of the proposal. In these cases, the Offeror will be given the opportunity to accept or decline such selection. If the Offeror accepts such an offer, a revised budget and SOW may be required before funding action on the proposal can be initiated. If the Offeror declines the offer of a partial selection, or participation in a joint investigation, the offer of selection may be withdrawn in its entirety by

NASA.

12. Provisions A subset of provisions within this Section are incorporated by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Provisions incorporated by reference which require a fill-in by the Government include the text of the affected paragraph(s) only. This does not limit the provision to the affected paragraph(s). The Contractor is responsible for understanding and complying with the entire provision. The full text of the provision is available at the addresses contained in provision 52.252-1, Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference.

52.204-7 SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (OCT 2018)

52.204-16 COMMERCIAL AND GOVERNMENT ENTITY CODE REPORTING (AUG

2020)

52.204-22 ALTERNATIVE LINE ITEM PROPOSAL (JAN 2017)

52.214-34 SUBMISSION OF OFFERS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. (APR 1991)

52.214-35 SUBMISSION OF OFFERS IN U.S. CURRENCY. (APR 1991)

52.222-24 PREAWARD ON-SITE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY COMPLIANCE

EVALUATION. (FEB 1999)

52.232-15 PROGRESS PAYMENTS NOT INCLUDED. (APR 1984)

1852.227-84 PATENT RIGHTS CLAUSES (APR 2015)

1852.233-70 PROTEST TO NASA (DEC 2015)

1852.235-72 INSTRUCTIONS FOR RESPONDING TO NASA RESEARCH

ANNOUNCEMENTS (JUL 2016)

(End of provision)

52.216-1 TYPE OF CONTRACT (APR 1984)

The Government contemplates award of Firm Fixed Price contract(s) resulting from this solicitation.

52.233-2 SERVICE OF PROTEST (SEP 2006)

(a) Protests, as defined in section 33.101 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, that are filed directly with an agency, and copies of any protests that are filed with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), shall be served on the Contracting Officer (addressed as follows) by obtaining written and dated acknowledgment of receipt from tyler.r.braden@nasa.gov. The copy of any protest shall be received in the office designated above within one day of filing a protest with the GAO.

(End of provision)

52.252-1 Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference (FEB 1998) This solicitation incorporates one or more solicitation provisions by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. The Offeror is cautioned that the listed provisions may include blocks that must be completed by the Offeror and submitted with its quotation or offer. In lieu of submitting the full text of those provisions, the Offeror may identify the provision by paragraph identifier and provide the appropriate information with its quotation or offer. Also, the full text of a solicitation provision may be accessed electronically at this/these address(es):

For Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) provisions, see https://www.acquisition.gov/browse/index/far

For NASA FAR Supplement (NFS) provisions, see http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/regs/NFS.pdf

(End of provision)

52.252-5 AUTHORIZED DEVIATIONS IN PROVISIONS. (NOV 2020)

(a) The use in this solicitation of any Federal Acquisition Regulation (48 CFR chapter 1) provision with an authorized deviation is indicated by the addition of (DEVIATION) after the date of the provision.

(b) The use in this solicitation of any NASA FAR Supplement (NFS) (48 CFR chapter 18) provision with an authorized deviation is indicated by the addition of (DEVIATION) after the name of the regulation.

(End of provision)

1852.225-72 RESTRICTION ON FUNDING ACTIVITY WITH CHINA -

REPRESENTATION (FEB 2012) (DEVIATION)

(a) Definition - "China" or "Chinese-owned" means the People's Republic of China, any company owned by the People's Republic of China or any company incorporated under the laws of the People's Republic of China.

(b) Public Laws 112-10, Section 1340(a) and 112-55, Section 536, restrict NASA from contracting to participate, collaborate, or coordinate bilaterally in any way with China or a Chinese-owned company with funds appropriated on or after April 25, 2011. Contracts for commercial and non-developmental items are excepted from the prohibition as they constitute purchase of goods or services that would not involve participation, collaboration, or coordination between the parties.

(c) Representation. By submission of its offer, the offeror represents that the offeror is not China or a Chinese-owned company.

(End of clause)

13. Representations and Certifications Offeror is responsible filling-in the applicable provisions below and providing with Model Contract.

52.203-2 CERTIFICATE OF INDEPENDENT PRICE DETERMINATION. (APR 1985)

(a) The offeror certifies that -

(1) The prices in this offer have been arrived at independently, without, for the purpose of restricting competition, any consultation, communication, or agreement with any other offeror or competitor relating to (i) those prices, (ii) the intention to submit an offer, or (iii) the methods or factors used to calculate the prices offered;

(2) The prices in this offer have not been and will not be knowingly disclosed by the offeror, directly or indirectly, to any other offeror or competitor before bid opening (in the case of a sealed bid solicitation) or contract award (in the case of a negotiated solicitation) unless otherwise required by law; and

(3) No attempt has been made or will be made by the offeror to induce any other concern to submit or not to submit an offer for the purpose of restricting competition.

(b) Each signature on the offer is considered to be a certification by the signatory that the signatory -

(1) Is the person in the offeror's organization responsible for determining the prices being offered in this bid or proposal, and that the signatory has not participated and will not participate in any action contrary to subparagraphs (a)(1) through (a)(3) above; or

(2)(i) Has been authorized, in writing, to act as agent for the following principals in certifying that those principals have not participated, and will not participate in any action contrary to subparagraphs (a)(1) through (a)(3) above

[insert full name of person(s) in the offeror's organization responsible for determining the prices offered in this bid or proposal, and the title of his or her position in the offeror's organization];

(ii) As an authorized agent, does certify that the principals named in subdivision (b)(2)(i) above have not participated, and will not participate, in any action contrary to subparagraphs (a)(1) through (a)(3) above; and

(iii) As an agent, has not personally participated, and will not participate, in any action contrary to subparagraphs (a)(1) through (a)(3) above.

(c) If the offeror deletes or modifies subparagraph (a)(2) above, the offeror must furnish with its offer a signed statement setting forth in detail the circumstances of the disclosure.

52.204-8 ANNUAL REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS. (MAR 2022)

(DEVIATION)

(a)(1) The…