Final Appendix B Solicitation.docx

NextSTEP-3 Appendix B: Moon to Mars Architectural Studies

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

George C. Marshall Space Flight Center Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812

TO: All Prospective Offerors SUBJECT: Request for Proposal (RFP), Solicitation No. 80MSFC26R0003, Broad Agency Announcement: Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships-3 (NextSTEP-3), Appendix B, Moon to Mars Architectural Studies

NASA is requesting that industry submit a proposal in response to this solicitation under the NextSTEP-3 BAA Appendix B, Moon to Mars Architectural Studies. The resulting contract will acquire applied concept development, risk reduction, and special studies efforts that address the architecture gaps identified in the Architecture Definition Document (ADD) in order to create the knowledge foundation NASA needs to make informed programmatic decisions.

NASA appreciates the comments received in response to the previous release of the Draft Solicitation. These comments resulted in improvements to the quality and content of the overall Solicitation. Offerors should review the Solicitation in its entirety, as its content has changed from the Draft Solicitation version. All questions regarding this RFP should be submitted in writing, electronically to Maranda McCord, Contracting Officer, at maranda.b.mccord@nasa.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. Central Time (CT) on February 6, 2026.

Your proposal shall contain a complete response to this solicitation inclusive of this cover letter and all attachments for fulfilling the Moon to Mars Architectural Studies requirements. The proposal shall clearly address any exceptions taken to the model contract. Offerors who take exception to any terms and conditions of the Moon to Mars Architectural Studies Solicitation may be deemed ineligible for award and excluded from further consideration. The contractor shall have complete and up-to-date representations and certifications in SAM.gov.

The Offeror shall submit its proposal to the Contracting Officer, Maranda McCord, by 5:00 p.m. CT on February 20, 2026 to the EFSS Box link: https://nasagov.app.box.com/f/11d73aa52eca4098a78146ad9111f4c7.

The proposal must be signed by an official authorized to bind the firm and must have an acceptance period of not less than 240 days.

Prior to the submission of proposal files, Offerors interested in submitting a proposal in response to this solicitation should notify the Contracting Officer, Maranda McCord, of their intent to submit a proposal by 5:00 p.m. CT on February 6, 2026 at the following email address: maranda.b.mccord@nasa.gov. The Offeror shall courtesy copy (cc) hq-nextstep3appb@mail.nasa.gov on this communication.

This solicitation does not commit NASA to pay any proposal preparation costs, nor does it obligate NASA to procure or contract for these services. This request shall not be construed as authorization to proceed with or be paid for charges incurred by performing any of the work called for in this solicitation. The proposal must set forth full, accurate, and complete information as required by this letter. The penalty for making false statements in a proposal is prescribed in 18 USC § 1001. This request is not to be construed in any way as a commitment of Government funds. Any award as a result of this request is contingent upon the availability of Government funds.

Rev.: 09/2025

A “Blackout Notice” has been issued to NASA personnel. All inquiries/communications pertaining to this acquisition shall be directed only to the Contracting Officer listed below. For questions associated with this request and in accordance with NextSTEP-3 BAA, please contact the undersigned at maranda.b.mccord@nasa.gov.

Maranda McCord Contracting Officer

Attachments/Enclosures:

Attachment A, Model Contract Attachment B, Sample Task Order Attachment C, Past Performance Questionnaire Attachment D, Organizational Conflicts of Interest Plan Submission Instructions

Rev.: 09/2025

National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA Strategy and Architecture Office

300 E ST SW

Washington, D.C. 20546-0001

APPENDIX B: Moon to Mars Architectural Studies Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)

Broad Agency Announcement No. 80MSFC26R0003

Original Release: January 30, 2026 Effective through: September 30, 2029

NextSTEP-3 Appendix B: Moon to Mars Architectural Studies

Table of Contents

List of Tables

Acronyms

Introduction and Background Overview The National Space Policy of the United States, issued on December 9, 2020, directs NASA to "lead an innovative and sustainable program of scientific discovery, technology development, and space exploration with commercial and international partners to enable human expansion across the solar system and to bring back to Earth new knowledge and opportunities." Building on this directive, NASA defines the "Why" of exploration through three foundational pillars: National Posture, Inspiration, and Science.

To ensure success across these critical areas NASA conducts an annual Architecture Concept Review (ACR) process to refine its strategic architecture. The ACR cycle begins with a Strategic Analysis Cycle (SAC) to understand architectural needs, capability gaps, and opportunities to enhance the architecture through trade studies and the addition of new elements. The ACR cycle culminates in the ACR meeting—a collaborative forum where leaders from across NASA's mission directorates, centers, and technical authorities convene to ensure concurrence and alignment with overarching Agency goals.

The ACR process generates an updated revision of the Architecture Definition Document (ADD), which comprehensively captures refined architectural strategies and details the capabilities and elements essential for future mission success. The ADD also identifies architectural needs requiring pre-formulation research to enable informed decision-making at key lifecycle milestones, including Element Initiation, Mission Concept Review (MCR), and System Requirements Review/System Design Review (SRR/SDR).

Industry partners play a critical role in addressing architecture gaps identified in the ADD by conducting progressive pre-formulation research activities that create the knowledge foundation NASA needs to make informed programmatic decisions and strengthen its ability to achieve strategic exploration goals efficiently and effectively. Industry participation brings cutting-edge technologies, unique capabilities, expansion of the architectural solution spaces, specialized expertise, and cost-effective solutions. To that end, NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD) is actively embracing innovative ideas from industry partners through this Appendix B: Moon to Mars Architectural Studies under the NextSTEP-3 Omnibus Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) that calls for industry-led architecture concept development activities, concept refinement, risk reduction activities, and special studies. Solicited pre-formulation research encompasses a comprehensive range of analytical investigations and activities, including:

· Technical data generation and engineering analysis

· Mission, vehicle, and subsystem concept exploration

· Performance characterization through analytical methods

· Physics-based modeling and simulation

· Concept stage cost, risk, and schedule analyses

· Standards development

· Risk-reduction activities including testing and/or demonstrations

· Strategic discussions with NASA mission directorates and centers

Acquisition Objectives Overview The purpose of this solicitation is to acquire applied concept development, risk reduction, and special studies efforts that address the architecture gaps identified in the ADD in order to create the knowledge foundation NASA needs to make informed programmatic decisions. The scope of this solicitation is derived from NASA's architecture objectives as decomposed in the latest version of the ADD and associated products and whitepapers. Scope will be related to lunar and Mars mission capabilities specific to these topics: infrastructure, transportation, habitation, mission Concept of Operations (CONOPS), and lunar and Mars mission science. These topics tie back to areas outlined in the NextSTEP-3 Omnibus Solicitation.

Offerors are expected to apply independent scientific and engineering judgment in the selection of technical approaches, analytical methods, and test configurations. The Government’s role will be primarily to define performance objectives, provide relevant requirements and data, and review progress through milestone reviews and deliverables.

This procurement will be solicited using Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) part 35 BAA procedures and will support full and open competition in accordance with FAR part 6.101(b)(3). In accordance with FAR 35.102(a), this solicitation is for that part of development not related to developing a specific system or hardware procurement. NASA will not utilize this mechanism for award of a follow-on system development, operational, or services contract. Any such activity shall be solicited and procured via a separate contract action.

Structure Within Appendix B, NASA intends to establish a Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC) with a combined maximum value not to exceed $500M over a five year period, where only MATOC contractors will be eligible to compete for the task order awards. NASA intends to issue directed-topic calls task orders that solicit specific tasks of Government interest. For directed-topic calls, the MATOC will have a two-year base period with a one-year option period. These awards will be Firm-Fixed Price Task Orders with performance-based milestone payments.

NASA also intends to have open-topic opportunities to allow contractors to propose concepts within the scope of this solicitation that are not part of any directed-topic call topics. Open-topic opportunities are meant to capture innovative solutions from the broader industrial base and may result in an individual, standalone Firm-Fixed Price contract to any qualified Offeror, regardless of MATOC membership status. Open-topic opportunities submissions with identical concepts as directed calls under the MATOC will not be awarded.

All awards, whether MATOC, task orders, or individual fixed-price contracts, will be subject to the provisions of the FAR and the NASA FAR Supplement (NFS).

General Information Solicitation Contents This solicitation is comprised of this Appendix B solicitation, the NextSTEP-3 Omnibus BAA and the solicitation attachments specified below in Table 3-1. The terms and conditions of this Appendix B shall take precedence over any conflicting terms and conditions of the NextSTEP-3 Omnibus BAA.

Table 3‑1 Solicitation Attachments

Eligibility Eligible Offerors under this Appendix include U.S. institutions (companies, universities, nonprofit organizations) only. NASA civil servants, Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) employees, national laboratories, and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) shall not be proposed as a Prime Contractor on any effort associated with this announcement/solicitation but may participate as a team member. Other eligibility information is also included in the NextSTEP-3 Omnibus BAA. Offerors must ensure information and certifications provided in https://sam.gov/content/home are current at the time of proposal submission in order to ensure all eligibility requirements are met (see Section K in the Attachment A-Model Contract). NASA anticipates awarding to qualified Large and Small Business concerns whose proposals demonstrate, among other things, the capability and capacity to perform the requirements of this solicitation.

Response Date With the release of this Solicitation, NASA invites qualified U.S. institutions to submit proposals for membership in the MATOC vendor pool to support future task orders providing Moon and Mars architectural concept development, concept refinement, risk reduction activities, and/or special studies. Interested Offerors should review the full BAA requirements and submit complete proposals by 5:00 CST on February 20, 2026, to be considered for contract awards under this multiple award vehicle.

The ordering period for Appendix B will remain open until September 30, 2029, unless superseded, extended, canceled or replaced. NASA is not soliciting open-topic opportunities proposals at this time. Offerors are responsible for monitoring the Contract Opportunities website (https://sam.gov) for any calls or amendments to this announcement and reviewing any updates on the NextSTEP website.

Administrative and National Policy Requirements Award recipients that require access to NASA facilities and/or systems must work with NASA program staff to ensure proper credentialing.

Industry Forum An industry day was scheduled for January 22, 2026, to explain the intent of Appendix B; outline MATOC, directed-topic call, and open-topic opportunities expectations; and outline the anticipated initial directed-topic calls. Materials from this industry day are posted on the NextSTEP website. Additional industry forum opportunities are anticipated throughout the life of the appendix.

Inquiries There will be an opportunity to submit written questions after the final release of this Appendix (no later than February 6, 2026). The questions shall not contain proprietary or sensitive information. NASA will not provide evaluations, opinions, or recommendations regarding any suggested approaches or concepts. All correspondence shall be directed to the Contracting Officer at hq-nextstep3appb@mail.nasa.gov.

NASA will not issue paper copies of this Appendix or any documents in conjunction with this Appendix. All information will be posted electronically on http://www.sam.gov. Offerors are encouraged to refer regularly to SAM.gov and the NextSTEP website for updates and other information. All other correspondence must go through the Contracting Officer.

Contract Structure Work Structure This solicitation employs a maturity-based framework that categorizes research activities across a variety of work including: architecture concept development work, concept refinement, risk reduction activities, and special studies for targeted investigations. The structure includes progressive maturity levels for architecture concept development work, complemented by risk reduction activities and special studies to address targeted investigations. This work structure will be leveraged across directed-topic calls and open-topic opportunities.

Architecture Concept Development Work The framework for architecture concept development work follows a logical progression (detailed in Section 7.3 for directed-topic calls) through three maturity levels that correspond to CLINs 0001, 0002, and 0003 in the model contract, respectively:

· CLIN 0001 Exploration: Initial investigation and feasibility research to explore innovative concepts through literature review, market analysis, stakeholder engagement, and preliminary assessments to establish foundational understanding and identify promising approaches.

· CLIN 0002 Refinement: Comprehensive mission concept investigations building upon exploratory research to assess feasibility, program alignment, and implementation frameworks through systematic analytical methods, capability performance characteristics/thresholds identification, and detailed feasibility studies.

· CLIN 0003 Maturation: Advanced analytical design studies focusing on systematic investigation of functional requirements, design space exploration, architecture evaluation, and performance optimization to establish validated technical baselines and implementation strategies.

Additional Research Categories Two additional categories address specialized research needs that correspond to CLIN 0004 and 0005 in the model contract, respectively:

· CLIN 0004 Risk Reduction: Experimental research methodologies combining analytical, computational, and empirical approaches to investigate and characterize critical technical, programmatic, and operational risks through controlled testing and validation studies using temporary research instruments. Risk reduction activities can be appropriate for architecture concepts at any level of maturity.

· CLIN 0005 Special Studies: Targeted analytical investigations addressing specialized questions and emerging needs, including technology assessments, regulatory analysis, market studies, partnership opportunities, and interdisciplinary research requiring focused expertise outside standard maturity progression, including contract initiation kickoff efforts.

Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC) NASA intends to establish a Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC) with multiple contractors. All eligible Offerors are highly encouraged to compete for MATOC membership if interested in participating in any NASA-defined directed-topic call task orders for Moon to Mars architecture studies. Awards under a MATOC will be Firm-Fixed Price Task Orders with performance-based milestone payments. Only MATOC contractors will be eligible to compete for directed-topic calls with awards issued as task orders.

MATOC Vendor Management NASA will conduct periodic MATOC vendor management reviews to maximize competition and innovation that will allow qualified new contractors to join the MATOC. This process will ensure timely access to specialized expertise, maintain adequate competition, and provide meaningful opportunities for all contractors in accordance with FAR 16.507 fair-opportunity requirements.

MATOC On-Ramp Opportunities The Government anticipates conducting MATOC on-ramp opportunities at least on yearly basis. Industry is encouraged to monitor SAM.gov for on-ramp opportunities posted under this solicitation number. The MATOC on-ramp proposal instructions and evaluation criteria will be included in the opportunity announcement.

MATOC Off-Ramp Provisions MATOC contractors may voluntarily terminate their MATOC status by providing 30 calendar days written notice to the Contracting Officer. Voluntary off-ramp does not affect ongoing task order performance obligations. NASA reserves the right to remove contractors from the MATOC pool. Once an Offeror is off-ramped, the opportunity to on-ramp is no longer available.

MATOC Minimum Award Each MATOC holder will receive an initial award of $500, fulfilled through a Firm-Fixed Price task order issued at time of MATOC award, for participation in a mandatory kickoff meeting to be held as soon as practicable after award.

It is anticipated that the kickoff meeting will cover essential contract familiarization including program objectives, task order competition procedures, reporting requirements, and communication protocols. MATOC contractors will be required to:

· Attend kickoff meeting with appropriate personnel

· Review and acknowledge receipt of program documentation

· Establish points of contact and communication channels

· Submit a brief contractor introduction package as specified in the task order The minimum guarantee does not create any expectation or entitlement to additional task orders under the MATOC beyond the initial $500 award. All subsequent task orders under the MATOC will be awarded pursuant to FAR 16.507 and through the procedures defined in this solicitation and any amendments.

Directed-Topic Call Task Orders Directed‑topic calls under the MATOC will be issued as Requests for Task Order Proposals (RTOPs) that outline detailed requirements for concept development studies, risk‑reduction activities, and/or special studies (see Section 4.1). These calls will focus on Government‑interest areas related to lunar and Mars mission capabilities, including infrastructure, transportation, habitation, mission Concept of Operations (CONOPS), and Mars mission science.

Each RTOP will require Offerors to define the call‑specific research and development objectives, technical assumptions, constraints, requirements, and associated deliverables, including schedules. Tasks will be organized into Work Areas that correspond to distinct technical challenges, mission elements, or analytical needs within NASA’s broader exploration architecture.

Multiple Work Area Participation Offerors have the flexibility to propose, based on the work structure, a solution for one, some, or all defined work areas in a Task Order based on their capabilities, expertise, and strategic interests, as shown in the table below. There is no requirement to address every work area in a single proposal.

Proposals will be rated and awarded within each Work Area, with the Government reserving the right to select some, all, or none of the proposals in each Work Area. Determination of applicable work area for an Offeror’s concept is up to the Offeror after interpreting the targeted definitions in the RTOP.

RTOP Work Areas

Task Order Structure

Risk Reduction Work Areas Work Areas focused on risk‑reduction activities will request proposals for experimental research, demonstrations, and testing, which may be supplemented by analytical results. These efforts may be performed independently of concept development work, though they may inform one another if awarded to the same Offeror. The RTOP will provide specific details for risk-reduction activities, including guidance on expected fidelity, desired measurements, and any applicable facility, certification, or safety requirements.

Open-Topic Opportunities In addition to the MATOC, NASA intends to award standalone Firm-Fixed Price contracts for open-topic opportunities. These opportunities seek innovative contractor-proposed concept development studies, concept refinement, risk reduction, and/or special studies (see Section 4.1) in areas of Government-interest that are related to lunar and Mars mission capabilities specific to: infrastructure, transportation, habitation, mission Concept of Operations (CONOPS), and lunar and Mars mission science. Industry can propose to these opportunities, regardless if they have a MATOC contract. Open-topic opportunity proposals are not being requested with the initial solicitation. Open-topic opportunity proposals will be accepted starting two months after the initial MATOC award and the acceptance period will be open through the life of Appendix B. Open-topic opportunities are intended to have extended submission windows of multiple months. Proposal submissions to Open-topic opportunities shall have a validity period of 365 days from date of submission. Proposals submitted to an Open-topic opportunity shall align with the works structure in Section 4.1. Period of performance will be specified in the proposal, but the Government anticipates awards with 2-6 months for concept design studies and ~1-year risk reduction tasks. Standalone contracts are awarded when an Offeror’s open-topic opportunities proposal demonstrates technical merit and strategic alignment to warrant standalone contracts.

Proposal Submission Information Refer to the NextSTEP-3 Omnibus BAA for general instruction for proposal preparation. Where instructions in this section differ from the Omnibus BAA, the instruction below take precedence by either supplementing or superseding the general guidance.

Proposals received after the due date and time as defined in this solicitation will be considered late and not evaluated.

Proposal Types This solicitation uses distinct instructions for proposal submission for the initial MATOC award, Directed-Topic Task Orders, and Open-Topic Opportunities (see Section 5.2, 5.3, and 5.4). Table 5‑1 describes the applicability of each proposal variant to the Offeror status and scenario. The three proposal variants include:

· MATOC Proposal: Technical merit capabilities to include past performance for joining the MATOC pool

· Task Order Directed-Topic Call Proposal: Technical and price proposal for specific research work to be performed under existing MATOC awards

· Open-Topic Opportunities Proposal: Technical merit capabilities to include past performance, and price for standalone contract awards Table 5‑1 Proposal type applicability

General Format Requirements All proposals must be submitted as a single searchable, unlocked PDF file (unless submitting Task Order proposals, which can include MS Word, MS Excel, etc.). Offerors must comply with all format and page limit requirements described herein, as well as any additional attachments specified for the specific proposal submission instructions. A page is defined as one side of an 8½" x 11" sheet with minimum one-inch margins on all sides, using 12-point proportional font or larger. Tables and figures may use 8-point font minimum. Pages exceeding the specified limits for each section will not be evaluated.

MATOC Submission Instructions MATOC Proposal Submission Format and Content This section provides the required format and content requirements for MATOC submission proposals, which must demonstrate an Offeror's technical capability which includes past performance to qualify for a MATOC award. All proposals must be organized according to the structure outlined in Table 5‑2 below, with page limitations strictly enforced. Attachments are limited to validation documentation only, which means they may contain only supporting evidence that directly validates, substantiates, or provides backup documentation for information already presented in the proposal sections, excluding Attachment C. Validation attachments cannot introduce new information, narratives, or claims that are not already addressed in the proposal sections. Offerors should ensure that all required information is complete and clearly presented, as the Government will evaluate proposals based solely on the information provided.

Table 5‑2 MATOC Proposal Submission Content

Title Page

· NASA Solicitation Number

· Include any Notice of Restriction on Use and Disclosure of Proposal Information

· An optional graphic image may be included

· The title of the Offeror’s proposal

· Date of the proposal submission

· Offeror’s name, address and CAGE Code (including 9-digit ZIP+4 code, if applicable)

· Offeror’s Point of Contact name, title, e-mail address, and phone number Executive Summary The Executive Summary shall provide an overview of the Offeror’s qualifications for MATOC participation, including a description of unique capabilities and relevant experience. Offerors shall also demonstrate their financial capacity to perform under the MATOC by providing a brief narrative addressing financial stability and the ability to support the anticipated contract requirements.

Proof of Eligibility The Offeror shall document their eligibility to participate in this appendix, in accordance with Section 3 of the NextSTEP-3 Omnibus BAA and modified by Section 3.2 of this solicitation. Corporate contribution is not required for MATOC eligibility and will not be evaluated for MATOC awards.

Technical Capabilities and Past Performance Capability Demonstrate your organization's suitability for participation in the MATOC by addressing the following:

· Essential Personnel: Identify your company’s essential technical and leadership personnel proposed and provide a brief narrative describing their qualifications, roles, and responsibilities within your company’s proposed team structure. For purposes of this MATOC, essential technical and leadership personnel are defined as individuals who will serve in primary technical roles (such as Technical Leads, major Subject Matter Experts) and/or leadership roles (such as Study Directors, Project Managers, or equivalent positions) with technical decision-making authority or critical expertise essential for task order performance. For each essential technical and leadership person, summarize their educational qualifications (particularly advanced technical education in engineering or STEM fields), relevant domain experience (i.e., Appendix B scope of work) demonstrating progressive responsibility and technical or leadership capabilities, and professional certifications where applicable. Describe the availability and commitment of each essential person to support MATOC studies. Include an organization chart showing reporting relationships and team structure. Summarized resumes and supporting availability statements or letters of commitment for essential technical and leadership personnel shall be provided in the applicable Attachment A (Personnel Validation) within the page limits specified for that attachment.

· Processes: Provide detailed organizational management workflows with visual process diagrams. Clearly describe your company’s project management methodologies, quality assurance processes, risk management approaches, and communication protocols. Explain your company’s organizational approach to scaling specialized capabilities and resources based on study objectives, including resource allocation methodologies, partnership administration, and subcontractor engagement strategies. Include process effectiveness and efficiency metrics that demonstrate your company’s organizational capabilities.

· Infrastructure: Briefly describe your company’s current facilities, equipment, and technology resources relevant to anticipated MATOC study activities. For resources not directly owned, identify established partnerships or teaming arrangements that provide access. Provide details on your company’s identified workforce or documented scaling plans that show your company’s capacity to support anticipated study objectives, may be provided in Attachment B Infrastructure Validation within the page limits specified for that attachment.

Past Performance Provide information on a maximum of five relevant past contracts and/or agreements, ongoing or completed within the last five years that are relevant to the scope outlined in this solicitation, and that demonstrates your organization's relevant past performance. For each reference, include a comprehensive project description covering the work performed, value, period of performance, client information, and relevance to the MATOC scope (including brief discussion of complexity and scope similarities). Note that anticipated MATOC scope is described in Sections 1 and 2, and anticipated work is exemplified in Section 4.1 and the Sample Task Order).

For each past performance reference, provide detailed performance information including: technical achievements and innovations delivered; evidence of client satisfaction such as performance ratings or feedback; schedule performance with original timelines versus actual completion dates and explanations of any variances; compliance record with contractual and regulatory requirements including contract modifications and quality assurance records; and examples of significant challenges encountered with problem-solving approaches and outcomes achieved.

Include complete contact information for each reference (name, title, organization, phone number, and email address) to enable Government verification. In accordance with FAR 15.202(c)(3), the Government shall consider the information provided by the Offeror, as well as information obtained from any other sources such as the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS), when evaluating an Offeror's past performance. Reference relevant CPARS reports or other official performance documentation where available. Ensure reference contacts are knowledgeable about your company’s performance and authorized to discuss the work with Government evaluators.

The Offeror may provide the attached Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ) form Attachment C to each of their identified references. The Offeror is responsible for distributing the PPQ form to their references. The reference point of contact (POC) for each reference is responsible for completing and submitting the PPQ directly to the Contracting Officer identified in the cover letter of the Questionnaire. The completed PPQs must be received by the Government no later than the proposal closing date/time specified on the Standard Form (SF) 33, Block 9 (or as amended). Offerors are strongly encouraged to follow up with their references to ensure timely submission of the completed questionnaires. If an offeror does not have past performance feedback in the PPQ format, the offeror may submit other official performance documentation that contains the same information as the PPQ such that NASA is able to evaluate in accordance with the solicitation (covers all required submission data described 5.4.1.4.2 which will be evaluated against subfactor described in 6.2.1.1.2), then that would be acceptable.

Note that the Government will independently assess the relevance and quality of each past performance reference to the current scope of Appendix B.

Signed Model Contract The Model Contract is provided in Attachment A of this Solicitation. Please be advised that all sections designated with the text [OFI] represent “Offeror Fill-Ins”. Offerors should 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 after 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 a Summary of Exceptions with supporting rationale for any and all exceptions taken. Note, taking exception to, or having unique interpretations of any required clauses MAY have a negative impact on potential selection. The Government does not intend to conduct negotiations.

Attachments The Government will evaluate proposals based solely on the assertions, claims, and information presented in the proposal sections, using attachments exclusively to verify the accuracy and credibility of those statements, and to conduct due diligence on Offeror assertions. Offerors are responsible for ensuring that all evaluation-relevant information is clearly presented in the appropriate proposal sections within the specified page limits.

The following are examples of the expected types of information that may be provided in the attachments:

· Attachment A - Personnel Validation: Full resumes for essential personnel (2 pages per person)

· Attachment B - Infrastructure Validation: Partnership agreements, facility access documentation, equipment specifications, technology capability documentation (10 pages max)

· Attachment C – Organizational Conflicts of Interest Plan (No page limitation). The Offeror shall submit an OCI Plan that covers the Offeror and its teaming partners. This review is separate from the proposal evaluation. As such, the Government may communicate, outside of negotiations, with any Offeror at any time during the review of their OCI Plan; however, substantive omissions and OCIs that cannot be effectively mitigated may result in the proposal being ineligible for award. Please see Attachment D of this solicitation for instructions for submission.

Task Order Proposal Submission and Evaluation While the overarching MATOC establishes general scope and terms, each task order request defines specific objectives, deliverables, schedules, and evaluation criteria for discrete efforts. Task orders result from directed-topic calls, where specific requirements are issued exclusively to the MATOC contractors to address architecture challenges.

MATOC contractors shall develop tailored responses addressing technical capabilities, intellectual property, and competitive pricing. The task order process leverages streamlined procurement with reduced administrative burden and accelerated evaluation and award timelines to deliver solutions. This structure balances efficiency with competitive selection, ensuring the Government receives optimal solutions while reducing procurement cycle time.

Note that information provided below represents NASA’s intent and that NASA is not accepting Task Order Proposal Submissions at this time. Requests for Task Order Proposals (RTOPs) will be issued to the MATOC contractors.

Task Order Proposal Submission Format and Content This section provides the required format and content requirements for Task Order proposals, which should describe proposed work that will be evaluated based upon its technical merit, relevance, and price. All proposals must be organized according to the structure outlined in Table 5‑3 below, with page limitations strictly enforced. Attachments are limited to validation documentation only, which means they may contain only supporting evidence that directly validates, substantiates, or provides backup documentation for information already presented in the proposal sections. Proposal attachments cannot introduce new evaluation information, narratives, or claims that are not already addressed in the proposal submission sections. Offerors should ensure that all required information is complete and clearly presented, as the Government will evaluate proposals based solely on the information provided.

Table 5‑3 Task Order Proposal Submission Content

Technical Capabilities (Statement of Need, Proposed Solution, and Partnership Strategy) 6 pages per Work Area

· Include any Notice of Restriction on Use and Disclosure of Proposal Information

· An optional graphic image may be included

· The title of the Offeror’s proposal

· Work Areas being proposed to

· Date of the proposal submission

· Offeror’s name, CAGE code, address (including 9-digit ZIP+4 code, if applicable)

· Offeror’s Point of Contact name, title, e-mail address, and phone number Executive Summary The Executive Summary consists of an overview, a statement on the technical merit of the proposed activity, and a statement on the broader impacts of the proposed activity. It should describe the proposal’s prominent and distinguishing features. The Executive Summary should provide an overview of the proposed effort that is suitable for release through a publicly accessible archive should the proposal be selected.

Technical Capabilities

0. Statement of Need The Statement of Need shall identify the architecture gap(s) being addressed by the directed-topic call, the present state of technology and how the Offeror’s proposed solution(s) closes that/those gap(s). By accurately identifying required functionality and illustrating familiarity with what has been accomplished to-date in the field, the Offeror demonstrates their understanding of the problem and lends credibility to their proposed solution. Additional detailed content requirements are provided in the associated RTOP.

Proposed Solution The proposal shall describe an overall solution, to include (but not limited to) a summary of the proposed work to be accomplished, a list of proposed Work Areas, the Offeror’s proposed approach to conducting studies, a notional schedule that depicts a progression of design maturity, identification of any novel technology, tools, or techniques to be employed during the activity, or as a result of the activity. The proposal shall also address the application of organizational subject matter expertise and resources that will demonstrably increase the probability of successful completion of the proposed activity. The proposal shall also provide information describing any previous work and the current maturity of the proposed approach to enable evaluation against Technical Merit Factors described in Section 6. Additional detailed content requirements may be provided in the associated RTOPs.

Partnership Strategy The Offeror may demonstrate an approach for developing and fostering public-private partnerships as appropriate in the execution of these activities, to include engagement with NASA that identifies general roles and responsibilities, and methods and mechanisms for interaction, team management, to include small business utilization as applicable, the role and applicability of corporate contributions to this proposed activity as well as in any future development, and how any eventual operational capability resulting from this activity could contribute to a viable cislunar economy and promote commercialization. For corporate contributions, please refer to Section 8.1 and the NextSTEP-3 Omnibus BAA, Section 3.2.5.

Intellectual Property The Offeror shall describe the approach for intellectual property, and how they meet the objectives outlined in the NextSTEP-3 Omnibus, Section 2.7, Intellectual Property Developed Under an Award.

Price The price proposal shall include the overall firm fixed price by Work Area. The Offeror shall provide total direct labor hours by skill mix, travel, and subcontracts in accordance with the price proposal sample format set forth in the NextSTEP-3 Omnibus BAA. In accordance with NextSTEP-3 Omnibus BAA Section 3.2.5 instructions, the Offeror shall add a table listing the breakout and value of corporate resources, if proposed.

Attachments The Government will evaluate proposals based solely on the assertions, claims, and information presented in the core proposal sections, using attachments exclusively to verify the accuracy and credibility of those statements and to conduct due diligence on Offeror assertions. Offerors are responsible for ensuring that all evaluation-relevant information is clearly presented in the appropriate core proposal sections within the specified page limits.

Open-Topic Opportunity Open-topic opportunity proposals are meant to capture innovative solutions from the broader industrial base and may result in individual Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) contracts to any qualified Offeror, regardless of MATOC membership status. Open-topic opportunity submissions with identical concepts as directed-topic calls under the MATOC will not be awarded.

Open-Topic Opportunity Proposal Submission Format and Content This section provides the anticipated format and content requirements for open-topic opportunity proposals, which should describe proposed work that will be evaluated based upon its technical merit, relevance, and price. All proposals must be organized according to the structure outlined in Table 5‑4 below, with page limitations strictly enforced. Attachments are limited to validation documentation only, which means they may contain only supporting evidence that directly validates, substantiates, or provides backup documentation for information already presented in the core proposal sections. Validation attachments cannot introduce new evaluation information, narratives, or claims that are not already addressed in the core sections, excluding Attachment C. Offerors should ensure that all required information is complete and clearly presented, as the Government will evaluate proposals based solely on the information provided.

Table 5‑4 Open-Topic Opportunity Proposal Submission Content

Technical Capabilities (Statement of Need, Proposed Solution, and Partnership Strategy)

· 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

· CLIN(s) being proposed to (See Model Contract for guidance)

· Date of the proposal submission

· Organization name, CAGE code, and address (including 9-digit ZIP+4 code, if applicable)

· Offeror Point of Contact name, title, e-mail address, and phone number Executive Summary The Executive Summary consists of an overview, a statement on the technical merit of the proposed activity, and a statement on the broader impacts of the proposed activity. It should describe the proposal’s prominent and distinguishing features. Demonstrate financial capacity to perform work under this contract by providing a brief narrative describing your company’s financial stability and ability to support anticipated contract requirements. The Executive Summary should provide an overview of the proposed effort that is suitable for release through a publicly accessible archive should the proposal be selected.

Proof of Eligibility The Offeror shall document their eligibility to participate in this activity, in accordance with Section 3 of the NextSTEP-3 Omnibus BAA and modified by Section 3.2 of this appendix.

Technical Capabilities Statement of Need The Statement of Need shall identify the architecture gap(s) the companies have identified, the present state of technology and how the Offeror’s proposed solution(s) closes that gap(s). By accurately identifying required functionality and exhibiting familiarity with what has been accomplished to-date in the field, the Offeror demonstrates their understanding of the problem and lends credibility to their proposed solution.

Proposed Solution The Proposal shall provide an overall solution, to include (but not limited to) a summary of the proposed work to be accomplished, the Offeror’s proposed approach to conducting studies, a notional schedule that depicts a progression of design maturity, identification of any novel technology, tools, or techniques to be employed during the activity, or as a result of the activity. The Proposal shall also address the application of organizational subject matter expertise and resources that will demonstrably increase the probability of successful completion of the proposed activity. The Proposal shall also provide information describing any previous work and the current maturity of the proposed approach to enable evaluation against Technical Merit Factors described in Section 6.4.1.

Partnership Strategy

0. The Offeror shall demonstrate an approach for developing and fostering public-partnerships as appropriate in the execution of these activities, to include engagement with NASA that identifies general roles and responsibilities, and methods and mechanisms for interaction, team management, to include small business utilization as applicable, the role and applicability of corporate contributions to this proposed activity as…