2017-01-13_CONFERS_QA.pdf

Consortium For Execution of Rendezvous and Servicing Operations (CONFERS)

DARPA/TTO BAA HR001117S0006

Questions and Answers

13 January 2016

IN THE EVENT OF ANY INCONSISTENCY BETWEEN THE ANSWERS PROVIDED HEREIN AND THE BAA, THE

BAA SHALL TAKE PRECEDENCE

Question 1.

Can the CONFERS Secretariat and the Standards Development Organization (SDO) be the same entity/ organization?

Answer 1.

Yes, the Secretariat and the Standards Development Organization can be the same entity or different entities.

Question 2.

Does DARPA/TTO have someone specific in mind to fill the role of the CONFERS Secretariat Executive Director?

Answer 2.

No; however, desirable experience is listed as a qualification in the BAA.

Question 3.

Will CONFERS operate under Federal Advisory Committee (FACA) rules?

Answer 3.

No, CONFERS will not operate as a Federal Advisory Committee. CONFERS will develop non-binding commercial technical standards only (e.g., operational safety). Both DARPA and NASA General Counsels have reviewed the program objectives to confirm that CONFERS does not fall under the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

Question 4.

Do you see a small business or a non-space industry organization as a credible Secretariat?

Answer 4.

Yes, these are included in the potential credible organizations.

Question 5.

How will the several international organizations that are currently performing on-orbit servicing be able to participate in CONFERS?

Answer 5.

Due to ITAR regulations, the Secretariat must be a U.S. entity; however, international commercial entities may participate in the consortium as private entities. The CONFERS Government Caucus will work to engage foreign governments in CONFERS in the future.

Question 6.

Is there support from the insurance industry? How is the insurance industry involved in CONFERS?

Answer 6.

Yes. The insurance industry will be invited to be part of the consortium to ensure that the non-binding commercial technical standards are relevant and of value to them. For example, the non-binding technical standards could help insurers evaluate risk for insurance policies.

Question 7.

Can space system developers form a group to develop standards on their own?

Answer 7.

CONFERS would greatly benefit from industry-developed consensus inputs, which could serve to accelerate the standards development process. If an industry association or joint venture seeks to be the Secretariat, it must show evidence of participation by a wide swath of industry, a plan to preclude organizational conflict of interest from its members, and a plan to evaluate inputs from other private entities as well as U.S. Government subject matter experts.

Question 8.

Who will review and evaluate proposals submitted to this BAA? Will only DARPA be involved?

Answer 8.

The proposals review process is addressed in Section V.B of the BAA, and explicit membership of the Scientific Review Panel cannot be shared. While CONFERS is solely funded by DARPA, as stated at Proposer’s Day, NASA and DARPA are partners on CONFERS.

Question 9.

On page 5 of the BAA, it states that industry and Government members of CONFERS shall participate on a self-funded basis. Does that include reimbursement of travel costs (but not labor) to attend the General Assembly or Open Forum? Our concern is that there may be SMEs from academia, smaller companies, or Government agencies that may not be able to self-fund travel, yet could contribute value to the discussions.

Answer 9.

This BAA addresses the requirements and funding for the CONFERS Secretariat only. The function and logistics of the consortium itself will be determined and governed by the Secretariat, once it is in place.

Proposers may choose to include funding for attendance by external SMEs as part of their approach and cost proposal within the funding ceiling indicated.

Question 10.

There is a mismatch between performance milestones and financial transition milestones as expressed in the BAA. Performance milestones and requirements described in the BAA are expressed in terms of contract/performance year. However, the transition from DARPA funding to private sector funding, as shown on page 8, is described in terms of Fiscal Year. If DARPA’s intent is to provide operational funding for the initial years of CONFERS operations, and recognizing that Government Fiscal Year 2017 will be approaching 50% complete when selection is finalized, will the funding transition also be phased or associated with contract/performance year milestones rather than Fiscal Year milestones?

Answer 10.

Funding will be associated with performance milestones.

Question 11.

On page 9 of the BAA, the last row lists a requirement for a "detailed summary of activity accomplished during the meeting" for each bilateral meeting, of which there may be many. This potentially represents a significant administrative and level of effort burden on the Secretariat, and could have significant implications for the protection of proprietary information that may be discussed during the bilateral meetings. Is it the Government's intent to require detailed summaries of the discussions for every bilateral meeting between the Secretariat and every private sector entity?

Answer 11.

Recognizing that bilateral meetings could possibly occur very regularly during the cycle of the standards development in an effort to reach consensus, the deliverables have been modified to include only a summary of bilateral meetings as part of the monthly report. Please see the updated BAA.

If bilateral meetings between the Secretariat and individual private entities require data exchange of proprietary information, it is the responsibility of the Secretariat to transfer, store, and protect that data in accordance with the private entities’ policies. Sharing of proprietary data between the Secretariat and DARPA should also be accomplished in accordance with the private entities’ policies. DARPA will work with the Secretariat once awarded to implement proposed plans.

Question 12.

Also on page 9 of the BAA, what is the expected timeline for delivery of the summaries and minutes from the meetings? Can they be included in the monthly reports?

Answer 12.

Meeting summaries and minutes can be provided as part of the monthly report.

Question 13.

On page 16 of the BAA, Item C.b refers to a required deliverable of a "transition story." This term is not defined elsewhere in the BAA. Can the Government clarify this requirement? Is this the same as the required plan for the transition of CONFERS funding from DARPA to private funding?

Answer 13.

Yes, the “transition story” refers to the CONFERS transition plan.

Question 14.

What does DARPA envision for the future identity of CONFERS? Do you envision that CONFERS will become a standalone legal entity, such as 501(c)3, separate from the organizations that make up the proposing team?

Answer 14.

It is the Government’s intention that after the initial five years CONFERS would transition to a new, self-funded business model under the leadership of the Secretariat. At this time, CONFERS will no longer be funded by or associated with DARPA.

Question 15.

Once DARPA awards the CONFERS contract for the Consortium Manager, is a qualified Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) eligible to be chosen as the Accredited SDO?

Answer 15.

The accredited SDO selection should reflect the evaluation criteria, which states that proposers should address “similar efforts completed…by the proposer in this area,” including potential SDOs as part of the proposer’s team.

In their SDO selection, proposers should consider how utilization of an FFRDC addresses the selection criteria which includes: “The proposer clearly demonstrates its capability to transition the consortium from DARPA funding to self-sustaining *private* funding.“