LTCS - SOW.pdf

NASA AMES RESEARCH CENTER 80ARC026RFI-LTCS

Statement of Work for University-Provided Lunar Tracking and Communications Services

Table of Contents

1. Background

2. Objective

3. Scope

4. Tasks

4.1 Communications and Tracking Service Provision

4.2 Service Scheduling and Coordination

4.3 Mission Integration and Onboarding Support

4.4 Compatibility Verification and Test Support

4.5 Operational Support and Service Execution

4.6 Data, Interface, and Service Reporting

5. Deliverables

6 Government-Furnished Information

7. Period of Performance

8. Place of Performance

9.Travel

10. Security, Data Handling, and Compliance

11. Exclusions

1. Background

NASA requires lunar tracking and communications services to support missions operating in cislunar space, lunar orbit, Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO), and on or near the lunar surface. These services are part of the broader Near Space Network (NSN) and Deep Space Network (DSN) service environment used to enable communications and tracking support for NASA missions.

NASA seeks to acquire operational communications and tracking services from a university possessing antenna and associated ground system capabilities suitable for satellite communications service delivery for lunar and cislunar mission support. In addition to service provision, limited mission integration support may be required to onboard supported missions and ensure compatibility with the university’s service capability.

2. Objective

The objective of this effort is to acquire lunar tracking and communications services from a university provider with antenna-based satellite communications capability, together with limited mission integration support necessary to enable NASA mission use of those services.

3. Scope

The university shall furnish antenna time, associated ground system support, and related operational services necessary to provide communications and tracking support for eligible NASA missions requiring lunar or cislunar service coverage. The university shall also provide limited mission integration support necessary to establish service compatibility, define interfaces, support compatibility testing, and prepare missions for use of the services.

This effort is for operational service provision and associated onboarding activities. It is not primarily for research, studies, or broad analytical support.

4. Tasks

4.1 Communications and Tracking Service Provision

The university shall provide antenna-based communications and tracking services for NASA-supported missions, using university-owned, university-operated, or university-controlled facilities and associated systems.

The university shall:

• Provide antenna time and associated ground system services for scheduled mission support events.

• Provide forward, return, and tracking support consistent with the technical capabilities awarded under the contract.

• Support transmission, reception, tracking, radiometric data generation, and related ground service functions required for scheduled mission operations, as applicable to the offered capability.

• Provide service support in accordance with approved schedules, operating procedures, and interface requirements.

• Coordinate service availability, planned outages, and operational constraints with the Government.

4.2 Service Scheduling and Coordination

The university shall support scheduling and coordination necessary for service delivery.

The university shall:

• Receive and process Government requests for service support.

• Coordinate scheduled support windows for mission operations.

• Maintain a service schedule reflecting confirmed support periods, conflicts, outages, and changes.

• Notify the Government of any service limitations, schedule conflicts, or operational impacts affecting planned support.

• Participate in service coordination meetings as required to support scheduled operations.

4.3 Mission Integration and Onboarding Support

The university shall provide limited mission integration support necessary to enable supported missions to use the university’s communications and tracking services.

The university shall:

• Review mission interface information relevant to use of the service.

• Identify technical and operational information needed to support mission onboarding.

• Support interface definition and compatibility confirmation between the mission and the university service capability.

• Participate in mission integration meetings, readiness discussions, and coordination activities necessary to prepare for service use.

• Identify mission-specific accommodations, constraints, or implementation issues affecting service delivery.

4.4 Compatibility Verification and Test Support

The university shall support verification that the mission can be supported by the offered communications and tracking service capability.

The university shall:

• Review mission communications and tracking characteristics relevant to service use.

• Confirm compatibility of mission support needs with the university’s antenna, ground system, and operational service capability.

• Support compatibility testing representative of ground station asset signal processing capabilities.

• Provide record and playback capability at IF and baseband as part of a test configuration for all receive signal bands supported by the offered asset.

• Identify any limitations, exclusions, or required conditions for support.

• Support resolution of compatibility issues prior to operational use, to the extent within the scope of the service.

4.5 Operational Support and Service Execution

The university shall provide operational support associated with scheduled service execution.

The university shall:

• Conduct pre-support coordination for scheduled service events.

• Execute scheduled service support using qualified personnel and operational procedures.

• Monitor service execution and communicate operational issues affecting support.

• Provide post-support summaries or logs for completed service events, as required by the

Government.

• Document service interruptions, anomalies, or deviations affecting mission support.

4.6 Data, Interface, and Service Reporting

The university shall provide reporting and data/interface support associated with service availability, mission integration, and service execution.

The university shall:

• Provide periodic status reporting on service availability, scheduled support, completed support, and mission onboarding activities.

• Provide records of completed service events, including dates, times, and summary support information.

• Provide event status and performance data, ground station health and status information, and site weather data to external systems as required by the contract.

• Provide return data, forward data interfaces, schedule data, and tracking data interfaces consistent with the awarded service capability and applicable interface requirements.

• Provide a final summary of services furnished during the period of performance.

5. Deliverables

Deliverable Description Frequency/Due Date

Service Capability Description

Description of the offered antenna and communications/tracking service capability, operating concept, constraints, and LEGS compliance matrix

Within 15 calendar days after award or updated as approved

Service Operations Plan

Procedures for scheduling, operations, outage handling, anomaly response, and reporting

Within 30 calendar days after award

Mission Integration Package Mission-specific onboarding, interface, compatibility, and readiness documentation

Prior to first support event for each mission

Compatibility Test Support Records Documentation of compatibility testing and results

As required

Service Schedule

Current schedule of confirmed and planned support periods, outages, and changes

Updated as required

Service Event Logs/Summaries Summary of completed support events and issues affecting service delivery

After each event or monthly, as specified

Monthly Status Report

Summary of service availability, scheduled support, completed support, mission integration activities, outages, and issues

Monthly

Final Summary Report

Summary of services provided, mission integration support performed, and notable issues during the POP

At end of performance

6 Government-Furnished Information

The Government may provide mission support requests, mission interface information, communications and tracking requirements, scheduling priorities, and other information necessary to support mission onboarding and service execution.

7. Period of Performance

The period of performance shall be specified in the solicitation and contract.

8. Place of Performance

Services shall be performed primarily at the university’s antenna and ground system facilities and associated operational support locations.

9.Travel

Travel may be required for mission integration meetings, readiness reviews, or service coordination meetings, subject to Government approval.

10. Security, Data Handling, and Compliance

The university shall comply with all applicable requirements related to information security, export control, proprietary information, mission-sensitive data, and access to Government systems or facilities, including applicable NASA security requirements.

11. Exclusions

This effort does not require the university to perform broad mission studies, independent research tasks, or open-ended analytical support unrelated to the provision of communications and tracking services and associated mission integration.