NextSTEP-3 Appendix C Questions and Responses 2nd Set.pdf

Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships -3 (NextSTEP-3) Broad Agency Announcement Omnibus-CIS-Appendix C:

# Comment Response 1 Request a 30-day extension to the current 8/13/25 response due date.

The proposal response deadline was extended via Amendment 2 on August 5, 2025. Proposals must be submitted electronically in accordance with instructions detailed in Section 11.1 of Appendix C:

Instructions for Proposals, no later than September 17, 2025, 5:00 pm Eastern Time.

2 Will NASA accept a classified appendix as part of a submission to the RFP?

Proposals shall not include classified information. If the information is relevant to the proposed study area, the offeror shall follow the proper sanitization and authorization process to show the value and relevance of the work without revealing classified details.

3 If the proposed contract value is under TINA thresholds, are offerors required to submit a Basis of Estimate?

Offeror is required to provide a Basis of Estimate but it will consist of "data other than certified cost or pricing data".

4 Can these required forms be made available in Excel format?

- Enclosure C - Pricing Template

- Enclosure D - Corporate Contributions

The required forms are only provided in PDF format.

5 We do not see an Attachment A or other "price forms" included in the omnibus BAA referenced.

Can the Government please provide a link to these resources or confirm that the intended omnibus BAA price form is the same as Enclosure C - Pricing template included in the Appendix C solicitation?

The Enclosure C – Pricing Template provided by NASA is the intended BAA price form to be utilized and should be filled out separately for each proposed study area.

6 Can the Table of Contents be moved to precede the Executive Summary in the prescribed response format?

The Table of Contents should be included directly following the Executive Summary.

7 If responding to both Study areas, are separate SOW attachments needed for each study?

Organizations responding to both study areas should provide distinct statements of work for both study areas, either through two separate attachments or within a single attachment that separates each study area into distinct sections.

8 Section 11.9 of Enclosure A states, "Offerors must submit the signed model contract with all OFIs completed and a handwritten signature from an authorized person." The only signature field in Enclosure B is in the Section H regarding Data representations and markings (H-4/H-5). Please confirm if this is the desired location for the handwritten signature.

Offerors shall complete the “Offer” section within the NASA provided Standard Form (SF)-33. The SF-33 includes a section allowing a signature from an authorized person.

9 Lunar Surface Point for Testing: For architecting the lunar communications, does NASA have a preferred lunar surface point?

NASA's primary exploration focus is centered around the Lunar South Pole. Respondents should be clear regarding the architecture's supported service volume/regions and corresponding capabilities.

10 Leverage Commercial Innovation: Are the products and processes allowed to be completely commercial (hardware, processes, specifications, and FAR regulations)?

Potential offerors may define an architecture for either topic area that could leverage technology/capabilities that solely originate from commercial sources.

Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships -3 (NextSTEP-3) Broad Agency Announcement Omnibus-CIS-Appendix C:

11 PNT Services: Is NASA intent for PNT to be only in the vicinity of Mars or is intended for deep space applications?

NASA is aiming to understand what capabilities industry can bring to bear to support operations at, around, and in transit to, Mars. Respondents should be clear regarding the architecture's supported service volume/regions and corresponding capabilities.

12 Service Life: Does NASA have a design life requirement?

NASA does not have a specific design life requirement for either study area. Design life assumptions can be outlined in proposal responses and refined throughout the study period.

13 Power: Would NASA allow the use of Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) for deep space applications?

NASA does not preclude leveraging RTGs as part of offeror's proposed architecture concepts.