NextSTEP-2_BAA-Appendix_G_Instructions_Final.pdf

National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA Headquarters Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate

300 E ST SW

Washington, D.C. 20546-0001

Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships -2

(NextSTEP-2)

Omnibus Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)

Appendix G: Space Relay Partnership and Services Study NNH16ZCQ001K- SRP

Issue Date: September 18, 2018

Proposals Due: November 2, 2018 by 12:00 PM Eastern Time

NextSTEP-2 Appendix G: Space Relay Partnership and Services Study

NextSTEP-2 Appendix G: Space Relay Partnership and Services Study Change Log

Version Description of Changes Date

Table of Contents 1 Introduction and Background

1.1 Next Generation Space Communications and Navigation Architecture

1.2 PPP Goals and Study Objectives

1.3 NASA Contributions to the Partnership

2 Description of Study Tasks

2.1 Description of Solicitation

2.2 Space Relay Partnership and Services Study Topics

2.2.1 Requirements Reviews

2.2.2 Accommodations of the NASA Provided Optical Payload

2.2.3 Optical and RF Commercial Services

2.2.4 Interoperability among Multiple Service Providers

2.2.5 Business Partnership and Market Viability

2.2.6 Service Concept of Operations

2.2.7 Service Transition Plan and Validation

2.2.8 Space Internetworking

2.2.9 Secure Data Processing (Space/Ground)

2.2.10 User Space Terminal Interoperability

3 General Information

4 Eligibility Information

4.1 Eligibility of Applicants

4.2 Corporate Resources

4.3 Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCI)

5 Proposal Submission Information

5.1 Instructions for Proposals

5.1.1 Proposal Format and Contents

5.1.2 Additional Proposal Guidance

6 Proposal Review Information

7 Award Information

8 References

9 Attachment List

9.1 Attachments Provided with BAA Announcement

9.2 Attachments Provided to Award Recipients

Acronym List ................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

1 Introduction and Background NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Program provides space communication and navigation services for scientific and human space exploration.

The SCaN Program currently offers radio frequency (RF) relay services to near Earth space missions via NASA’s Space Network (SN). Augmenting the space relay satellite network services over the next decade will include adding optical communications capability and enhanced RF capabilities and services to enable new and greater scientific discovery, improve communication and navigation services, and reduce development and operations costs for both networks and missions.

The growth in the commercial space industry over recent years provides NASA with an opportunity to assess the applicability of commercial systems to provide communication and navigation services to NASA space missions. While much of the service growth generally addresses ground, sea, and airborne-based customers, augmenting the existing infrastructure could potentially lead to servicing space users and there are several new ventures already targeting space users as primary customers. In parallel over the last decade NASA has also invested in optical communications technology, which will be ready for network and mission infusion in the early 2020s. The new optical technology will enable a link to NASA missions greater than ever before, providing up to 10 Gbps LEO user links and 100 Gbps GEO space-to-ground and cross-links. Lower data rates are possible to users at Sun-Earth L1/L2 and Cis-lunar distances, which are orbits of particular interest in future NASA exploration planning.

NASA is considering augmenting its existing space relay infrastructure through public-private partnerships (PPPs) with U.S. commercial entities to develop interoperable satellite systems and the provision of commercial communication and/or navigation services. The use of PPPs allows NASA and commercial entities to work as partners (as compared to a typical Government-contractor relationship) to develop and introduce new operational capabilities that NASA user missions will use, by shared investment, standards, and risks. These new capabilities may help foster the growth of the commercial satellite communications relay services market (from low Earth orbit to the Moon and beyond) and provide benefits to future NASA missions in alignment with NASA envisioned Next Generation Architecture. The goal of NASA’s proposed collaboration with commercial entities is to accelerate the availability of new space services and capabilities, advance U.S. commerce in space, and reduce NASA’s costs by being one among many customers of the new space services. The envisioned partnership will share the cost and risk of development, launch, and operations among NASA and the commercial partner(s). The resulting capabilities and services are intended for missions operated by NASA, other government agencies, international space agency partners, and commercial customers.

The envisioned market will include more than one commercial supplier and will service multiple customers (both Government and non-Government), beyond NASA.

Such partnerships may form the basis of future acquisition activities to help share the cost and risk of developing and providing these capabilities and services and to provide savings and benefit to both the potential Partner(s) and the Government.

Note, activities performed under NextSTEP-2 Appendix A through G are distinct and separate activities. Additional information on NextSTEP-2 is available at the NextSTEP Website:

www.nasa.gov/nextstep

1.1 Next Generation Space Communications and Navigation Architecture

The anticipated initial NASA near-Earth space relay operating capability will be comprised of the existing RF services provided by the NASA-owned Space Network infrastructure supplemented with a hybrid of Government-owned and -managed and commercially-owned and -provided optical services via relay satellites and their associated ground stations. The number of available commercial optical service nodes will increase as service providers build-out their respective satellite and ground station infrastructure. NASA will add commercially provided RF services, as the Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS) reach the end of their design lifetime and retire.

Connectivity between and among user spacecraft, relay satellites, surface networks, and ground stations will evolve. Similar to the Internet, whose connectivity depends on a well-coordinated collection of voluntarily interconnected networks, the hybrid approach of Government and commercial space-to-space service assets will not only depend upon NASA’s own systems, but will also leverage assets from commercial providers, other government agencies, and other organizations, connected through the adoption of open commercial and international standards.

The resulting seamless interoperability among systems will provide data exchange among spacecraft and ground systems, enabling new science opportunities, improving reliability and availability, and providing ubiquitous coverage for space assets. Internetworked connectivity will be used throughout the system to reduce cost, enhance Quality of Service (QoS), and return greater science. Interoperability among the systems will be critical to NASA’s use of commercial services. Relying on commercial services to provide cost effective and efficient data services to missions will require appropriate risk and cost management to prevent loss of service due to any reason.

The Government’s initial optical relay node, developed by NASA’s SCaN Program, will consist of an optical payload with several optical terminals and be launched on a Government owned and operated spacecraft (depicted as the Partner1 Relay System (PRS1) - NASA Network in Figure 1). The expected commercial optical relay capability will consist of two or more commercial optical relay constellations. The first node(s) of the commercial capability will be developed as part of a public-private partnership with NASA in which NASA supplies one optical communications payload as part of the partnership. Figure 1 depicts the commercial partners as Partner2 and Partner3 Relay Systems (PRS2 and PRS3). Based on an assessment of market conditions, the commercial partner may choose to enhance their optical services capability, leveraging the NASA optical communications technology to expand their network.

NASA may partner with additional commercial providers (PRSs), who will also have the option to add more optical nodes on their commercial network. The commercial providers and NASA http://www.nasa.gov/nextstep will jointly develop the capabilities of the initial Partner relays based on their joint and respective objectives.

Within the architecture illustrated in Figure 1, there are two key interfaces between a PRS and other systems. A user mission receives services from PRS2 or PRS3, the commercial partner systems, defined by the User Services Interface covering both the Network-User space-space and ground-ground interfaces. One PRS interfaces with another PRS via the Internetwork Interface, which encompasses space-space, space-ground, and ground-ground interfaces. The user mission may also receive services from PRS1, the Government-provided system, over the same User Services Interface (shown as a line across the bottom of the figure). The Internetwork Interface and User Services Interface must be based on open, international standards and adopted jointly by the Partners to form an open market system for providing space communications and navigation services to users.

For NASA to use commercial services, multiple providers need to exist and offer services to user missions. Market-diversity enables service providers to compete, and creates options for NASA, ensuring the user needs are met at competitive prices. NASA is considering partnerships with multiple providers to foster the growth of these services. Interoperability among providers allows the user missions to roam between the commercial networks. NASA’s network will maintain the minimal capacity to support continued research and testing without competing with the commercial networks. This architecture enables interoperability between commercial and NASA space segments via inter-satellite links, and space-ground segments via space-ground links as well as between ground segments via terrestrial commercial service providers. Specific implementations of provider-side interoperability will be determined during partnership discussions. User interoperability is a key tenant of this architecture to leverage the commercially provided networks for both optical and RF services.

The architecture of the system will be a combination of optical links from user mission spacecraft to the relay and from the relay to ground; and optical cross-links from one relay satellite to another. Inter-satellite cross-links enable data transmissions from any point around the globe via space to a ground station on U.S. territory by the mid-2020s. Note: Not shown in the figure is the Space Network’s TDRSS RF capability (S-, Ku-, and Ka-band) that will continue to provide RF services to users into the 2030s.

Figure 1 – Partner Relay System Context Diagram in NASA Next Generation Space Architecture

Figure 2 depicts the early capability of one NASA Network relay and relays for two commercial partners’ PRSs. High capacity RF links (typically at Ka-band) from the relay satellite to the ground will provide an alternative link when atmospheric obstructions block the optical link, improving the system’s overall availability for essential data transfer. NASA anticipates operating the NASA spacecraft and payload from its network control center and using at least two optical ground stations. The initial optical ground stations provided by NASA will reside in the southwest U.S. and Hawaii while Ka-band ground stations reside in White Sands, New Mexico. Commercial ground stations may reside at various locations around the world, as required by the commercial providers.

1.2 PPP Goals and Study Objectives

The goals of the partnerships between NASA and commercial entity(ies) are to:

• Provide mission space relay services, including optical communication services through PPPs between NASA and commercial service providers, thereby reducing NASA’s development and operations costs through shared costs and risks associated with the

Figure 2 – Notional Next Generation Relay Initial Operating Capability system development, launch, and operations;

• Foster new U.S. space commercial markets and expertise for optical communications;

• Enable a sustainable, flexible, and secure open architecture interoperable among U.S.

civilian, military, and commercial networks; and

• Transition from the PPP-era to commercial space communications and navigation services as the market of suppliers and customers matures.

The objectives of this solicitation are to seek proposals from industry to conduct trade studies and conceptual system designs and descriptions specifically focused on the commercial elements of the Next Generation near-Earth space relay capability.

The objectives of the study are to assess:

• Commercial service concepts o Determine the architecture and service concepts for optical and RF space services and develop the service management and operations aspects for user mission.

• Accommodations of the NASA provided optical payload o Determine the factors to incorporate NASA’s new optical technology onto commercial spacecraft and the associated commercial space services.

• Use of PPPs for providing and receiving communication and navigation services o Determine costs, business approach, risk management approach, and terms for the

Government and commercial partner with balanced risk. Assess market expectations, non-Government customer aspects, timeline, transition, and cost factors. Identify Partner and NASA contributions needed for the PPP to succeed.

Note: NASA recently conducted a number of related studies including:

• Architecture study in 2016 https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=0ecf5941143df5ffb1683278 9fc5163e&tab=core&_cview=1

• Commercial services Request For Information (RFI) in 2017 https://www.fbo.gov/index.php?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=05da4c750e56fef6b6f74 764c77cc63a&tab=core&_cview=1

This study builds upon these previous activities to refine and mature the services concept and public-private partnership for commercial communication and navigation services. Lack of previous responses or participation does not preclude responding to this solicitation. This procurement does not include commercializing the NASA-provided optical communications payload. If deemed appropriate by the Government, commercializing the NASA-provided payload will occur through other, separate procurement activities.

https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=0ecf5941143df5ffb16832789fc5163e&tab=core&_cview=1 https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=0ecf5941143df5ffb16832789fc5163e&tab=core&_cview=1 https://www.fbo.gov/index.php?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=05da4c750e56fef6b6f74764c77cc63a&tab=core&_cview=1 https://www.fbo.gov/index.php?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=05da4c750e56fef6b6f74764c77cc63a&tab=core&_cview=1

1.3 NASA Contributions to the Partnership

NASA’s contribution may occur in a number of ways, depending on the needs of the partnership.

Several areas where NASA may contribute and the Offeror may discuss as part of the study effort include:

• Partnership & Shared Costs o Lower development cost: NASA has invested heavily in optical technology overcoming the key technology issues and is planning further investments in terminals with sufficient quantity to help bring down the cost/unit to a level that is competitive with mature RF terminals (that provide a fraction of the optical performance) o Lower development cost: Progress or milestone payments reduce Partner financing costs &/or equity investment o Trusted partner for cooperation on investments, developments, architectures, standards, services, and markets.

o Access to space: potential partner for rideshare to ISS or other options o Use of NASA experts, facilities, tools, simulators, etc.

o Provision of NASA expertise to reduce Partner development cost or risk

• Optical Communications o An optical relay payload which may be available for commercial purposes with terms determined through partnership studies and discussions o Transfer of current optical technology to industry and commercial suppliers o Continuing commercial benefit from continuing NASA investment in, and commercialization of, future optical technology

• Architecture & Standards Development o Development of optical standards o Development of open space relay architecture with associated service management & execution standards

• Space Services Market o Help establish space services market o Long term customer for space relay services o Anchor tenant o Promote market expansion: Advocate for other Government Agencies (OGA) and international partners to participate o Spectrum allocation: Available to coordinate with NTIA & FCC o Advocate and coordinate assignments within ITU of orbital slots

• Shared Risks o Share/mitigate selected financial, technical and operational risks beyond the commercial entity’s capabilities o Provision of NASA expertise to reduce Partner development risk o NASA able to tolerate extended investment period to reach return on investment goals

2 Description of Study Tasks

2.1 Description of Solicitation

NASA is seeking proposals to explore industry partnerships that leverage current or planned commercial space communication and navigation infrastructure including relay satellites, associated ground systems, and services, to provide services to NASA user missions beginning in the mid-2020 timeframe. The use of these services should yield a significant development and operations cost savings to NASA as compared to the costs associated with managing a government owned infrastructure. The growth of the commercial services market will provide NASA with a variety of options between commercial service providers, and allow NASA to benefit from commercial best standards, and proven business practices.

NASA intends to introduce its optical communications technology into operational commercial spacecraft by making optical communication relay payload(s) available to one or more service partners. The Optical Communications Payload (OCP) for a relay satellite consists of notionally four (4) [TBR] Optical Relay Terminals (ORT) and the Payload Electronics. Each ORT consists of the optical module (~20 cm telescope), modems (10 and 100 Gbps), acquisition beacon, and controller electronics. The payload electronics consists of the Data Storage, Data Processing, Switch/Router Unit (SRU), and payload controller. Operationally, the payload, or a subset of the payload, may also be available to the partner for commercial use as concepts develop through the Space Relay Partnership and Services Study. For RF services, NASA will use commercial services and NASA’s existing RF capacity to meet NASA’s future needs.

The attached documents provided with this Appendix describe NASA’s anticipated user needs and potential requirements for a commercially provided space communication service.

Commercial capabilities and service concepts proposed and covered in the study phase should address the requirements, as applicable, while balancing cost, complexity, and risk. All of the concepts described are notional at this time and open for discussion throughout the Partnership and Services study. NASA is encouraging commercial concept of operations approaches which could best address operations, space and ground segment interfaces, use of automation to manage spacecraft services, security, internetworking, and service management needs with the goal of minimizing costs, minimizing user burden, (defined as the mass, power, volume, and cost of the user spacecraft communication subsystem), yet enabling full interoperability among service providers.

All Offerors shall provide a single proposal that addresses all of the following study topics identified in Section 2.2. The proposal shall identify, by section number and heading, the specific study topics addressed when responding in their proposal.

2.2 Space Relay Partnership and Services Study Topics

2.2.1 Requirements Reviews

This study topic entails a review of the attachments provided with this appendix, which provide information on a potential Concept of Operations, as currently envisioned and notional system requirements for the provision of communication and navigation services. Note that NASA will provide an updated requirement document and an optical communication payload accommodations document to those companies who receive awards. NASA is interested in comments on and assessment of the requirements (i.e.

additions, modifications, phasing deployment, and/or deletions) and, validation approaches, as well as the identification of requirements that may drive cost, complexity, risk, or schedule for partner commercial services.

2.2.2 Accommodations of the NASA Provided Optical Payload

This study topic involves the partner’s relay satellite, services and accommodations of NASA’s optical communication payload along with any needed trades for spacecraft resources or functions (e.g., power, mass, volume, data, stability/pointing, field of regard, thermal, and other interfaces). Unlike a hosted payload service, these accommodations and terminals provide optical services to NASA missions and potentially may be used for a commercial purpose such as servicing other customers of the partner. In addition, the partner may consider incorporating NASA’s optical communication system into future commercial satellite nodes and ground infrastructure, which may further advance the service capability and availability.

A partnership accommodating NASA’s optical communication payload includes the approach and trades for: a) the potential transfer of a single payload assembly containing multiple optical terminals and support equipment or individual terminals (and equipment), b) equipment transfer to the partner or from a commercial source as decided with the partner, c) modifications to the NASA payload to meet the partner’s needs or use, and d) varying models of ownership, monitoring, control, and operation of the optical payload(s).

Where appropriate, NASA is interested in Offerors identifying any potential shared resources within the partner’s spacecraft (e.g., processing/routing, memory, or apertures) or ground infrastructure (e.g., ground stations, data processing, or storage and distribution).

2.2.3 Optical and RF Commercial Services

This study topic includes the proposed service architecture, relay satellites (e.g., coverage, capacity, and link configurations) and ground systems; handling and distributing combined Government and commercial data; and the optical and RF services of interest to NASA. This topic addresses NASA requirements along with the needs of the partner. It also includes the services best provided by a Government-owned system due to unique NASA requirements or a limited initial customer base.

NASA’s interests in services includes optical and Ka-band high rate and low rate space-to-space RF relay services that are available to NASA user missions and other commercial customers. High rate RF services may include Ka-band multiple access and multi-beam systems, including provisions for user spacecraft handovers from beam-to-beam, descriptions of service fields of regard, and comparisons with today’s TDRSS.

Ka-band user terminals, operating with both commercial and NASA’s Ka-band systems.

Optical communications concepts are of interest as are any RF service offering’s approach for frequency allocation authorization or other regulatory aspects associated with Government services.

Navigation services, including user mission position, orbit determination, and timing services using in-band radiometrics over RF links, or optimetrics over optical links are also of interest.

Use of commercial services allows Offerors to utilize commercial best practices, as well as NASA’s design and development standards for spacecraft and space operations to achieve the lowest cost of services. Descriptions of commercial best practices and the associated cost savings/avoidance are of interest.

2.2.4 Interoperability among Multiple Service Providers

This study topic defines an approach for interoperability among service providers, (e.g., Government, commercial, or international space agency partner), enabling internetwork compatibility among the providers and the ability for user missions to “roam” or transition operations among service providers. Interoperability may entail accommodations from both the service providers (multiple) and corresponding user terminals with an appropriate role and actions by the Government.

For NASA to use commercial services, two or more commercial providers should exist and offer services that meet user needs to ensure a competitive market with multiple service options (e.g., services and Qualities of Service or QoS) at competitive prices.

NASA desires to partner with multiple providers for communication services to reduce mission risk and ensure service longevity.

Note: NASA is involved in standards development with other world space agencies through the Consultative Committee for Space Data Standards (CCSDS), the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), the Object Management Group (OMG), the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), and the International Standardization Organization (ISO), but is amenable to working with other standard organizations as long as the standards are open and internationally viable for a diverse set of service providers.

2.2.5 Business Partnership and Market Viability

This study topic will inform NASA on a partnership approach for optical and/or RF services with NASA as one of many customers in a commercial marketplace.

Partnership approaches include identification of partner contributions, service levels, costs (including financing, return on investment, and potential cost of services to NASA), liabilities, business plans, market and business viability, potential industry/government risks and mitigations, and any other key aspects necessary for success.

Expectations for NASA resource contributions, including labor and facilities, NASA’s shared cost for development and operations, and cost share opportunities are of interest.

This topic considers service commitments from NASA, the service or platform’s ability to attract non-Government commercial revenue, and challenges and barriers to profitability and sustainability, including recommended Government actions to promote market growth.

2.2.6 Service Concept of Operations

This study topic entails a service concept of operations description and trades associated with service management, the enterprise architecture, operations (e.g., scheduling, link acquisition, authentication, and accounting), security, space internetworking, automation, user terminal characteristics, and other related service aspects.

Service management includes mission planning, service scheduling/demand access, user prioritization, network notifications, network and service automation, operations, service or bandwidth guarantees, QoS, and data delivery. Enterprise management includes the integrated hybrid system of Government and commercial ground and space assets working together to provide NASA with services as a subset of the larger commercial service offerings.

2.2.7 Service Transition Plan and Validation

This study topic entails a plan for NASA to transition from Government-owned and managed spacecraft development and space operations to commercially developed and operated space services. This includes NASA and each partner developing the initial commercial communications capability/node(s) followed by the partner expanding their network to include additional future commercial nodes to provide full global coverage and capacity. This study topic includes an approach for SCaN to commercially acquire, schedule, monitor, and pay for commercial service operations for NASA missions.

This study topic includes a near-term demonstration and validation plan of commercially-provided, interoperable services (optical and RF) to identify and mitigate technical, operational, cultural, and business risks as a precursor to operational user mission use.

The plan should also address the approach to close out the PPP including criteria to trigger closure and a timeline to transition to services provided under conventional commercial contracts.

2.2.8 Space Internetworking

This study topic entails the data routing services, data structure, use of data standards, multi-hop protocols (e.g. Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking or DTN), and space and/or ground implementation tradeoffs. NASA is interested in how multiple data standards (e.g., commercial and/or international standards organizations) may address complex networking topologies among multiple spacecraft.

NASA is also interested in connecting and managing RF and optical, government and commercial user data streams within the relay architecture, as well as interfaces, protocols, and security mechanisms that support secure internetworking in space, on-board the relay satellite. Approaches to data handling should include end-to-end security measures to protect commanding, telemetry, tracking, data, and user mission information and include aspects of authentication, authorization, integrity, and confidentiality.

NASA’s long haul RF and optical communication links require secure protocols to operate across distances typically not supported by Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) Internet Protocols (IP) or TCP/IP connections. Secure data protocols identified for space (e.g., the Bundle Security Protocol that supports DTN) are under development and should be planned for infusion when available.

2.2.9 Secure Data Processing (Space/Ground)

This study topic entails commercial systems providing secure data flow for command and telemetry (TT&C), internetwork space-to-space and space-to-ground links, and crosslinks for space users, particularly when mixing commercial and Government data.

NASA is interested in using RF and optical payloads that are compatible with commercial entities that use standard commercially available and Government approved flight encryption devices for both the space and ground segments. For Government users, systems are likely FIPS 140-2 compliant, since they are moving Government data, while providers may implement alternative protections for commercial users. While a few methods have been developed for bus/payload isolation such as NASA’s optical payload provision for isolating data streams at different levels, there have not been many multi-level security solutions within the domain of space at this point that can be considered by NASA.

NASA is also interested in monitoring data for malicious activity or denial of service attacks on systems that process data at 10 Gbps, 100 Gbps or higher throughput and use automated means to terminate sessions. This will include authentication of legitimate users, identification of legitimate traffic and assessments of machine learning capability that will react to new or known threats. These systems will be “Highly Specialized IT systems” as defined by NPR 7120.5, NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management Requirements, or NPR 7120.8, NASA Research and Technology Program and Project Management Requirements.

2.2.10 User Space Terminal Interoperability

This study topic entails the descriptions and capabilities of user terminals and the functions needed to roam among multiple RF or optical service providers, yet are competitive with current single-provider user terminals in terms of mass, power, volume, and cost.

3 General Information

• Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

• Announcement Title: NextSTEP-2 BAA, Appendix G: Space Relay Partnership and

Services Study, RFP NNH16ZCQ001K - SRP

• Responsible Headquarters Office:

• Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate NASA Headquarters Washington, DC 20546

• Responsible Implementing Center:

• NASA Glenn Research Center 21000 Brookpark Road Cleveland, OH 44235

• Points of Contact:

o Contracting Officer:

Dwight Robinson, Contracting Officer Glenn Research Center 21000 Brookpark Road Cleveland, Ohio 44135 Email: dwight.a.robinson@nasa.gov

• Inquiries: There will be an opportunity to submit written questions on the final release of Appendix G. The questions shall not contain proprietary information nor require proprietary information in the response. NASA will not provide evaluations, opinions, or recommendations regarding any suggested approaches or concepts.

o All questions shall be directed to the Contracting Officer, dwight.a.robinson@nasa.gov, by October 2, 2018, no later than 5:00 pm Eastern Time.

o Inquiries shall identify the Company Name and BAA number in the subject field of e-mails.

• Proposals Due: The Offeror’s proposals must be submitted electronically to the following email: dwight.a.robinson@nasa.gov in accordance with instructions no later than November 2, 2018, no later than 12:00 pm Eastern Time.

4 Eligibility Information

4.1 Eligibility of Applicants

This Appendix is open to non-Government U.S. institutions (companies, nonprofit organizations) only. NASA civil servants, Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) employees, national laboratories, and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) shall not be eligible to propose on any effort associated with this announcement.

4.2 Corporate Resources

Offerors are required to show a minimum corporate contribution of 20% (10% for a Small Business as defined by the SBIR small business eligibility, as posted here:

http://sbir.nasa.gov/content/nasa-sbirsttr-program-definitions ) of the overall effort, made within the last year, that is directly relevant to the proposed effort for eligibility to participate in this solicitation. The overall effort is defined as the combination of corporate contribution and government resources invested in the proposed effort. 50% of the Corporate Contribution must be invested coincident with the period of performance of this effort. Offerors shall describe how they intend to meet this eligibility requirement in Section II of the proposal. Additional information on corporate resources is contained in the omnibus portion of this BAA.

Corporate contribution may be in the form of direct labor, travel, consumables or other in-kind contributions. Also, other reasonable forms of corporate contribution may include investments in special facilities or equipment, tooling or other prior private investment, and internally funded technology maturation such as Independent Research and Development (IRAD) are deemed acceptable for this effort. For this BAA, state and local government contributions may be included with private corporate resources.

The value of participation by federally funded participants and/or the use of federal government facilities shall be added to the price to the Government for determining whether the 20% required corporate contribution has been met.

Criteria and procedures for the allowability and allocability of cash and non-cash contributions shall be governed by FAR Parts 30 and 31, and NFS Parts 1830 and 1831. NASA reserves the right to hold due diligence discussions to make reasonable determinations regarding corporate contributions.

4.3 Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCI)

NASA has determined that the receipt of a contract from this appendix will not constitute an OCI based on biased ground rules that would prevent the recipients from proposing on subsequent solicitations regarding future Public-Private Partnerships described in this BAA. NASA based this determination on FAR Section 9.505-2 (b) (1) (iii), which provides an exception for preparing specifications or work statements. This exception applies when more than one contractor has been involved in preparing the statement of work. NASA intends to award two or more contracts for studies. Additionally, the studies will provide valuable information for the Statement of Work, but are not to write the specifications or work statement.

5 Proposal Submission Information

5.1 Instructions for Proposals

See the omnibus BAA for general instructions. Where instructions for this appendix are different, the specific instructions in this section are in addition to or supersede the general instructions in the omnibus BAA.

5.1.1 Proposal Format and Contents

The proposal format and content requirements as outlined in this section below are specific to this appendix and supersede the instructions in the omnibus BAA. The required sections of the proposal must be submitted as one searchable, unlocked PDF file with edit permission enabled.

http://sbir.nasa.gov/content/nasa-sbirsttr-program-definitions

Applicants must comply with the format and page limit requirements as described in this Appendix.

There is a 12 MB limit for the electronic media file size for proposals. Only attachments that are specifically requested in this Appendix should be submitted. The requested proposal electronic naming convention is as follows: Company Name - NNH16ZCQ001K-SRP

Requirements in this Appendix supersede any requirements in the NASA Guidebook for Proposers or in the omnibus BAA. If any requirements conflict between the omnibus solicitation, Appendix G takes precedence.

Pages in excess of the page limits for each section will not be evaluated. 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.

Applicants shall use the email: dwight.a.robinson@nasa.gov for proposal submissions. The e-mail submission shall identify the email as Company Name - NNH16ZCQ001K-SRP Proposal Submission in the subject field of the e-mail.

Proposals received by the Government after November 2, 2018 , 12:00 PM Eastern Time will not be accepted. Hard copies will not be accepted.

Proposal Section Page Limitations

Title Page 1 Executive Summary (Section I) 3 Proof of Eligibility (Section II) 3 Qualifications of the Offeror (Section III) 5 Approach to Conducting Studies (Section IV) 25

System concept, technical approach, and business approach Intellectual Property (Section V) 1 Signed Model Contract (Section VI) No limit Price Proposal (Section VII) No limit Attachments (See page 19-20 for proposal attachment details) No limit

Title Page:

• Include any Notice of Restriction on Use and Disclosure of Proposal Information.

• An optional graphic image may be included.

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

• Date of the proposal

• The title and solicitation number

• Organization name and address

• Proposer Point of Contact name, title, e-mail address, and phone number

• Company CAGE Code and/or DUNS number

• 120 day proposal validity period

I. Executive Summary: 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.

II. Proof of Eligibility: Provide information showing that the Respondent and all team members are eligible participants as stipulated in Section 3 of the omnibus BAA and Section 4 of this Appendix. Describe compliance with eligibility requirements as needed. Explain how the required corporate contribution resources will be satisfied.

III. Qualifications of the Offeror: Provide information on the organization’s capabilities and the qualifications of key personnel. Provide information showing demonstrated technical and financial experience or ability to provide RF or optical communication and navigation space services to NASA missions and incorporating NASA’s optical payload/terminals (for optical service submissions).

IV. Approach to Conducting Studies: The Offerors shall describe their approach to conducting each study task and address all the topics identified in Section 2.2, considering the goals and objectives of the partnership and study. The proposal shall identify, by section number and heading, the specific study topic that the offeror is responding to in their proposal.

• Include in the proposal, for the appropriate study topic, introductions to the Offeror’s system concept, maturity, and long-term deployment strategy and viability for the commercial service network.

• Include an overview of the intended market for these services; an overview of how NASA could transition to using these commercial services in general and NASA’s role during the transition; and candidate study areas to address how interoperability among multiple providers will be ensured.

• Discuss the prospect of accommodating NASA’s optical payload and the candidate trades or study areas to determine on-board data processing and data storage needs.

• Describe how this activity advances the intent of the public-private partnership concept and aligns with NASA’s strategic goal to stimulate the commercial space communications and navigation service industry by leveraging available and future commercial capabilities throughout this partnership and future contracts to deliver user mission services.

• Include an overview of the business approach, a framework for the customer/partnership model, an overview of how the business cases will be met through this partnership, and a discussion of business risks.

Proposals offering a) only optical space services, b) only RF space services, or c) a combination of optical and RF space services are acceptable. For RF services only, payload accommodations (study topic 2.2.2) may not apply.

V. Intellectual Property: The Offeror shall describe the approach for data rights, and how they meet the objectives outlined in the omnibus BAA, Section 2.7, Intellectual Property Developed Under an Award.

VI. Signed Model Contract: A Model Contract is provided in Attachment D of this Appendix. Please be advised that all sections designated with the text [OFI] represent “Offeror Fill-Ins”. It is required that Offerors submit the signed model contract with the proposal with all OFI’s complete and bearing a handwritten signature of a person duly authorized to bind the Offeror.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 should be listed clearly in a Summary of Exceptions. 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/discussions. However, the Government reserves the right to negotiate with selected Offerors, cost/price terms and any other terms, if it is deemed in the best interest of the Government.

VII. Price Proposal: The price proposal shall include the overall firm fixed price in a single Contract Line Item (CLIN) not to exceed $500K. 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 omnibus BAA, Attachment A.

• In the Price Forms contained in the omnibus BAA instructions, the Offeror shall add a table listing the breakout and value of corporate resources.

• In the Price Forms contained in the omnibus BAA instructions, the Offeror shall add a list of Government-contributed resources, if any, and the estimated value.

Note, there is no Government Furnished Equipment/Government Furnished Property envisioned for the performance of the study contracts.

Required Attachments:

• Attachment A: Offeror’s Statement of Work: The Offeror shall provide a draft Offeror’s Statement of Work that includes a work breakdown structure, a description of the major tasks, milestones, and the content of deliverables for their proposed effort.

• Attachment B: Payment Milestones: The proposal shall include three payment milestones:

at kickoff meeting, mid-term review (~90 days), and at contract completion (~150 days).

The Offeror shall propose the associated objective success criteria/deliverables for the individual study topics and the payment amount.

• Attachment C: List of Proposed Deliverables: The Offeror shall provide a list of proposed deliverables that is consistent with the Additional Proposal Guidance regarding Study Deliverables. Each deliverable description shall include a descriptive title, objectives, description of content, proposed format of deliverable, and estimated submittal date(s) based on contract start date plus [OFI] days.

• Attachment D: Corporate Resources Documentation: The Offeror shall provide documentation showing proof of corporate contributions. An example is provided in the omnibus BAA Section 3.2.5

• Attachment E: Resumes: Resumes may be included for key personnel, limited to no more than one single sided page each.

5.1.2 Additional Proposal Guidance

Contract Structure

• The Study contract is not to exceed five (5) months in duration.

• Payment milestones should reference studies completed for that payment.

Deliverables

• The following reports, briefings, and project communication will inform NASA of the study progress and results. The Offeror may propose additional deliverables.

Reports

1. Relay Services Architecture Description

2. Relay Services Concept of Operations / Service Catalog Description o Service Management o Sample Service Level Agreement

3. Relay Services Partnership and Business Plan

4. Relay Spacecraft(s) & Payload Accommodations Description o Requirements Assessment o Trade Study Results

5. Relay Services Transition and Demonstration

6. Executive Summary of Study Findings

Briefings

• Kick-off Meeting, Mid-Term Briefing, and Final Briefing

Deliverable Schedule

• Kick-off Meeting – ~ 10 days after award, expected at contractor facility or other mutually agreeable location.

• Mid Term Briefing – ~ 90 days after award, held at NASA GRC, Cleveland, Ohio o Reports [1]-[3] – Two weeks prior to Mid-term Briefing o [1] Relay Services Architecture Definition – Final o [2] Relay Services Concept of Operations/Service Catalog– Draft o [3] Relay Services Partnership and Business Plan – Draft

• Final Briefing – ~140 days after award, held at NASA HQ, Washington, D.C.

o Reports [3]-[6] – Two weeks prior to Final Briefing, updated with NASA comments prior to delivery o [2] Relay Services Concept of Operations/Service Catalog - Final o [3] Relay Services Partnership and Business Plan – Final o [4] Relay Spacecraft(s) & Accommodations Description – Final o [5] Relay Service Catalog/Transition – Final o [6] Executive Summary – Final

Communications with NASA

• Status/project telecoms/web meetings – Anticipate on a bi-weekly basis. Will be held as needed, and mutually agreed upon.

• Technical Interchange Meetings (TIMs) – Will be held as needed, at a mutually agreed upon location or by telecon.

6 Proposal Review Information

NASA will review and evaluate proposals in accordance with the omnibus BAA, Section 5.

NASA will evaluate proposals using the following evaluation factors, with each factor weighted as shown:

Factor 1 – Relevance (35%): The Government will evaluate the relevance of the proposal to meet the services study objectives, the Government’s interests and goals to establish PPPs, including how the proposal and planned partnership and service address the notional study requirements. The Government will also consider demonstrated knowledge and understanding of current NASA SCaN services and infrastructure, including the attachments of this appendix, and NASA’s vision for the future space communications and navigation architecture, the PPP, and future use of commercial services.

Optical Services and RF Services - While NASA is considering both optical and RF services in the next generation architecture and within this solicitation, added consideration will be given to proposals that offer optical accommodations and services for NASA and commercial customers (with or without RF services) compared with proposals that only offer RF services to NASA (or commercial customers). NASA is basing this emphasis on the expected timing of the optical services deployment in mid 2020s and the remaining RF service capability of NASA’s TDRS until the 2030s. RF services are currently under study and will be considered for deployment as opportunities occur or as needed as NASA retires elements and the TDRSs.

Factor 2 – Technical Merit (45%): The Government will evaluate the quality, depth, and thoroughness of the proposed technical and public private partnership approach and the organization’s capabilities and the qualifications of key personnel. Demonstrated technical concept and ability to provide space services to NASA missions (and incorporation of NASA’s optical payload). Proposal demonstrates an understanding of a potential PPP with a path to commercially available services.

Factor 3 – Price (20%): The Government will evaluate the overall cost reasonableness of the firm fixed price estimate and corporate contributions including the extent to which the Offeror complied with the specified dollar limits in this Announcement. The Government will evaluate the total direct labor hours by skill mix, travel, and subcontracts. In addition, an analysis will be done on the corporate contribution to ensure that it properly aligns with the proposed effort.

7 Award Information Contract Award: NASA reserves the right to select for award multiple, one, or none of the proposals received in response to this solicitation. The overall number of awards will be dependent upon funding availability and evaluation results.