RFP Cover Letter.pdf

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Reply to Attn of:

John F. Kennedy Space Center Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899

OP-MS

February 16, 2022

TO: All Prospective Offerors

SUBJECT: Request for Proposal (RFP), Solicitation No. 80KSC022R0004, for Consolidated Operations, Management, Engineering, and Test (COMET)

You are invited to submit a proposal in response to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Kennedy Space Center (KSC) COMET solicitation. The purpose of this requirement is to enable the evolution of exploration mission services and the principal functions are to provide safe operations, maintenance and processing of complex launch-related ground systems that require skilled engineering and integrated management. COMET will provide engineering; ground system development; flight vehicle/spacecraft processing;

and launch, landing, and recovery operations for the following Exploration Systems Development programs: Exploration Ground Systems, Space Launch System, and Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle Programs. COMET will provide services to International Space Station, Launch Services Program as well as other NASA programs, commercial ventures, and partnerships at KSC.

NASA/KSC appreciates the comments received in response to the release of the Draft RFP.

These comments resulted in improvements to the quality and content of the overall RFP.

Offerors should review the RFP in its entirety, as its content has changed from the Draft RFP version. Enclosure 1 is provided to summarize the significant changes made from the Draft RFP that may not have been addressed in the Draft RFP questions and responses. Enclosure 1 is not intended to cover all changes nor describe all solicitation requirements. Offerors should carefully review the solicitation in its entirety to discern all changes. Enclosure 2 provides responses to questions received in response to the Draft RFP and Industry Day, and during one-on-one exchanges with prospective offerors.

NASA will conduct this acquisition as a full and open competition. The North American Industry Classification System code for this acquisition is 541715, Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology), with a 1,250-employee small business size standard exception for guided missiles and space vehicles, their propulsion units and propulsion parts.

This competitive acquisition will result in the award of a cost-plus-incentive-fee/award fee (CPIF/AF) contract with an indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) ordering mechanism. The baseline or core requirements are contemplated to be CPIF/AF. The contract provides for issuance of cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price IDIQ task orders.

The contract will have a total potential period of performance of ten years, including a four-year base period, and three two-year option periods. The anticipated contract award date is on or about August 8, 2022, with start of performance on or about October 1, 2022. The contract will be performed primarily onsite at NASA/KSC with support to other facilities across the United States and globally.

Prospective offerors must ensure compliance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.204-7 System for Award Management, and FAR 52.222-37 Employment Reports on Veterans. Additionally, pursuant to FAR 52.222-24, Preaward On-Site Equal Opportunity Compliance Evaluation, the successful offeror must pass an Equal Employment Opportunity clearance before contract award.

Potential offerors should pay close attention to all solicitation instructions; however, the following additional information is provided to assist in proposal development. Please note that this list is not exhaustive, and the solicitation terms and conditions and provisions take precedence:

1. Offerors are encouraged to refer to FAR 52.215-1, Instructions to Offerors - Competitive Acquisition, in particular paragraph (f)(4) which discusses the Government's right to award a contract without discussions.

2. The Government is concerned with the quality and stability of the work force to be employed on this contract. Pursuant to solicitation provision M.3.1 paragraph (f), prospective offerors are cautioned that compensation that is unrealistically low or not in reasonable relationship to the various job categories for professional and service employees, may be viewed as evidence of a failure to comprehend the complexity of the contract requirements and adversely impact the offeror's Mission Suitability score, or may constitute sufficient cause to justify result in rejection of the proposal.

3. NASA has determined that this acquisition may give rise to a potential organizational conflict of interest. Offerors should refer to provision L.26 Notice of Potential Organizational Conflicts of Interest, for a description of the potential conflict(s) and responsibilities of the offeror, and NASA FAR Supplement (NFS) 1852.209-71 Limitation of Future Contracting, at section H.2 in the solicitation, for any restrictions on future contracting.

4. Prospective offerors must complete Attachments L-03 Basic Cost Price Template and L-05 SubK-Hourly FBLR Details Template, which are incorporated with the solicitation, and which replace L-03 Basic Cost Price Template-DRAFT and L-05 SubK-Hourly FBLR Details Template-DRAFT in their entirety. Copying the "Equivalent Government Labor Classification Titles" from the DRAFT files will result in inaccurate pricing in the prime's proposal.

5. In accordance with provision L.22 Past Performance Volume Instructions, prospective offerors and their major subcontractor(s) are responsible for forwarding Attachment L-01, Past Performance Questionnaire to customers listed in its proposal and for ensuring timely submission of questionnaires to the contracting officer.

6. The offeror (excluding joint ventures) shall possess a current “Top Secret” facility clearance level at the time of proposal submission. Refer to solicitation provision L.27 Facility Security Clearance Requirement and NFS 1852.204-75 Security Classification Requirements, at section I.17 of the solicitation for more information, including requirements for offerors that are joint ventures.

7. A phase-in period of approximately 45 days will be conducted prior to the performance start date. Contract phase-in will be established via a separate fixed price purchase order. Refer to solicitation provision L.16 Contract Phase-in.

8. The Government contemplates conversion of the contract type as described in contract deliverable DRD 1.2-6, Proposed Conversion of Contract Line Item(s), from cost reimbursement to fixed price.

9. The COMET acquisition website is at https://procurement.ksc.nasa.gov/COMET.

This website provides prospective offerors access to a library of technical documents applicable to this acquisition.

Documents related to this acquisition, including this memorandum, the solicitation, attachments, appendices, amendments (if any), and link to the library of technical documents will be attainable electronically through the Governmentwide point of entry, https://sam.gov/.

Prospective offerors are responsible for monitoring the websites for updates.

NFS 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. The Ombudsman for this acquisition can be found at https://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/regs/Procurement-Ombuds-Comp- Advocate-Listing.pdf under the procurement location “KSC”.

This does not commit NASA/KSC to pay any proposal preparation costs, nor does it obligate NASA/KSC to procure or contract for these services. This request is not an authorization to proceed and does not authorize payment for any charges incurred by the offeror for performing any of the work called for in this solicitation.

Proposals submitted in response to this solicitation shall be due no later than: see provision L.18 Proposal Submission.

In accordance with NFS 1815.201(f), a “Blackout Notice” has been issued to NASA personnel. All questions, inquiries or communications pertaining to this acquisition shall be directed to only the Contracting Officer at ksc-comet-team@mail.nasa.gov. Refer to provision L.14 Communications Regarding this Solicitation, for the due date for submission of questions.

Thank you for your interest, we look forward to receiving your proposals

Christina M. Johnsen Contracting Officer

Enclosures:

1. Summary of Significant Changes from the Draft RFP

2. COMET Questions and Responses

3. RFP Question Form

CHRISTINA

JOHNSEN

Digitally signed by CHRISTINA

JOHNSEN

Date: 2022.02.16 19:42:28 -05'00'