VIPER LVSP AFPP.pdf

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Lunar Volatiles Science Partnership (LVSP)

Announcement for Partnership Proposals

NASA-LVSP

Solicitation NNH25ZDA010L

Release Date: February 3, 2025

Step 1 Proposals Due: March 3, 2025, 4pm Eastern Standard Time

Step 1 Results: March 10, 2025 (estimated)

Step 2 (Limited) Proposals Due: no earlier than May 2, 2025 (estimated), 4pm

Eastern Daylight Time

Exploration Science Strategy Integration Office

Science Mission Directorate

NASA Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA LVSP AFPP

For Questions Regarding This Announcement:

Contact HQ-volatilespartnership@mail.nasa.gov

AMENDMENTS AND HISTORY PAGE

Amend

No.

DESCRIPTION DATE

Announcement for Partnership Proposals

2/3/2025

Contents

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

1.2 Purpose and Partnership Strategy

1.3 Approach

1.4 Milestones

2. INFORMATION FOR PROPOSERS

2.1 General Information

2.2 Eligibility Requirements

2.3 Compliance with U.S. Laws, Regulations and Policies

2.4 Title and Rights in Personal Property

2.5 Anticipated Funding

2.6 Use of Government Resources

2.7 Ombudsman

2.8 Government Proposal Review Personnel

3. INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROPOSALS

3.1 Proposal Submittal

3.2 Proposal Content

3.2.1 Step 1 Proposal Content Outline

3.2.2 Step 2 Proposal Content Outline

3.2.3 Step 2 Proposal Section I: Executive Summary

3.2.4 Step 2 Proposal Section II: Technical and Science Approach

3.2.5 Step 2 Proposal Section III: Schedule

3.2.6 Step 2 Proposal Section IV: Implementation Approach (Management, Funding, Insight)

3.2.7 Step 2 Proposal Section V: NASA expenditures and cost

3.2.8 Step 2 Proposal Appendix 1: Proposed Cooperative Research and Development

Agreement (CRADA)

3.2.9 Step 2 Proposal Appendix 2: Proposed Government Resources

3.2.10 Step 2 Proposal Appendix 3: Supplemental Business Data

3.2.11 Step 2 Proposal Appendix 4: Draft Technical Implementation Plan

4. PROPOSAL EVALUATION AND SELECTION

4.1 Process and Criteria

4.2. Step 1 Process

4.3 Step 1 Evaluation Criteria

4.4 Step 2 Process

4.5 Step 2 Evaluation Criteria

1. Technical and Science Approach

2. Schedule

3. Management

4. NASA Expenditures and Costs

4.6 Selection and Award

AFPP APPENDIX A: DRAFT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

AGREEMENT

ii

NNH25ZDA010L Page 1 of 55 VIPER LVSP AFPP

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

This Announcement for Partnership Proposals (AFPP) invites proposals from parties interested in partnering with NASA to obtain science data with NASA’s Volatiles Investigating Polar Explorer

Rover (VIPER) rover by delivering it to the Moon, operating it and sharing with NASA the science results.

On July 17, NASA announced its intent to discontinue the VIPER mission due to overall Science

Mission Directorate funding constraints, future budget risks, and lander delays. At that time, NASA requested expressions of interest from potential partners interested in conducting VIPER mission concepts that maximize value to the Agency through innovative mission ideas and arrangements. NASA issued a public request for information (RFI), as several parties asked for additional information about VIPER and about how to share their interest with NASA. NASA determined that there are potentially feasible mission concepts offered by potentially viable partners to complete the VIPER mission within the parameters specified, based on the RFI responses and other NASA market research.

This AFPP envisions a novel partnership under which NASA will substantially achieve VIPER’s envisioned science return while growing the lunar economy and demonstrating partner technical capabilities for lunar landing and resource prospecting. A successful partnership will demonstrate commercial capabilities in lunar science and exploring the resource potential of the moon.

NASA’s partner will gain unique experience delivering a 500kg payload to the lunar surface, which aligns with a key interest of NASA’s Explorations Systems Development Mission

Directorate’s recent lunar cargo surface study. This mass range may be extensible to future major

NASA science missions as well as commercial enterprises. The partnership will leverage

NASA’s substantial investment in lunar science and further promote a commercial lunar economy in alignment with NASA’s Strategic Plan.

VIPER is a robotic lunar rover designed to explore the Moon in search of water ice and other potential volatile resources. The suite of instruments was selected to address high priority science questions by providing information about the origin and distribution of water on the Moon and across the solar system. The data the rover collects could be used to indicate where the Moon’s water ice is most likely to be found and easiest to access. The original science objectives of the

VIPER mission were to:

• Characterize the distribution and physical state of lunar polar water and other volatiles in lunar cold traps and regolith to understand their origin.

• Provide the data necessary for NASA to evaluate the potential return of In-Situ

Resource Utilization (ISRU) from the lunar polar regions.

To accomplish these objectives, VIPER was intended to explore four polar “Ice Stability Regions”

(ISRs), based on the predicted thermal stability of ice with depth and defined as follows:

https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-ends-viper-project-continues-moon-exploration/ https://sam.gov/opp/31284effc2ba4da4978a6dde931b6250/view https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/acr24-lunar-surface-cargo.pdf?emrc=641f61

NNH25ZDA010L Page 2 of 55 VIPER LVSP AFPP

• “Surface” - Ice potentially stable on the surface in Permanently Shadowed Regions

(PSRs).

• “Shallow” - Ice stable within 20cm from the surface.

• “Deep” - Ice stable between 20-85cm from the surface.

• “Dry” - Ice not likely stable below 85cm from the surface.

VIPER would then characterize the thermal environments and geologic settings of Permanently

Shadowed Regions (PSRs), Transiently Shadowed Regions (TSRs), micro cold traps, and peaks of near-eternal light. VIPER is a remotely commanded, ~500kg, golf-cart sized rover of approximate dimensions 1.5m x 1.5m x 2.0m. Appropriate battery energy storage and thermal management, in part through traverse planning, enable the rover to survive multiple lunar day-night cycles. Due to the mission operations needed, the rover must be operated by mission control staff on Earth and communicated with using near-real time direct to Earth (DTE) communications. The rover was designed to operate for approximately 100 Earth-days to cover three cycles of lunar day/night near the western edge of Nobile Crater in the lunar South Pole region.

The VIPER rover was designed to explore Mons Mouton near Nobile Crater and to venture into some of the semi-permanent regions (i.e. TSRs) and permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) of the Lunar South Pole to survey different ice-stability regions, to detect and to assess volatile distribution and concentration. The rover carries four instruments including a one-meter drill.

Collectively, the instrument set is designed to detect and analyze various lunar soil environments at a range of different depths and temperatures:

• The VIPER drill, The Regolith and Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrain (TRIDENT), excavates using an auger/percussion approach, which utilizes a hammering action in conjunction with a rotary motion, to penetrate to a depth of 1-meter and deliver lunar regolith in small (10 centimeter) segments for vertical profiling.

• The Neutron Spectrometer System (NSS) instrument is designed to prospect for and map the distribution of hydrogen-rich materials while roving. NSS is located on the front of the rover to have an unobstructed view of the lunar surface.

• The Near InfraRed Volatiles Spectrometer System (NIRVSS) instrument operates during roving or while drilling. The instrument looks for near real-time changes in the properties of the materials exposed. Using different wavelengths of light to illuminate the surface, NIRVSS provides an additional means of surveying the surface and immediate excavation site for water and other volatiles, providing surface and regolith mineral context.

• The Mass Spectrometer observing lunar operations (MSolo) instrument operates during roving or while drilling. MSolo identifies low-molecular weight volatiles on the surface or from subsurface excavations. Working in concert with the NIRVSS instrument, the instruments analyze volatiles from the materials delivered by the drill bit from a depth of up to one meter.

NNH25ZDA010L Page 3 of 55 VIPER LVSP AFPP

The below document will lay out two steps for this AFPP evaluation, with a second (limited) Step 2 process involving a more detailed proposal. For the selected Step 2 proposers, there will be a targeted

Q&A session focused on lower-level details of the VIPER rover. NASA will review the VIPER mission as developed and will status ground system development and rover completion including the vibration, acoustic, and thermal test campaigns that it completed in 2024 as well as the state of analyzing the resulting data. Such presentations will reflect NASA’s current understanding of the system, which may have errors. Based on the current state of VIPER development, the proposer may elect to conduct additional testing or analysis, at proposer’s expense, to increase the odds of mission success. There will be an overview of capabilities of the VIPER instruments as well as the mission operations and operational capabilities of VIPER. Proposers are reminded that goods, services, facilities, or equipment provided under this Agreement are provided "as is." NASA makes no express or implied warranty as to the condition of any such goods, services, facilities, or equipment, or as to the condition of any research or information provided under this Agreement.

On the Volatiles Partnership website (https://science.nasa.gov/lunar-science/volatiles-partnership/), within a few days of AFPP release, NASA will make available a reference document which will include a summary of technical and interface requirements of the current ‘project of record’ for VIPER. The VIPER rover vibration and acoustic qualification tests were successfully completed, per requirements established for the Astrobotic Griffin Mission-1 lander, which VIPER was previously manifested on prior to VIPER’s cancellation. A different VIPER lunar delivery system may require new analysis and additional testing. Additionally, the VIPER rover had been designed for mechanical, electrical, and structural interfaces with the Griffin Mission 1 lander. The proposer will have to accommodate the existing VIPER side of the interface, which is described in the reference document within a few days of AFPP release. NASA views any potential design changes or hardware modifications to the VIPER rover as potentially introducing risk, and mitigating such potential changes is part of an evaluation criterion. At a future Q&A session, NASA will also provide information on expected export control issues that might emerge when handling and operating VIPER systems.

The following items identify a known but not an exhaustive list of potentially significant factors a proposer may want to consider in preparing a response to this AFPP.

• The VIPER rover and its instrument suite are designed to receive commanding from

Earth via direct-to-Earth communications. The VIPER rover moves autonomously though 4-6m position commands from the ground, avoiding obstacles along the way. The communication system is designed to use an X-band transceiver utilizing NASA Deep

Space Network (DSN) for DTE bi-directional transmission. Use of NASA’s DSN shall be on a fully reimbursable basis as part of this agreement, if requested. Because DSN is a limited and highly sought after NASA resource, early coordination with NASA Space

Communications and Navigation (SCaN) office (coordinated through SMD/ESSIO) will be required for scheduling of services from integration/system testing through mission deployment. Traverse commands are waypoints created from rover path planning based on near real-time imaging feedback and full system telemetry. A ground mission-ops, science, and traverse planning team, including rover engineers and instrument scientists, will be necessary to safely operate the vehicle and its instrument suite. The proposer may request, on a fully reimbursable basis, that NASA provide this existing expertise and/or https://science.nasa.gov/lunar-science/volatiles-partnership/

NNH25ZDA010L Page 4 of 55 VIPER LVSP AFPP ground mission-ops capabilities, for this uniquely designed rover system. Information and the process for ascertaining NASA cost estimates is identified below.

• Prior to launch, the VIPER rover system requires periodic monitoring and maintenance to minimize capacity degradation over a long period of ground storage. The VIPER team developed a plan for maintaining the rover while in storage, awaiting mission integration with a lunar delivery proposer. NASA will explain this plan at the Proposer Q&A and

VIPER briefing day. Each proposer should indicate their preferred approach for VIPER storage after partnership initiation and prior to hardware integration; if continued use of

NASA storage facilities are desired, then this service can be made available on a fully reimbursable basis, that includes periodic health monitoring. Transportation and storage requirements and capabilities should be defined in the proposal to enable proposal evaluators to identify any risks to the rover.

• Knowledge transfer may be an important consideration for proposers. NASA has captured some significant technical information in the above noted reference document, “VIPER– Program of Record Technical Information to Inform Partnership Proposal

Formulation,” reflecting program plans and requirements for VIPER’s initially planned development approach. This reference document currently exists but has export-controlled information tied to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and

Export Administration Regulations (EAR), and proposers must comply with ITAR/EAR restrictions. A cleared non-export controlled version of the document will be released within a few days of AFPP release at the Volatiles Partnership website noted above, and at the same time NASA will provide information at the Volatiles Partnership website noted above about how qualified US companies may obtain the full document. This information goes beyond what was provided in the RFI. As with any engineering development, there is significant tacit knowledge about how the VIPER rover, its instruments, and its initially envisioned mission operations concept and communications architecture would function that is hard to explicitly convey in a reference document.

NASA will provide more information to selected Step 2 proposers about VIPER technical details and interfaces, some of which may have ITAR/EAR restrictions. This knowledge transfer challenge may well motivate a potential partner to propose the use of government resources on a reimbursable basis as described in Section 2.6. VIPER project has also previously released relevant data at this website, which may be updated over the course of this APPP:

o https://science.nasa.gov/mission/viper/rfi/

• The selected Partner will be responsible for all aspects of VIPER integration with the offeror’s lunar delivery system, and subsequent lunar delivery. Additional testing and analysis of the VIPER rover, which will be provided on an “as-is” basis, may be desired by the Partner, and will be subject to NASA approval. Any subsequent design and operational changes asked to be performed by NASA staff shall be implemented on a fully reimbursable basis. Any changes to the VIPER rover hardware and software must receive written permission from NASA given that NASA will retain ownership of the rover.

• Sharing of scientific data (defined in Model Agreement) with NASA per NASA’s open data policies is part of the proposal content directions and evaluation criteria. Earlier sharing of scientific data is viewed more favorably.

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• To protect the ability to successfully complete mission objectives, the mission should employ cybersecurity safeguards. NASA has captured recent cyber security best practices in a series of requirements that are briefly outlined below. Approaches to cyber security will be assessed and reviewed as part of the technical evaluation criteria.

Proposers should adopt best practices equivalent to the NASA and NIST requirements noted below.

o Project Protection (Spacecraft) NASA-STD-1006A Space System Protection

Standard1.

• Command Stack Protection and Backup

• Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) resilience from full or temporary loss

• Interference Training and Reporting o Cybersecurity

• Inventory: Accurately document, track, and report all components to

System Security Plans

• Operating System (OS) Management: Architect to allow seamless OS and

Software upgrades

• Security Plan Management: Align to NIST 800-53 with Authorization to

Operate (ATO)/ and ongoing in Phase E

• Vulnerability Management: Architect to allow frequent and continuous security patches

• Protection: implement Zero Trust o Operational Security (OPSEC)

• Acknowledge adversarial threats to mission exists

• Limit the exposure of data that benefit adversaries

• Identify, control, and protect information associated with planning and execution of mission

1.2 Purpose and Partnership Strategy

NASA is seeking a partner to conduct a Lunar Volatiles Science Partnership using NASA’s

Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) rover on the Moon that addresses some or all of NASA’s science objectives for VIPER, and could accomplish other NASA exploration objectives, as well as any partner objectives. NASA would contribute the existing VIPER rover as-is. The partner would start with the existing VIPER rover and be expected to complete any additional desired systems level testing, arrange for the integration with the partner’s lander and partner-provided launch vehicle, and successfully land on the Moon, conduct a science/exploration campaign, and disseminate VIPER-generated science data. Partner would also be expected to provide all other resources required to complete the mission from the hardware’s current state and to fully reimburse NASA for use of any desired NASA capabilities

(including but not limited to any additional testing and anomaly resolution activities, payload preparation and processing support, science/instrument/operations teams support, or use of DSN) needed to successfully complete the mission. Partners may propose that NASA provide services

1 Access to NASA standards can be obtained at standards.nasa.gov.

NNH25ZDA010L Page 6 of 55 VIPER LVSP AFPP that are not reimbursed, which would result in their proposal being evaluated less favorably. The mission partner remains responsible for mission success. Any desired NASA support is provided on a best-effort basis. All NASA-provided goods, services, facilities, or equipment shall be provided on a best-effort basis, and therefore the Partner’s decision to utilize NASA-provided goods, services, facilities, or equipment will be at the Partner’s risk. Partners may not disassemble and use instruments/parts of VIPER separately from a VIPER mission.

A selected partnership proposal would culminate in a Cooperative Research and Development

Agreement (CRADA) for a Lunar Volatiles Science Partnership (LVSP). Use of a CRADA will allow for the incorporation of reimbursable and non-reimbursable aspects of a partnership into a single agreement. NASA will not be providing funding to the Partner under this agreement;

further, use of a CRADA does not allow for NASA to provide funds directly to the Partner.

The purpose of this contemplated agreement is to enable important scientific research using the existing NASA VIPER rover asset and to make the resulting scientific data available to the science community and the public. These outcomes would help to enable NASA’s broader scientific goals, indirectly informing planning for future Artemis missions, and help provide commercial sector insight tied to resource prospecting.

This Announcement seeks proposals to deliver the VIPER rover to the lunar surface and to perform science operations with it, including the collection and dissemination of VIPER-generated science data that derive from VIPER instruments. Proposers (those responding to this

Announcement) will propose how to accomplish these goals, providing sufficient detail in their proposal such that a subsequent Technical Implementation Plan can be developed that captures the proposed scope of work. Proposals for subsystems and individual technologies (e.g.

instruments, components) are not sought by this Announcement. Proposers may propose to use capabilities that align with other U.S. Government efforts the proposer may have under separate contract or agreement, such as a proposed lander asset that may separately be used to deliver the

VIPER rover. Proposer may not request reimbursable services from NASA that are related to other non-LVSP activities, including existing contracts, agreements or grants.

1.3 Approach

NASA seeks proposals for an expeditious landing and operation of the VIPER rover, which will inform NASA’s evaluation and partner selection as outlined below. NASA will provision the

VIPER rover hardware to the partner as-is. Partner will be responsible for integrated testing with their lander and analysis, integration, launch, lunar transit, landing, rover roll-off/offload/disembarkment, and surface operations and dissemination of VIPER-generated science data in accordance with the terms of the resulting CRADA agreement. The period of performance in no event shall exceed five years. Proposers may propose a shorter period of performance and are encouraged to have early but reliable proposed lunar landing plans.

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This Announcement and subsequent agreements with a Partner (as eligible as defined by Section

2.1) are referred to as Lunar Volatiles Science Partnership (LVSP). NASA will commence its

LVSP activity with Partner upon execution of the CRADA, which is targeted for mid-2025.

This will be a two-step solicitation process, with a first abridged proposal made in Step 1, followed by a larger proposal in Step 2. The detailed proposal content for these areas is described in Section 3. The overall schedule for these events is listed below. Additional information and communication will be shared on NASA’s Volatiles Partnership website, which is available at:

• https://science.nasa.gov/lunar-science/volatiles-partnership/

NASA may periodically update NASA’s Volatiles Partnership website, including announcing meetings with log-on details for interested parties. It is the responsibility of interested parties and proposers to stay up to date with that website and ensure that they have the latest information available. The results of any Q&A discussions or other future briefings will be posted at the same

Volatiles Partnership website and not necessarily updated on sam.gov.

The target schedule is as follows:

• AFPP release on February 3, 2025

• Receiving questions and input from potential partners will initially be solicited and discussed at two separate meetings, both of which will be announced at the volatiles partnership website:

o AFPP Kickoff Meeting will be held to discuss AFPP framing and content.

o A technical Q&A session will be held to overview additional information about

VIPER interfaces, testing and analysis status.

• Step 1 proposals due March 3, 2025, 4pm Eastern Time. Proposers are recommended to send the HQ-volatilespartnership@mail.nasa.gov email a notice of intent to submit 72 hours prior to submission. After submitting, notify that email of the submission along with the file name submitted.

• NASA hopes to announce its Step 1 proposal results by March 10, 2025, asking a limited set of favorably evaluated proposers to submit Step 2 proposals as described by the AFPP.

• Receiving questions and providing input to Step 2 proposers:

o Additional information will be provided about a technical interchange discussion that would be available to selected (limited) Step 2 proposers. This is expected to include a briefing on ground system development status at VIPER and additional operational guidance for instruments and the operations center.

o Step 2 proposers may request more fine-grained NASA cost estimates about the potential costs of NASA services to inform their proposal. Requests about potential costs of NASA services shall be submitted to the below POC no later than ten days after the request to submit Step 2 proposals. This will enable

NASA to have sufficient time to respond. NASA will aim to respond in a timely fashion.

https://science.nasa.gov/lunar-science/volatiles-partnership/ mailto:HQ-volatilespartnership@mail.nasa.gov

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• Step 2 proposals are due no earlier than May 2, 2025, 4pm Eastern Time (date to be reviewed based on timing of Step 1 selections), giving a ~40-day Step 2 response period. Proposers are recommended to send the HQ-volatilespartnership@mail.nasa.gov email a notice of intent to submit 72 hours prior to submission. After submitting, notify that email of the submission along with the file names submitted.

• NASA hopes to complete its evaluation and selection within 30 calendar days.

However, this period may include due diligence discussions with the proposers. NASA reserves the right to ask additional clarifications of the proposers as needed.

• Depending upon changes to the Model Agreement proposed by the partner and the readiness of the proposal to be turned into a Technical Implementation Plan (see below guidance on Appendix 4) that codifies planned work by the partner, partnership could become active within an additional 30 days, although more time may be needed.

1.4 Milestones

The LVSP CRADA (Article 4) shall include the Partner’s proposed milestones and associated objective success criteria against which the Partner’s overall progress will be measured. The purpose of the milestones is to give NASA a guide for ensuring that the Partner remains on track to deliver and operate the VIPER rover under the CRADA, while maintaining an acceptable level of risk to accomplish primary science objectives. NASA will use data provided by the Partner at milestones to assess the continued viability of the mission.

The proposal instructions and criteria for Step 2 proposals require the proposers their own suggested milestones in Appendix 1 (Article 4) that would provide the insight provided above.

Each proposed milestone shall include a descriptive title, objective success criteria, and planned achievement dates (month and year). Milestones should represent significant technical and business progress in the Partner’s program. Milestones should show measurable progress and be reasonable and realistic. The evaluation criteria below make clear that proposals that provide more insight and ability for NASA to participate in key decisions will be evaluated more favorably. Milestones should include:

• Significant development, analysis, testing, and evaluation events

• Lander's major fight system components delivery dates to the Partner, lander assembly, lander integration testing and encapsulation into the launch vehicle

• Evaluations (based on Coupled Loads Analysis or other relevant milestones) that no hardware changes will be required on the VIPER rover to accommodate additional testing criteria.

• Payload integration readiness and assessment moments

• Business progress such as financing and marketing achievement.

• Major design reviews and other life cycle reviews, which help provide an integrated technical and programmatic understanding of LVSP approach. The following are notional

NASA examples that might be considered:

o Preliminary Design Review o Rover and Lander Interfaces Review mailto:HQ-volatilespartnership@mail.nasa.gov

NNH25ZDA010L Page 9 of 55 VIPER LVSP AFPP o Critical Design Review o VIPER rover Integration Readiness Review o Pre-Environmental Review o Integrated Mission Flight Readiness Review o Flight and Science Operations Readiness Review o Launch Readiness Review o End of Primary Mission Review/Science Mission Completion Review

The proposer’s milestone schedule shall assume that all Base Insight Support and specific support of government resources (defined below in Section 2.6) which it identified in Appendix 2 of its proposal are provided; however, the Partner must accept that NASA responses and participation are on a ‘best effort’ basis.

2. INFORMATION FOR PROPOSERS

2.1 General Information

Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Responsible Office:

Lunar Discovery and Exploration Program

Exploration Science Strategy Integration Office

Science Mission Directorate

Step 1 Proposal Due Date: March 3, 2025, 4pm Eastern Time

Estimated Step 2 Proposal

Due Date: No earlier than May 2, 2025, 4pm Eastern Time

Point of Contact: All questions shall be directed to the following NASA official as specified below:

Zachary Pirtle, Ph.D., Program Executive, Exploration

Science Strategy Integration Office, Science Mission

Directorate

Sumera Ali, Agreement Officer/Manager

LVSP agreement email inbox:

hq-volatilespartnership@mail.nasa.gov

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Additional Information: The Announcement is being distributed by sam.gov to all interested proposers. Additional information and follow-on steps may be shared to limited Step 2 proposers via other means.

2.2 Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for award under this announcement, an entity must be organized under the laws of the United States or of a State and be more than 50 percent owned by United States nationals.

It is required that this entity, as the lead proposing Partner, will perform a substantial portion of

Partner’s efforts for the LVSP partnership, providing at minimum some of the key technical subsystems needed as well as serving as the overall integrator and manager of the effort. NASA has found that contracts and partnerships wherein most of the technical work is being performed by secondary team members or subcontractors can create challenges for NASA's insight capabilities.

Partner may propose to Team with a US domestic company to provide the launch vehicle and/or rover. In accordance with National Space Transportation Policy, the proposed launch vehicle must be manufactured in the United States. With the exception of the launch vehicle and rover, Partner may propose teaming relationships with international entities for other aspects of the

LVSP partnership, including science teams. However, all teaming arrangements are subject to the restrictions contained in Section 2.3 below.

2.3 Compliance with U.S. Laws, Regulations and Policies

Proposers must comply with all applicable U.S. laws, regulations and policies, including but not limited to safety, security, export control, environmental, suspension and debarment laws and regulations, and establishment of an Interconnection Security Agreement when applicable.

Further, awardees and team members must not be restricted by any government sanctions.

With respect to export control, the entity awarded a LVSP CRADA shall be required to comply with all U.S. export control laws including Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and

International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Awardees shall be responsible for ensuring that all persons who will perform work under the LVSP CRADA are eligible under export control laws, EAR, and ITAR.

Additionally, pursuant to The Department of Defense and Full-Year Appropriation Act, Public

Law 112-10, Section 1340(a); The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriation Act of

2012, Public Law 112-55, Section 539; and future-year appropriations (hereinafter, "the Acts"), NASA is restricted from using appropriated funds to enter into or fund any agreement of any kind to participate, collaborate, or coordinate bilaterally with China or any Chinese-owned company, at the prime recipient level and at all subrecipient levels, whether the bilateral

NNH25ZDA010L Page 11 of 55 VIPER LVSP AFPP involvement is funded or performed under a no-exchange of funds arrangement. Accordingly, proposals involving bilateral participation, collaboration, or coordination in any way with China or any Chinese-owned company, whether funded or performed under a no-exchange-of-funds arrangement, will be ineligible for award. By submitting a proposal, Proposer is certifying that it is not China or a Chinese-owned company, and that the Proposer will not participate, collaborate, or coordinate bilaterally with China or any Chinese-owned company, at the prime recipient level or at any subrecipient level, whether the bilateral involvement is funded or performed under a no-exchange of funds arrangement. “China or Chinese-owned Company” means the People’s

Republic of China, any company owned by the People’s Republic of China, or any company incorporated under the laws of the People’s Republic of China. This restriction does not apply to the purchase from Chinese-owned entities of commercial items of supply needed to perform the agreement.

Section 889 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019, “Prohibition on Certain

Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment,” prohibits, inter alia, the

Federal Government, Federal Government contractors, and grant and loan recipients from procuring or using any equipment, system, or service that uses “covered telecommunications equipment or services” (as defined in Section 889(f)(3)) as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system. Due to the nature of the work to be executed under this Agreement, in performing this Agreement, Proposer agrees to not acquire or use, in any manner whatsoever or at any tier, “covered telecommunications equipment or services” (as defined in Section 889(f)(3)) as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system.”

Entities that intend to rely on Russian suppliers shall comply with the Iran, North Korea, and

Syria Nonproliferation Act (P.L. 106-178, amended by P.L. 107-228, P.L. 109-112, P.L. 109353, P.L. 110-329, P.L. 112-273, P.L. 116-94; 50 U.S.C. 1701 note) (INKSNA) and any other applicable sanctions law (including, but not limited to, the Chemical and Biological Weapons

Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991, 22 U.S.C. 5601 et seq.; Countering America’s

Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, P.L. 115-44 (Aug. 2, 2017); and the International Emergency

Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) during the agreement performance. INKSNA prohibits payments to organizations or entities that are now or were in the past under the jurisdiction or control of Roscosmos (the Russian Federal Space Agency), or to any other organization, entity, or element of the Government of Russia for goods or services directly related to human spaceflight, other than for work on the ISS. INKSNA currently prohibits NASA from making payments in cash or in kind after December 31, 2025, for work on the ISS to the foregoing listed entities and imposes reporting and assessment requirements. NASA has applied the restrictions in this Act to include NASA funding of Russian entities via U.S. entities.

Proposer’s attentions are further directed to the following non-exhaustive list of potentially applicable U.S. laws, regulations, and policies:

• U.S. Space Transportation Policy, November 2013

• U.S. National Space Policy, December 2020

• 51 U.S.C. Chapter 501 – Space Commerce

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• 51 U.S.C Chapter 509 – Commercial Space Launch Activities

2.4 Title and Rights in Personal Property

Title to all personal property acquired or developed by a Partner for the LVSP activity will remain with the Partner. All personal property acquired or developed by the government will remain U.S. Government property.

2.5 Anticipated Funding

NASA will not provide any funding to Partners through awards made under this Announcement.

Partners are expected to secure all the funding necessary to perform their obligations under the

LVSP agreement from sources other than this agreement. The proposal content outlined below requires partners to discuss their financial plan and capability to execute the partnership. The evaluation criteria incentivize against the partner requesting non-reimbursed cost expenditures from NASA.

The Government’s obligation to enter into and continue performance of these agreements is contingent upon the availability of appropriated funds. If NASA is requested to and agrees to provide resources on a reimbursable or non-reimbursable basis, then NASA reserves the right to prioritize that work against other competing priorities based upon changing appropriations, and will discuss such potential changes with the partner if needed.

2.6 Use of Government Resources

Following award under this announcement, NASA seeks to expend no funds in support of the

VIPER rover, including partnership activities, beyond the non-reimbursable support activities outlined below and in the model agreement. These insight activities are described as Base Insight

Support below.

However, proposals to this AFPP may request that NASA services be performed to support the partnership, either on a fully reimbursable, partially reimbursable, or non-reimbursable basis.

This could potentially include the support categories noted below, including traverse operations and science support. NASA’s evaluation criteria in this proposal will then assess the associated cost impact to NASA accordingly. In responding to this Announcement, NASA encourages

Proposers requesting NASA services to be as specific as possible in their proposals about the type of Government resources, the amount of each type, projected NASA workforce and time needed to support the service (if known) and the anticipated schedule that they are proposing. All

NASA-provided goods, services, facilities, or equipment shall be provided on a best-effort basis, and therefore the Partner’s decision to utilize NASA-provided goods, services, facilities, or equipment will be at the Partner’s risk. Plans to reimburse (fully or partially) should be identified.

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There could be a risk that requested reimbursable NASA support ends up becoming more expensive than initially estimated, exceeding the level of funding that NASA has available. Such a cost increase could be due to unanticipated complexities, delay in accomplishing planned activities between NASA and/or the Partner, or other causes. In such cases, the Partner would need to fully reimburse NASA for any additional support if NASA is to continue to provide the reimbursable service.

In order to assess NASA pricing for potential non-reimbursable support, Step 2 proposers may contact the AFPP contact email listed above in order to inquire about potential pricing. NASA will store information about the potential capability and cost that it may provide in a format that would be made available to all Step 2 proposers. If included in a Step 2 proposal, these non-reimbursed costs would factor into the cost evaluation criteria.

To facilitate initial estimation of costs of NASA activities, NASA will make available an initial estimate for lunar landing costs and activities for the original November 2025 landing timeframe.

This helps to provide context for what NASA’s activities might occur.

Government resource types will be in two categories:

1. Base Insight Support. This will generally be the same for all LVSP Proposers and may consist of:

• NASA partnership point of contact

• NASA attendance at regularly scheduled reviews of progress under the partnership

• Provisioning of the NASA VIPER rover for partners’ accomplishment of the goals in Section 1.2 above.

• NASA observation of Partner milestones

• NASA review of Partner-provided data, plans, and risk philosophy

• NASA processing, calibration, validation, and analysis of VIPER-generated science data during and after mission operations, along with the delivery of all science data to the Planetary Data System.

Base Insight Support will be provided at no cost to the Partner, as resources permit, as part of

NASA’s non-reimbursable obligations in the LVSP CRADA. NASA intends to self-fund the Base

Insight Support, therefore funding for Base Insight Support will not count against the cost evaluation criterion.

2. Potential Support Categories (Reimbursable or Non-Reimbursable). The degree and type of NASA support requested by a Proposer should be identified in the proposal, along with whether it is planned to be reimbursed or not. It may consist of the following (non-exclusive) categories of support, which the Proposer could request:

• The following activities are the types of VIPER-relevant activities that NASA might be able to provide support to on a fully reimbursable basis.

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▪ VIPER rover traverse planning and operations

▪ VIPER science instrument team support for pre-mission planning for instrument operations and for future generation of VIPER science data

▪ Ames Research Center (ARC) mission operations center for assistance in operations/support

• NASA assessments, analyses, testing, and/or other NASA unique services

• Use of NASA equipment and/or facilities, beyond the provided GSE

• Assistance in obtaining Software Usage Agreements (SUA), Data Usage

Agreements (DUA), License Agreements, and/or Loan Agreements.

NASA expects that any potential use of NASA communications assets such as the Deep Space

Network support (if requested) would be provided (if requested) on a fully reimbursable basis.

Specific support requested should be described by the Proposer in Proposal Appendix 2.

Request of support by NASA on a fully reimbursable basis would not count as a cost to NASA against the evaluation criterion. That is, full partner reimbursement of NASA expenses is treated as if there is no effective cost to NASA as part of the evaluation. If partnership proposes non-reimbursed NASA activities, the cost of those activities would count against the evaluation criterion. If partnership is selected and NASA was requested to provide these resources, then

NASA would provide them, as resources permit, as part of NASA’s obligations in the LVSP

CRADA.

The use of a CRADA to accomplish this partnership will allow the Partner to modify or adapt this CRADA as the basis for future reimbursable support from NASA (such as for obtaining

Deep Space Network support, when paid for by the Partner). NASA does not intend to add additional non-reimbursable support after partnership award is awarded. Any future service needs from NASA that are not included in the proposal and defined in the initial CRADA agreement must be fully reimbursed by the Partner.

Some Partner uses of NASA data may require a separate Data Usage Agreement. Partner uses of some NASA software may require a separate Software Usage Agreement. Partner’s uses of

NASA technology may require a separate License Agreement. The Partner use of loaned NASA equipment may require a separate Loan Agreement.

Resource requests shall be in the scope of the LVSP approach as defined by the Executive

Summary, a public version of which shall be incorporated into the CRADA as Appendix 1.

During the term of the CRADA, NASA and the Partner may determine that the CRADA will need to be amended to reflect certain support requests, revise the Partner’s Milestones, and/or the responsibilities of NASA and/or the Partner as may arise during performance of the agreement.

Any Specific Support provided by NASA under this Agreement will be documented by the

Parties in CRADA Appendix 2, NASA Furnished Services, Facilities, and Technologies. As part of the work in this Agreement, the Parties may work in collaboration in some areas and that support will be agreed upon and documented in a Technical Implementation Plan(s)(TIP) in

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Points of Contact stated in the CRADA.

If a proposer would like to include the services of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), NASA’s FFRDC, as a team member, please note that use of JPL is subject to limitations, including that any JPL participation must be nonexclusive to any single offeror (will be available to all offerors), will be on a non-interference basis with NASA’s requirements, may require a determination that the requested services are not otherwise available from the private sector, and that JPL’s services must be coordinated with Caltech/JPL prior to submitting the proposal.

Submissions including an FFRDC must include a statement from the FFRDC representing (1) that their participation in the competition is consistent with federal law and policy as well as their governing contract(s) (2) the rationale under which they are able participate in the competition given restrictions on FFRDCs competing with the private sector.

2.7 Ombudsman

An Ombudsman has been appointed to hear and facilitate the resolution of concerns from interested parties concerning the selection process for this Announcement. Interested parties include the proposer, potential proposers, and agreement signatories. The existence of the

Ombudsman is not to diminish the authority of the NASA Agreements Officer, the Proposal

Evaluation Panel, the Selection Authority, or any formal adjudication of a matter related to this

Announcement. Interested parties are not to contact the Ombudsman to request copies of the

Announcement, verify proposal due date, or clarify provisions of the Announcement. Such inquiries shall be directed to the NASA Agreements Officer as specified in Section 2.1 of this

Announcement. Before consulting with the Ombudsman, interested parties must first address their concerns, issues, disagreements, or recommendations to the NASA Agreements Officer for resolution.

If resolution cannot be made by the NASA Agreements Officer, interested parties may contact the

Ombudsman. At their discretion, the Ombudsman may request that an interested party submit any concerns, issues, disagreements, or recommendations in writing. Submissions or inquiries made to either the NASA Agreements Officer or the Ombudsman will not suspend the selection process, the award(s), or the performance of the resulting agreement(s). The Ombudsman may be contacted at:

• Allison Wolff; Mission Support Directorate Industry Engagement Manager.

allison.n.wolff@nasa.gov.

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2.8 Government Proposal Review Personnel

The Government may use contractor support personnel to assist in providing technical and business expertise in the evaluation of executive summaries and proposals. Any support contractor involvement in the evaluation process shall be free of conflicts of interest, will be bound by appropriate conflicts of interest provisions and non-disclosure agreements to protect proprietary and competition sensitive information, and must have accepted limitations on future contracting.

By submitting a proposal under this Announcement, the Proposer is deemed to have consented to release of data in its proposal to NASA contractors supporting evaluation of proposals under suitable protective conditions.

3. INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROPOSALS

3.1 Proposal Submittal

3.1.1 NASA will not issue paper copies of this Announcement. NASA reserves the right to select for negotiations one or none of the proposals in response to this Announcement. NASA provides no funding for direct reimbursement of proposal development costs. Proposals submitted in response to this Announcement will not be returned. It is the policy of

NASA to treat all proposals as sensitive competitive information and to disclose the contents only for the purposes of evaluation.

3.1.2 NASA will accept one proposal per company, per Step. Proposals shall be submitted in two steps. Step 1 will determine which proposers are invited to Step 2. Graphics are allowable. Both Step 1 and Step 2 responses must uploaded to the NASA Box system via the URL:

o https://nasagov.app.box.com/f/fe91c8fdd3a64bef9bb24d9fd89eb274

Note that the NASA Box system is a basic file exchange system without version control.

Uploaded files cannot be “withdrawn” because they will not be visible to the submitter following submission.

Step 1: Step 1 responses are limited to a maximum 15 pages in length using 12-point times new roman font, single space pages with one-inch margins. NASA plans to inform the proposers of the status of Step 1 March 10, 2025 (estimated), via email. All Step 1 responses must be submitted as a single, unlocked, PDF-formatted file.

Step 2: The Step 2 proposals shall consist of multiple sections and four appendices as described in Announcement section 3.2. Section I, Executive Summary, shall be limited to two pages. The remaining sections shall not exceed 70 pages, using 12-point times new roman font, single space pages with one-inch margins. There is no page limit on the appendices. Any information included in an appendix which is out of scope of that appendix as defined herein shall not be considered.

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A page is defined as one side of a sheet, 8½” x 11”, with at least one-inch margins on all sides, using not smaller than 12-point type, new roman font, with the exception of tables and figures, which may use 8-point type (anything larger than this will be considered two pages, e.g. foldouts). Title pages, Section and Appendix Cover pages, tables of contents, list of figures, list of tables, and acronym listings are excluded from the specified page counts.

3.1.3 For both Step 1 and Step 2, the selected Step 2 proposer shall submit its proposal via NASA

Box (also known as NASA’s Enterprise File Sharing and Sync Box), a FedRAMP

Moderate certified platform. Electronic submissions shall not contain hidden formulas or tables, be locked, be password protected, or contain links to data not included…