Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU)

3/25/2021

Question 1:  Could you please tell me if the Presolicitation posted as solicitation number 80MSFC21R0018 will be a follow-on requirement to any work performed currently or in the past, or will this be a new requirement?  If possible, can you please provide the most recent contract or task order number?

 Answer to Q1:  The MAV IMU is a new requirement.

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NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) plans to issue a Request for Proposal for an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) for the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV).  The MAV IMU will be used for pre-flight gyrocompassing on the surface of Mars to obtain an initial attitude solution and to propagate the vehicle state during ascent from the surface. This new procurement includes responsibility for design, development, manufacture, testing and qualification of an IMU (in compliance with NASA/MSFC specifications) with multiple deliveries.  More specifically, this requirement involves the manufacture of no less than three inertial measurement units for the MAV, including a flight, flight spare, and qualification/Engineering Model (EM) unit totaling three deliveries. NASA/MSFC may require three additional units to support a flight test, which will be determined prior to contract award. The flight units shall be delivered no later than (NLT) November 1, 2023, the EM unit shall be delivered NLT September 1, 2023, and the flight test units shall be delivered NLT October 1, 2023 if required. On-call engineering support will be required, as needed, after delivery of the hardware.  The Contractor’s facility will be the place of performance, and no Government property will be furnished for this effort.  The anticipated period of performance is a total of five years from date of award. 

The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12.   

The NAICS Code and Size Standard are 334511 and 1,250, respectively.

The anticipated release date of the RFP is on or about April 8, 2021 with an anticipated offer due date of on or about May 17, 2021.

All responsible sources may submit an offer which shall be considered by the agency.

NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable.  The Center Ombudsman for this acquisition can be found at http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/pub/pub_library/Omb.html

If a solicitation is released, then it and any additional documents will be available on www.beta.sam.gov.

It is the offeror's responsibility to monitor this website for the release of the solicitation and amendments (if any).  Potential offerors will be responsible for downloading their own copy of the solicitation and amendments (if any). 

Prospective offerors are encouraged to notify this office of their intent to submit an  offer. All contractual and technical questions must be submitted electronically via email to Cynthia Hubbard (cynthia.a.hubbard@nasa.gov) and Belinda Triplett (belinda.f.triplett@nasa.gov) not later than April 5, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. CST.  Telephone questions will not be accepted.

NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) plans to issue a Request for Proposal for an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) for the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV).  The MAV IMU will be used for pre-flight gyrocompassing on the surface of Mars to obtain an initial attitude solution and to propagate the vehicle state during ascent from the surface. This new procurement includes responsibility for design, development, manufacture, testing and qualification of an IMU (in compliance with NASA/MSFC specifications) with multiple deliveries.  More specifically, this requirement involves the manufacture of no less than three inertial measurement units for the MAV, including a flight, flight spare, and qualification/Engineering Model (EM) unit totaling three deliveries. NASA/MSFC may require three additional units to support a flight test, which will be determined prior to contract award. The flight units shall be delivered no later than (NLT) November 1, 2023, the EM unit shall be delivered NLT September 1, 2023, and the flight test units shall be delivered NLT October 1, 2023 if required. On-call engineering support will be required, as needed, after delivery of the hardware.  The Contractor’s facility will be the place of performance, and no Government property will be furnished for this effort.  The anticipated period of performance is a total of five years from date of award. 

The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12.   

The NAICS Code and Size Standard are 334511 and 1,250, respectively.

The anticipated release date of the RFP is on or about April 8, 2021 with an anticipated offer due date of on or about May 17, 2021.

All responsible sources may submit an offer which shall be considered by the agency.

NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable.  The Center Ombudsman for this acquisition can be found at http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/pub/pub_library/Omb.html

If a solicitation is released, then it and any additional documents will be available on www.beta.sam.gov.

It is the offeror's responsibility to monitor this website for the release of the solicitation and amendments (if any).  Potential offerors will be responsible for downloading their own copy of the solicitation and amendments (if any). 

Prospective offerors are encouraged to notify this office of their intent to submit an  offer. All contractual and technical questions must be submitted electronically via email to Cynthia Hubbard (cynthia.a.hubbard@nasa.gov) and Belinda Triplett (belinda.f.triplett@nasa.gov) not later than April 5, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. CST.  Telephone questions will not be accepted.