NASA innovative advanced concepts {niac} phase III

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Headquarters, anticipates a release of a solicitation, titled "NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC), Phase III," as an Appendix to the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) NASA Research Announcement (NRA), titled "Space Technology Research, Development, Demonstration, and Infusion - 2019 (SpaceTech-REDDI-2019)," on or about February 15, 2019. Once the Appendix is posted, complete details (to include due dates) can be accessed via the following steps:

1. Open the NSPIRES homepage at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ Select "Solicitations"
2. Select "Open Solicitations"
3. Select "Space Technology Research, Development, Demonstration, and Infusion - 2019 (SpaceTech-REDDI-2019) 80HQTR19NOA01_19NIAC-A3"
4. Select "List of Open Program Elements"
5. Select "NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC), Phase III-80HQTR19NOA01_19NIAC-A3"
6. Select "NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Phase III Solicitation Document" under Announcement Documents.

The NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Program supports innovative research through multiple phases of study. Historically each year, the NIAC Program competitively selects Phase I and Phase II awards. Phase I studies are nine-month efforts to explore the overall viability and advance the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of visionary aerospace concepts. A follow-on Phase II study to eligible recipients of Phase I awards develops the most promising Phase I concepts for up to two years and explores transition paths within NASA and beyond. Phase II studies are designed to prepare a roadmap for further development, but are not expected to fully advance the technologies to a level required for program or commercial transition. NIAC Phase III studies are designed to strategically transition NIAC concepts with the highest potential impact to other NASA programs, other government agencies, or commercial partners.

NIAC Phase III incorporates a two-step proposal and evaluation process, where Step 1 is a mandatory Notice of Intent (NOI). The aerospace concept and mission context with which the proposal aligns must be clearly identified by the offeror. Once the technical evaluation of the NOI is complete, NIAC will consider programmatic considerations such as portfolio balancing, costs, and other programmatic considerations, in order to determine the most competitive NOIs to be invited to submit a Full Proposal. An offeror must submit an NOI and be invited to submit a Full Proposal; unsolicited proposals will not be considered. NOI submissions, invitations to submit a Full Proposal, and award selections will be announced via NSPIRES.

For this current Phase III solicitation, and it is anticipated for the year after, NIAC will consider proposals based on current and completed NIAC Phase II studies; successful Phase II studies completed under the predecessor NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts; and studies from proposers who have performed essentially equivalent work, as eligible for the Phase III award. In this context, essentially equivalent work is defined as a successfully completed study that is documented in a publicly accessible final report, which was performed under government, industry, non-profit or academic institution funding in an aerospace research area that closely aligns with the NIAC goals and objectives defined in the NIAC Phase III Solicitation Document. Appendix will have final eligibility requirements. Beyond FY2021, it is anticipated that NIAC will only consider active second year NIAC Phase II awards as eligible for Phase III award.

NIAC Principal Investigators (PIs) and team members may be affiliated with any educational institution, commercial or not-for-profit organization, research laboratory, agency, or NASA Center (including the Jet Propulsion Laboratory). Teaming by non-
U.S. organizations in proposed efforts is permitted but subject to NASA's policy on foreign participation (see Section 3.3 of the NRA).

Appendix 80HQTR19NOA01_19NIAC-A3 seeks NIAC Phase III awards that will continue the exploration and development of revolutionary advanced concepts that have advanced to a NIAC Phase II or essentially equivalent level of development, with a plausible path for implementation into NASA missions or other government agency and industry aerospace programs. Phase II studies extend, refine, and build upon the basic feasibility and potential benefit of early stage Phase I concepts, defining key enabling technologies and addressing critical unknowns, assumptions, risks, and paths forward. Phase III studies advance the most promising concepts to a level suitable for transition into other NASA programs, other government agencies, or commercial partners by demonstrating key technology components, subsystems or systems and establishing a viable path toward implementation. Phase III studies define major technical milestones, establish the cost and schedule to accomplish these key milestones, and implement a strategy to transition the technology for further development and utilization.

Notices of Intent and Full Proposals must be submitted electronically through NSPIRES by an authorized organizational representative (AOR). Detailed submission instructions are provided in the SpaceTech-REDDI-2019 NRA, as well as the Guidebook for Proposers Responding to a NASA Funding Announcement (FA) (Edition March 2018). Potential proposers and their proposing organizations are urged to familiarize themselves with the submission system, ensure they are registered in NSPIRES, and submit the required proposal materials well in advance of the deadline.

Interested proposers should monitor the NSPIRES website or subscribe to the electronic notification system there for release of the SpaceTech-REDDI-2019 Appendices.

Technical, programmatic, and procurement comments and questions may be addressed by e-mail to hq-niac@mail.nasa.gov. Responses to inquiries will be answered by e-mail and may also be included in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document located on the NSPIRES page associated with the Appendix; anonymity of persons/institutions who submit questions will be preserved.

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