Recovery development of methods for assuring safety using system theoreticconcepts

Added: Aug 13, 2010 10:39 am Recovery Act - This competitive action was awarded pursuant to the 2009 NationalAeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Research Announcement is partially fundedthrough the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. The scope of the ARRAfunded effort is to determine the feasibility of applying systems theory concepts inassuring safety in NextGen and flight critical systems. To determine feasiblity, thecontractor shall document the safety assurance techniques and tools currently used forcivil aviation, conduct a case study of applying the STPA method to analyze safetyrequirements and contraints for a selected NextGen application, and evaluate the resultsof this case study. Using the results of the case study, the contractor shall comparethe results of the STPA approach to the results from the standard approaches, and assessthe strengths and weaknesses of the STPA method and supporting tools. In the Non-ARRAfunded option period, the contractor shall enhance the STPA method and tools to overcomethe weaknesses identified in the case study, and evaluate the effectiveness andcommercial viability of these enhancements using a second case study. The ARRA fundedportion is $561,103.00. The total award amount, including ARRA and non-ARRA funding, is$1,129,256.00. NASAs Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) is responsiblefor achieving NASA Strategic Goal 3E, Advance knowledge in the fundamental disciplinesof aeronautics and develop technologies for safer aircraft and higher capacity airspacesystems. To achieve this goal, ARMD conducts research across a breadth of coreaeronautics competencies; research in key areas related to the development of advancedaircraft technologies and systems; and research that supports planning of the NextGeneration Air Transportation System (NextGen), in partnership with the Joint Planningand Development Office (JPDO). This award is consistent with NASA's continuinginvestment in high-risk, cutting-edge technologies and is responsive to congressionaldirection to conduct research on technologies that will enable commercial aircraft to flyover land at supersonic speeds.This notice is provided for information purposes only. A cost contract was determined tobe appropriate for this procurement because of the uncertain nature of the researchactivities associated with contract performance do not permit costs to be estimated withsufficient.