Research and Development for Engineering Models (EMs) and spaceflight qualified Flight Models (FMs) Calibration Light Sources for the Michelson Interferometer for Global High-resolution Thermospheric Imager (MIGHTI)

The purpose of this notice is to notify potential offerors that Amendment 0001 has been posted to the NRL Contract Division website.

Offerors may view the solicitation and all amendments by clicking the solicitation link at the right or they may view directly at:

http://heron.nrl.navy.mil/contracts/13SE03.html

The purpose of this amendment is to announce the posting of the solicitation.

The solicitation and supporting documentation can be found at the link provided.

The Statement of Work/Specifications are export controlled under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).

As such, to recieve the referenced statement of work/specifications, potential offerors will be required to submit a completed certification with proof of status as a U.S. person (as defined in 22 C.F.R. Part 120.15).  The Export-Controlled Information and Techniology certification can be found at:

http://heron.nrl.navy.mil/contracts/13SE03.html

The completed certification shall be emailed to the contract specialist at eric.sogard@nrlssc.navy.mil. Upon confirmation of eligibility, potential offerors will be sent a copy of the statment of work/specifications. The statement of work/specifications must be safeguarded and protected from unauthorized disclosures in accordance with applicable U.S. export control laws and regulations.

Background: The Naval Research Laboratory is a major participant of a satellite mission proposal to NASA. The NASA opportunity is called "Explorer". The proposal that NRL is part of is called ICON (Ionospheric Connection Explorer) and is led by the University of California, Berkeley. NRL will provide a major instrument/sensor to this mission called MIGHTI (Michelson Interferometer for Global High-resolution Thermospheric Imaging). The MIGHTI instrument will consist of two similar units that will measure upper atmospheric winds and temperatures along one line of sight each. 

NASA selected ICON as one of three missions in the Heliophysics category for a "Phase A" study, which is an 11 month effort to produce a more detailed mission proposal. At the end of the Phase A, NASA will select one of the three missions for flight.

The Naval Research Laboratory has a requirement for research and development involving the design, development, test and integration of Calibration Light Sources to provide calibration source signals to both MIGHTI units via optical fibers

The Contractor shall provide all personnel, facilities, materials and other resources necessary for the design, development, test and integration of: (2) two Engineering Model  (EM) Calibration Light Sources, (2) two Flight Model (FM) Calibration Light Sources, one for each of the two MIGHTI units and (3) technical support to address operational and/or integration issues and to address any concerns or questions from NASA regarding the calibration sources as defined in the Statement of Work/Specification.   

Specifically, the EM units are to have full functional capabilities and similar performance specifications as the subsequent flight qualified units, and the EM units are to be of the same size, similar mass and layout as the subsequent flight qualified units, but the EM units need not be flight qualified or contain flight-qualified parts. All EM unit interfaces are to be fully defined and implemented at time of delivery. The total mass and power requirements of the delivered EM units, the performance specifications as well as the total mass, power requirements, thermal requirements, and the operability and survivability temperature ranges of the subsequent flight qualified units are to be included at time of delivery of the EM units camera.

Each FM qualified calibration light source unit is to have the full functional capabilities as identified in the key specifications.  Each delivered flight qualified calibration light source must be accompanied by corresponding documentation. The total mass and power requirements of the delivered flight units, the performance specifications as well as the thermal requirements, and the operability and survivability temperature ranges are to be included at time of delivery of the units.

The vendor must also provide qualified technical support to NRL as needed to address operational and/or integration issues and to address any concerns or questions from NASA regarding the calibration sources. The vendor is also required to support the failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) and the probabilistic risk assessment (PRA).

The solicitation and a detailed statement of work, specifications and other supporting information including contract data requirements will be posted approximately 15 days from the posting of this notice.

The specifications referenced herein are export controlled under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). As such, to receive the referenced specifications, potential offerors will be required to complete a certification with proof of status as a U.S. person (as defined in 22 C.F.R. Part 120.15). Instructions for submitting the certification will be provided with the posting of the solicitation. Upon confirmation of eligibility, potential offerors will be sent a copy of the specifications. The specifications must be safeguarded and protected from unauthorized disclosure in accordance with applicable U.S. export control laws and regulations.

Based on a survey of the market, the government has determined that the services to be acquired do not meet the definition of a commercial item. Therefore, the government does not intend to use the procedures as outlined in FAR Part 12 for this acquisition.

It is anticipated that a Cost-Plus Fixed Fee  - Completion type contract will be awarded as a result of the solicitation.

NRL uses Electronic Commerce (EC) to issue Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and amendments to RFPs. Paper copies of the RFP will not be provided. The actual closing date for proposals will be stated in the solicitation when issued.

This solicitation is issued on the basis of full-and-open competition.  All responsible sources may submit a bid, proposal, or quotation, which shall be considered by the agency. 

Other business opportunities for NRL are available at our website: http://heron.nrl.navy.mil/rfplist.htm.  The Government does not intend to use FAR Part 12 - Acquisition of Commercial Item procedures.