Rocket Test Event Support

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) John C. Stennis Space Center (SSC) Office of Procurement (OP) is seeking potential sources from all categories of Large and Small Businesses with the capabilities and experience to provide the requirement described herein. The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI), therefore, is to conduct market research to determine sources, capabilities and interests from potential vendors with the capabilities to provide remote event planning and execution support or expert planning consultants for a possible large scale outdoor public event tentatively scheduled at SSC for mid-2020. The NAICS Code and Size Standard for this requirement are 561920 and $11M, respectively.

The potential event is the viewing of a rocket test firing at one of the primary test facilities at SSC. While a precise timeframe for the event is unknown at this time, the event is planned to take place sometime in the spring or summer of 2020. The viewing area designated is approximately 1 mile away from the test location, with clear sightlines to view the test in real time. The actual test will take place over several minutes within a scheduled test window, but multiple attendee engagement activities could also be planned around the actual test such that the entire event could last 2 to 3 hours or longer. Specific attendee number are still under consideration, but the total number of people in attendance could reach 4,000 to 6,000. Historically, SSC has not hosted an event of this magnitude and lacks the permanent facilities required to host large-scale public events that are found at NASA locations like the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

SSC is a 13,000-acre facility located in rural Hancock County, MS on the MS/LA state line, approximately 50 miles northeast of New Orleans, LA. The facility is surrounded on all sides by a 5 to 6 mile Buffer Zone, making SSC a highly remote location. SSC is NASA's primary facility for conducting rocket propulsion testing, and it is also home to more than 40 federal, state, and commercial organizations in what is known as the Federal City. Due to its remote location, SSC essentially functions as a self-contained small town providing all infrastructure and services necessary to support a daily population of 5,000 people, including security, fire, and emergency services. Access to the site is tightly controlled with credentials that must be presented at one of two secure access points into the Center via north and south access roads.

Summary of current high-level event requirements
• Exact date still TBD, but target is 2nd or 3rd Quarter of 2020.
• Single day event with contingency for backup near-term dates.
• Selection of test date cannot be determined by event planning team (i.e., the date will be provided to us).
• Single outdoor location selected for event on the outer edge of the rocket test complex within SSC.
• Primary site selected for optimal safe viewing of test event consists of a 3-acre asphalt parking lot with additional improved contiguous areas in close proximity. Minimal indoor space available for operations at the viewing site.
• Maximum of 6,000 attendees at event site, including media and required support staff. Attendance will be by invitation only and could include guests from across the country.
• Busing of all guests to SSC site from 2 to 4 collection points located within 30 miles of SSC. Invitee check-in will take place at these collection points.
• Event site capabilities would need to include bleacher style seating, multiple large tents with seating, restroom facilities, concessions, and multiple large video displays with audio.
• Event/site needs to accommodate large media presence, including national news organizations.
• Additional VIP viewing area required for.