Solar Orbiter - Suprathermal Ion Spectrograph (SIS)

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) has a requirement for Phase E/F operations and data analysis support for the Suprathermal Ion Spectrograph (SIS) investigation under the Solar Orbiter Project.  Announcement of Opportunity (AO) NNH07ZDA003O was issued by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Headquarters on September 28, 2007.  This AO solicited investigations for the Explorer Program which conducts Principal Investigator (PI)-led space science investigations in SMD's astrophysics and heliophysics programs. The Principal Investigator (PI) for this mission has transitioned his expertise to SwRI. NASA HQs selected AO for this requirement must continue its work with the PI.

NASA/GSFC intends to issue a sole-source contract for continued Phase E/F operations and data analysis support for the Suprathermal Ion Spectrograph (SIS) investigation under the Solar Orbiter Project to Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) under the authority of 10 U.S.C. 2304(c) (1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, “Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.”

The rationale supporting the use of 10 U.S.C. 2304(c) (1) Southwest Research Institute is the only organization qualified to provide the Suprathermal Ion Spectrograph instrument as described below:

SwRI shall support the SIS Mission Operations with instrument operations management, including operations planning, command scripting, trending, health and safety monitoring, data analysis and delivery, and scientific activities of the SwRI subsystems.  SwRI shall also provide support to the SIS Operations with processing instrument telemetry into all instrument data products including housekeeping, engineering, calibrated, and higher-level data products for submission to the European Space Agency (ESA) Data Archive. 

SwRI possesses the high-level scientific expertise of the PI who has the detailed knowledge of the SIS investigation and Solar Orbiter spacecraft, and the capability to carry out post-commissioning operations in a manner in which the scientific operations and the flight operations can be merged.  Further, current SwRI team members are unique in their familiarity with the SIS investigation design, testing, and calibration as well as the Solar Orbiter spacecraft.

SwRI along with PI is the only organization qualified to provide these requirements based on their unique knowledge, extensive experience, and expertise that will ensure successful achievement of technical performance requirements.

The period of performance for this contract is 4 years after award, with the contract award expected in April 2024.

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

Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort electronically via email to Shanita Boykin or Shanita.L.Boykin@nasa.gov not later than March 4, 2024 at 4:30 PM,  ET.  Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this acquisition on a competitive basis.  A determination by the Government not to compete this acquisition on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government.

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