Utilizing Public-Private Partnerships to Advance Tipping Point Technologies

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Headquarters anticipates a release of a solicitation, entitled “Utilizing Public-Private Partnerships to Advance Tipping Point Technologies” as an Appendix to the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) umbrella NASA Research Announcement (NRA), titled “Space Technology Research, Development, Demonstration, and Infusion - 2020 (SpaceTech-REDDI-2020),” on or about January 28, 2020. NASA expects a simultaneous release of a sister solicitation “Announcement of Collaboration Opportunity (ACO).” 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/
2. Select "Solicitations"
3. Select "Open Solicitations”
4. Select "Utilizing Public-Private Partnerships to Advance Tipping Point Technologies 80HQTR20NOA01-20STMD_001”
    

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) continues to embrace public-private partnerships to achieve its strategic goals for expanding capabilities and opportunities in space. A key aspect of NASA’s strategy is to stimulate the commercial space industry and commercial capabilities through public-private partnerships to deliver technologies and capabilities needed for future NASA, other government agency, and commercial missions. With the recent increase of U.S. private sector companies interested in space applications, NASA is seeking commercial space technologies that are at a “tipping point” in their development cycle. The anticipated definition to be used for the purpose of this Appendix is that a space technology is at a “tipping point” if:

• an investment in a ground demonstration or flight demonstration will result in:
  • a significant advancement of the technology’s maturation, and
  • a significant improvement in the offerors’ ability to successfully bring the space technology to market, and

• there is clear evidence of previous investments in maturing the technology (e.g., venture capital, corporate investment, etc.) indicating a pre-existing plan to commercialize the technology, and
• the technology is at a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of at least 4 at time of proposal submission.

This Appendix is seeking U.S. for-profit industry led proposals to advance “tipping point” space technologies, executed through firm-fixed-price contracts with milestone payments. See Appendix section 3.0 for the full list of eligibility requirements/ restrictions. The award instrument will be a firm-fixed-price contract with milestone payments tied to technical achievement. It is anticipated that awards will require an Industry Contribution: at least 10% for U.S. for-profit entities that have 500 or fewer employees; at least 25% for U.S. for-profit entities that have more than 500 employees. The Appendix will provide further Industry Contribution requirements/restrictions.

This release anticipates soliciting tipping point technologies from the following Topics. This list should be considered preliminary and is subject to change prior to solicitation release. For this solicitation, we seek proposals that would develop tipping point technologies and integrated system capabilities for demonstration in relevant environments, in-space, including free flyers, on the International Space Station (ISS) or Lunar Gateway or early lunar payloads.  Multiple flight demonstration awards totaling about $250M are anticipated subject to availability of appropriated funds.

Topic 1:  Cryogenic Fluid Management Technology Demonstration (active cooling, transfer, and pressure management)

 Topic 2:  Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative Technology Demonstration in the areas Sustainable Surface Power, Extreme Environments, Extreme Access, Dust Mitigation, In-situ Resource Utilization, and Surface Excavation and Construction

Topic 3:  Closed-Loop Descent and Landing Capability Demonstration, Validation of Modeling Tools with Lunar-Relevant Flight/Test Data

 This release will utilize a two-step proposal submission and evaluation process. The initial step will be a short Mandatory Preliminary Proposal (MPP). Only those offerors submitting the most competitive MPPs will be invited to submit a Final Proposal.

All proposals must be submitted electronically through NSPIRES by an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR). Detailed submission instructions are provided in the SpaceTech-REDDI-2020 NRA and the Appendix. Potential offerors 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.

A Virtual Industry Forum is anticipated in February 2020. Further details concerning the Forum will be provided in the Appendix. All questions and comments, after the solicitation is released, must be submitted in writing to HQ-STMD-TippingPointAppendix@nasaprs.com.Responses to inquiries will be answered by email 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.

The Appendix and any documents related to this procurement will be available by opening the NSPIRES homepage at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ by selecting "Solicitations," then selecting "Open Solicitations," and, finally selecting “Utilizing Public-Private Partnerships to Advance Tipping Point Technologies.”

It is the offeror's responsibility to monitor the Internet site for the release of the Appendix and amendments (if any).