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Opportunities to Advance “Tipping Point” Technologies

NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) has issued a Draft Appendix entitled, “Utilizing Public-Private Partnerships to Advance Tipping Point Technologies” to the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) umbrella NASA Research Announcement (NRA) titled “Space Technology Research, Development, Demonstration, and Infusion 2016 (SpaceTech-REDDI-2016). The purpose of this notice is to announce an opportunity for potential offerors to submit comments on the Draft Appendix. The purpose of the Draft Appendix is to solicit industry comments and questions prior to issuance of the final Appendix. Questions/comments are strongly encouraged from potential offerors on all aspects of the Draft Appendix. The industry input to the Draft Appendix will be considered in formulating the final Appendix.

View the Draft Appendix: Tipping Point Technologies

Through this NASA Research Announcement, NASA will be seeking industry-developed space technologies that can foster the development of commercial space capabilities, while benefiting future NASA missions. A key aspect of NASA’s strategy is to stimulate the commercial space industry while leveraging those same 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. For the purpose of this Appendix, a space technology is at a tipping point if an investment in a ground development/demonstration or a flight demonstration will result in a significant advancement of the technology’s maturation, and a high likelihood for utilization of the technology in a commercial space application, and a significant improvement in the offerors’ ability to successfully bring the space technology to market.

This Appendix is seeking U.S. industry led proposals to advance “tipping point” space technologies, executed through firm-fixed-price contracts with milestone payments. See draft Appendix section 3.0 for full list of eligibility requirements/restrictions. The award instrument will be a firm-fixed-price contract with milestone payments tied to technical achievement. The complete draft Appendix is attached.

The purpose of the draft Appendix is to solicit industry comments and questions prior to issuance of the final Appendix. Questions/comments are strongly encouraged from potential offerors on all aspects of the draft Appendix. The industry input to the draft Appendix will be considered in formulating the final Appendix. NASA is not requesting proposals in response to this draft Appendix, does not intend to make an award on the basis of this draft Appendix or to pay for any information received regarding this draft Appendix. The anticipated release date of the final Appendix is on or about August 10, 2016 with an anticipated closing date of on or about September 29, 2016. The date for receipt of proposals will be stated in the final Appendix.

VIRTUAL INDUSTRY DAY FORUM

NASA is hosting a Virtual Industry Forum on Wednesday, July 20, 2016 to provide an overview of the Appendix and provide preliminary feedback on the questions and comments received to date. Potential offerors will also be given a chance to ask questions or make comments. The forum will be hosted via teleconference as well as a WebEx. Our WebEx has a capacity of 200 people, so we ask that if there are multiple interested attendees from the same company that you please join from one location, thus allowing maximum participation. WebEx participation will be on a first-come, first-served basis so please dial in a few minutes before the event start time. Those that are not able to connect to WebEx can still join via teleconference and follow along.

Frequently Asked Questions for Draft Appendix
Virtual Industry Day Presentation Charts

Questions and comments on the draft Appendix will be accepted through July 25, 2016. However, offerors are highly encouraged to submit questions/comments before July 12 in order for the questions/comments to be addressed at the Virtual Industry Forum. All questions and comments must be submitted in writing to:

HQ-STMD-TippingPointAppendix@nasaprs.com

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

ACO – Quad Chart instructions are located in:
4.0.       PROPOSAL SUBMISSION INFORMATION, Paragraph D – Quad Chart