A--TEAMING OPPORTUNITY FOR THE INSTRUMENT INCUBATOR AND ADVANCED COMPONENT TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS

Teaming Opportunity for the Instrument Incubator Program (IIP) and the Advanced Component Technology (ACT) Program - NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) is seeking to increase opportunities for collaboration with industry, academia, non-profit organizations, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC), and other government agencies that leverage LaRC's core competencies in Atmospheric Sciences and active and passive remote sensing. This partnering synopsis solicits potential partners to participate in developing a proposal addressing the goals and objectives of NASA Research Announcement (NRA) NNH07ZDA001N Appendix A.26 Instrument Incubator (Amendment No. 15) and/or Appendix A.25 Advanced Component Technologies. The NRA, Appendix A.26 and A.25 can be accessed at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary.do?method=init&solId={E529A93E- C05F-7B1E-680D-D5C7488C2F6C}&path=open. Additional information on the IIP and ACT Programs can be found at http://esto.nasa.gov/obs_technologies.html . The IIP fosters the development of innovative instruments and measurement techniques and their assessment in ground, aircraft, or engineering model demonstrations. It is designed to reduce the risk of new, innovative instrument systems so that they can be successfully used in future science solicitations. The ACT program brings instrument, platform, and information system components to a maturity level that allows for their integration into other NASA-technology development programs, such as IIP. This opportunity focuses on the components, instruments, and techniques required to make the science measurements that are described in the National Research Council's Decadal Survey (Reference: Earth Science and Applications from Space: National Imperatives for the Next Decade and Beyond, ISBN: 0-309-66900-6 (2007) or access a free pdf download from http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11820.html). Measurements called for in the Decadal Survey have been assembled into fourteen (14) mission concepts with start dates ranging from 2010 to 2020 for implementation by NASA. This synopsis solicits partners in each of the mission areas outlined in the Decadal Survey. NASA LaRC has specific interest in development of innovative components, instruments and measurement techniques related to the following mission areas: ACE (Advanced Composition Explorer), ASCENDS (Active Sensing of CO2 Over Days, Nights, and Seasons), GEO-CAPE (Geostationary Coastal and Air Pollution Events Mission), 3D-WINDS (Three-Dimensional Tropospheric Winds from Space-based Lidar), GACM (Global Atmospheric Composition Mission) and SMAP (Soil Moisture Active-Passive). In addition, NASA LaRC will consider proposals in the remaining Decadal Survey mission areas that utilize LaRC core competencies, technologies, and facilities. Interested parties may propose as a partner for any, all, or any combination of the mission areas sought. This partnering opportunity does not guarantee selection for award of any contracts or other agreements, nor is it to be construed as a commitment by NASA to pay for the information solicited. It is expected that the partner(s) selected would provide (at no cost to NASA) conceptual designs, technical data, proposal input, project schedules and cost estimates. Partner selections will be made by LaRC based on the listed criteria in the following order of importance: (1) Relevant experience, past performance, technical capability, and availability of key personnel. This criterion evaluates the proposers relevant recent experience, past performance in similar development activities, technical capability to perform the development and key personnel available to support the development. Substantive evidence of successful participation in similar developments should be included. (2) Cost and schedule control. This criterion evaluates the proposers ability to control both cost and schedule. The proposer should provide evidence of successfully controlling cost and schedule for similar development programs and provide evidence of management processes in this area. (3) Cost sharing. This criterion evaluates the extent and type of cost sharing proposed, if any, and the potential partner's commitment to do so. (4) Facilities. This criterion evaluates the proposers facilities (development, testing, and analyses) to conduct the development or demonstration of the proposed task. The proposer should discuss facility availability, access, and the ability to meet the proposed objectives. NASA will not reimburse organizations for the cost of submitting information in response to this synopsis. NASA will not pay for technical assessment or proposal preparation costs incurred by team members. RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS: Responses to this partnering synopsis shall be limited to 8 pages for each mission area of interest. Offerors responding to one or more of the areas may submit up to 8 pages per mission area. Responses must address each of the aforementioned evaluation criteria. Offerors must clearly identify the mission area(s) and proposed component, subsystem, instrument and/or measurement technique, and recommend consideration under the ACT or IIP opportunity in the cover page. However, this page will not count towards the total allocated page count. LaRC reserves the right to consider responses under either ACT or IIP partnering opportunities. All responses shall be submitted to LaRC electronically via e-mail by 5:00 PM EST on September 14, 2007 to: F. - Wallace Harrison at Email: contact@example.gov All technical questions must be submitted via e-mail, as well, to Mr. Harrison.