Award Notice

WFIRST Widefield Instrument Concept Study NOI NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) intends to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a formulation study to develop a design for the industry provided portion (detailed below) of the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) Wide Field Instrument (WFI) based on the Government provided requirements in the Statement of Work and applicable documents. Additionally a hardware development program, including schedule and cost estimates, and an Integration and Testing approach should be developed, which includes the integration of Government supplied hardware (detailed below), resulting in the delivery of a flight qualified WFI Opto-Mechanical Assembly (WOMA). WOMA and WFI integration and test would be conducted at the contractor facility, or at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), or at a combination of the two facilities. The instrument level calibration would be conducted by GSFC with support from the industry partner. This will be collaborative effort between the industry partner and NASA with the following division of responsibilities: The industry partner will have responsibility for the design, fabrication, and test of the WFI Optical Bench, Wide Field Channel reimaging optics (F1, F2, M3) including mounts and mechanisms, Element Wheel Assembly (including the Element wheel, mechanism, electronics, and FSW if any, but not the mounted optics), Cold Optics Baffle Assembly (COBA), Outer Enclosure, Thermal Control System including external radiator and cryocooler assembly, and Flight Software (FSW), and active latch (A latch) drive assembly; designated the (WOMA) and would support the integration and test of the Government supplied sub-assemblies to complete the WFI. The Government will have responsibility for the design, fabrication and test of the WF Focal Plane Assembly (FPA), Auxiliary Guider (AG) FPA, Element Wheel mounted optical elements (filters and grism), Integral Field Channel (IFC), Instrument Command and Data Handling (ICDH), Focal Plane Electronics (FPE), Relative Calibration System (RCS), blind-mate electrical connector assembly, Inter-Module Harness (IMH), and servicing mechanisms. NASA contemplates evaluating and selecting multiple offers (approximately 2) based on the proposals as submitted and providing each of the study participants a not to exceed cost of between $3M to $4M for the six-(6) month study. The WFIRST mission is a space-based astrophysics observing program comprising: (1) a high-latitude survey optimized to study dark energy, (2) a galactic bulge survey that will use microlensing observations to complete the exo-planet census begun by Kepler, (3) coronagraphic observations of nearby planets and proto-planetary systems, and (4) a Guest Observer program that will utilize the power of both the IR survey and the coronagraphic observations to address a wide-ranging set of astrophysics phenomena. This planned program will make major contributions towards all three of the goals identified for astrophysics in the NASA Strategic Plan: - Probe the origin and destiny of our universe, including the nature of black holes, dark energy, dark matter and gravity. - Explore the origin and evolution of the galaxies, stars and planets that make up our universe. - Discover and study planets around other stars, and explore whether they could harbor life. The WFIRST mission uses a 2.4-m telescope, to be flown in a Sun-Earth L2 orbit, and equipped with a Wide Field Instrument (WFI), comprised of a wide field camera and an Integral Field Channel (IFC). The WFI consists of a cold instrument module and a warm electronics module. The Wide Field Channel (WFC) is one of two optical channels in the WFI; the other is an Integral Field Channel (IFC) with a much smaller field of view. Further details of the WFIRST implementation approach, study goals and deliverables will be provided with the study RFP. The results of the study will inform decisions on the optimal approach that maximizes the strengths of NASA and industry to achieve the mission. For further information on the WFIRST mission, observatory and science refer to: http://wfirst.gsfc.nasa.gov and, specifically, the WFIRST-AFTA 2015 Report at: http://wfirst.gsfc.nasa.gov/science/sdt_public/WFIRST-AFTA_SDT_Report_150310_Final.pdf This procurement will be a full and open competition. NASA/GSFC anticipates awarding approximately two (2) Firm Fixed-Price type contracts for this effort with an anticipated award date on or about Fall 2016. The Government does not intend to acquire commercial items using FAR Part 12. See NASA Specific Numbered Note "26" -- this can be accessed at the following URL: http://genesis.gsfc.nasa.gov/nasanote.html . The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code for this procurement is 541330. The anticipated release date of the RFP is on or about August 15, 2016 with an anticipated offer closing date on or about September 14, 2016. The actual due date for receipt of offers will be stated in the prospective RFP. Upon issuance of the RFP, all qualified responsible sources may submit an offer which shall be considered by this agency. NASA FAR Supplement (NFS) 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. All documents related to this procurement will be attainable electronically from the World Wide Web through the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website at https://www.fbo.gov. Prospective offerors shall notify this office of their intent to submit an offer. It is the offeror's responsibility to monitor the Internet site for the release of the solicitation and amendments (if any). Potential offerors will be responsible for downloading their own copy of the solicitation and amendments (if any). Any referenced notes may be viewed at the following URLs linked below. All contractual and/or technical questions shall be submitted in writing, via e-mail. Questions must be submitted to the following e-mail address: contact@example.gov. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted.