EPIC Athena Sensorcraft

Notice of Proposed Contract Action (NOPCA) /Request for Information - FA8814-21-C-0006 THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS. INTERESTED SOURCES MUST PROVIDE CAPABILITIES STATEMENTS IF THEY CAN PROVIDE THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT EFFORT OUTLINED BELOW. THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. REQUESTS FOR A SOLICITATION WILL NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE. A DETERMINATION BY THE GOVERNMENT NOT TO COMPETE BASED ON RESPONSES TO THIS NOTICE IS SOLELY WITHIN THE DISCRETION OF THE GOVERNMENT. INFORMATION RECEIVED WILL NORMALLY BE CONSIDERED SOLELY FOR DETERMINING WHETHER TO CONDUCT A COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT. The Government hereby gives notice, as required under FAR 5.201(b) of the intent to award a sole source Firm Fixed Price contract as implemented in FAR 15.002(a) through the Justification and Approval authority IAW FAR 6.302-1. IAW DFARS 206.302-1(d) When utilizing the authority at FAR 6.302-1, the contracting officer shall post a request for information or a sources sought notice, and shall include the results of this inquiry in the justification required by FAR 6.303. This public notice serves as both a Request for Information and a Notice of Proposed Contract Action. The Space and Missile Systems Center, Space Development Corps, Advanced Systems and Development contracts branch (SMC/PKT), Los Angeles AFB intends to award, on a sole source basis, a Fixed Price Contract to NovaWurks, Inc, 10772 Noel St, Los Alamitos, CA. INTERESTED SOURCES MUST PROVIDE CAPABILITIES STATEMENTS IF THEY CAN PROVIDE THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT EFFORT OUTLINED BELOW. North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code: 541715 SIC: 8731 SBA Size Standard: 1500 BACKGROUND: A new USSF aggregatable NovaWurks bus called EPIC has been manufactured so that it can be reconfigured into a sensorcraft to operate the NASA Athena payload and perform the associated Athena science mission. NovaWurks currently supports the HISat reconfiguration, programming and testing of the sensorcraft. NovaWurks maintains rights to the HSOS software and the associated integration and test aggregation tools needed to accomplish the conversion of the EPIC bus into the Athena sensorcraft. WORK NEEDED TO BE PERFORMED: At this stage of development, 1) assembly and 2) reconfiguration of the spacecraft along with 3) modifications to the NovaWurks proprietary HISat Operating System (HSOS) software are required to complete the reconfiguration, integration and test of the USSF EPIC bus into the NASA Athena sensorcraft. Additionally the contractor shall prepare the sensorcraft for launch and perform on-orbit mission operations. TYPICAL SOW: Tasks include A. Preparing documents and launch campaign approvals for customer B. Modification of system software to host and aggregate the Athena payload systems C. Configuring, fabricating, assembling and testing EPIC universal device adapters for additional solar array, additional radio, and a beacon. D. Performing final integration and functional/environmental tests E. Performing simulations and calibration of the sensorcraft F. Integrating sensorcraft to launch vehicle G. Performing early in-orbit checkout H. Supporting mission requirements and on-orbit CONOPS I. Supporting the mission with a ground station that handles aggregatable C&T data, mission data and HSOS system software uploads on-orbit The Government is interested in all potential sources. Potential sources shall be capable of executing the work outlined above, meet the anticipated launch date in late 4th quarter of calendar year 2022. Additionally, potential sources must be able to modify the NovaWurks proprietary HISat Operating System (HSOS) software. The Government does not have data rights to this software, and the vendor would have to procure the rights from NovaWurks to execute this portion of the effort. The Government intends to make an award by August 2021. If a firm believes it is capable of meeting the Government's requirement, it may identify its interest and capability to the Contracting Officer within fourteen (14) days of this publication. Those interested firms must indicate whether they are a large, small, small-disadvantaged, 8(a) or women owned business and whether they are U.S. or foreign owned. Point of Contact: S. Chad Hedgepeth, Contracting Officer, Email steven.hedgepeth@us.af.mil. The SMC Ombudsman has been appointed to consider and facilitate the resolution of concerns from offerors, potential offerors, and others for this acquisition. Before consulting the Ombudsman concerned parties should first address their concerns, issues, disagreements, and/or recommendation to the Contracting Officer for resolution. In addition, AFFARS 5352.201-9101, Ombudsman, will be included in this acquisition's solicitation and contract. The SMC Ombudsman is Lt Col Michael Kennebrae who can be contacted at: SMC/PK, 483 N. Aviation Blvd, Los Angeles AFB, CA 90245-2808, Telephone #: 310-653-1786, E-Mail: michael.kennebrae@us.af.mil. DISCLAIMER: This RFI/NOPCA does not constitute a solicitation or a promise to issue a competitive solicitation in the future. The information in this notice is based on current information as of the publication date. The information in this notice is subject to change and is not binding to the Government. If changes are made, updated information will be provided in future notices and will be posted on SAM.BETA.GOV. Responses to this RFI may or may not be returned. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS. INTERESTED SOURCES MUST PROVIDE CAPABILITIES STATEMENTS IF THEY CAN PROVIDE THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT EFFORT OUTLINED BELOW. THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. REQUESTS FOR A SOLICITATION WILL NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE. A DETERMINATION BY THE GOVERNMENT NOT TO COMPETE BASED ON RESPONSES TO THIS NOTICE IS SOLELY WITHIN THE DISCRETION OF THE GOVERNMENT. INFORMATION RECEIVED WILL NORMALLY BE CONSIDERED SOLELY FOR DETERMINING WHETHER TO CONDUCT A COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT.