In-Flight Trainer (IFT)

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes - it does not constitute a solicitation or any other form of request for quotes or proposals, nor is it a commitment to issue any such item in the future. This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Responses to this RFI are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Further, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is not seeking proposals at this time and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Please do not request a copy of the solicitation, as no solicitation currently exists. Responders are advised that the Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in responding to this RFI; all such costs shall be solely at the interested party's expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future procurements. If NASA releases any related solicitation in the future, it will be synopsized on the beta.sam.gov and the NASA Acquisition Internet Service (NAIS) websites. It is the responsibility of interested parties to monitor these sites for additional information pertaining to this RFI. Respondents will not be notified of any results of this RFI. The information received in response to this RFI will not be released in its submitted form outside of the Government, but may be used to develop and refine requirements and NASA's acquisition strategy. Therefore, the information may be recognizable. NASA's preference is to not receive proprietary or confidential/business-sensitive information in responses. However, if respondents believe such information is necessary for NASA's informational purposes in order to be responsive to the questions presented below, and such information is provided, NASA will not publicly disclose it and will protect it in accordance with all applicable laws and Agency policies. Description: The Flight Operations Directorate (FOD), NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) has identified a potential future requirement for an In-Flight Trainer (IFT) that will allow astronaut crews to learn and practice the skills associated with landing a vehicle on the lunar surface and other exploration activities. NASA JSC is seeking information from industry about potential systems that could be modified to serve as an IFT trainer with the flexibility for configuration to adapt to the Agency's needs for human lunar activities. Information from this RFI will be used to assess the feasibility of various IFT systems based on availability, complexity, and the degree to which those systems are suitable to provide for the necessary crew skill development and retention. Submittal Requirements: NASA requests that interested entities submit responsive information on company letterhead with proprietary markings and restrictive legends as appropriate. Responses should include the name, address, and telephone number of the firm, as well as the name of the author. There is no page limit to the responses. Respondents are requested to focus on the questions presented below, as well as to provide any related, relevant information identified by the respondent. NASA will not disclose the specific feedback received from one firm with any other interested entities. Questions: Do systems currently exist that could be reasonably modified to fit NASA's potential requirement above? Are any systems currently in development that NASA might use to fulfill this potential requirement? Are there partnership opportunities with other entities, including federal agencies, exploring similar technologies on which NASA might be able to capitalize? Based on current technology readiness level (TRL) and given a 2024 target for NASA's next lunar landing mission, is there a reasonable path for any existing or in-development IFT system to be available in mid-2022? Can potential IFT systems accommodate various flight profiles/control laws within one IFT vehicle; that is, can the flight control systems be programmed to fly as multiple vehicles without the need for multiple IFT platforms? All comments or questions shall be submitted electronically via email to Alice Pursell, alice.j.pursell@nasa.gov, no later than 4:00pm CT on August 25, 2020. When responding reference 80JSC020IFT. NASA 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. If a solicitation is released, then it and any additional documents will be available on www.beta.sam.gov. 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.