Near Space Network Services

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) plans to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Near Space Network (NSN) Services. NASA's Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Program, located in the Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD), provides space communication and- navigation services for scientific, technology and human spaceflight missions. SCaN has two networks, Deep Space Network (DSN) managed by Jet Propulsion Lab, and Near Space Network (NSN) managed under Goddard Space Flight Center's (GSFC) Exploration and Space Communications (ESC) Projects Division. The principal purpose of this NSN Services procurement is to acquire communication and navigation services for missions in near-space region (surface of Earth to 2 Million Km) for NASA and other federal agencies under two distinct categories: Category 1 - Near Space Direct-To-Earth (DTE), which covers communication and navigation services for customer missions, spacecraft or payloads up to 2 million kilometers from Earth. Category 2 - Near Space Relay, which covers communication and navigation services for customer missions, spacecraft or payloads up to 2 million kilometers from Earth. In each of these categories, the contractor will be required to provide insight and data deliverables that validate the capability of its assets to provide these services. Only upon successful validation of the contractor's assets, the contractor will be able to integrate to the NSN; and subsequently provide and compete via Task Orders for operational services to NASA and other federal agency missions. The place of performance for NSN Services will be at the contractor facilities and other locations as specified in individual task order. It is anticipated that the subject contract will be a Firm-Fixed-Fee (FFP), Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ), Multiple-Award contract with a ten-year ordering period. The NSN Services contract will include an - On Ramp feature, which allows for the solicitation to be periodically re-opened in order to give new vendors the opportunity to propose communication and navigation services for NASA and other federal agencies. The maximum ordering value will be $2.21B for both Categories 1 and 2 combined. This procurement will be a full and open competition. The anticipated release of the Draft RFP is on or about May/June 2022; and the anticipated release of the Final RFP is July/August 2022. A hybrid (in-person/virtual) Industry Day may be held 2/3 weeks after the release of the Draft RFP. All qualified responsible sources may submit an offer which shall be considered by the agency. Once the Draft RFP is issued, industry will be requested to submit questions in writing by the date specified in the Draft RFP. The Government will not accept proposals in response to the DRFP. The Government anticipates issuing a modification to this synopsis when the DRFP and RFP become available. The anticipated contract award date for Category 2 is on or about January/February 2023. The anticipated contract award date for Category 1 is on or about March/April 2023. This synopsis shall serve as the pre-solicitation notice for the Draft RFP as well as the Final RFP. The solicitation and any documents related to this procurement will be available over the Internet. An electronic library will be made available for this procurement. Information for access will be forthcoming in a future amendment to the synopsis. The NAICS Code and Size Standard are 517410 and $35M, respectively. NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. The current installation Ombudsman can be found at http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/pub/pub_library/Omb.html. Prospective offerors are encouraged to 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). Telephone questions will not be accepted.