Partnering Synopsis for OPAL2 Instrument Development

This partnering synopsis solicits potential partners to participate in proposal development activity that addresses the technical objectives and development of an instrument in response to an anticipated Earth Venture (Mission/Instrument) Announcement of Opportunity (AO) expected to be released in the next 1-6 months. Earth Venture is a Program element within the Earth System Science Pathfinder Program (ESSP) consisting of a series of innovative, integrated, science-driven approaches to pressing Earth system science issues. The goal of NASA's Earth Venture mission portfolio is to provide frequent flight opportunities for high quality, high value, focused Earth science investigations that can be accomplished under a not-to-exceed cost cap and that can be developed and flown relatively quickly, generally in 4-5 years or less. For additional information on the Venture Class program visit ESSP website: https://essp.nasa.gov/. Earth Venture proposed investigations will be evaluated and selected through a single step competitive process. This single step is the solicitation, submission, evaluation, and selection of proposals prepared in response to an AO. NASA Headquarters intends to select at least one mission or instrument to proceed to development for flight and operations as the outcome of this process. Participation in this partnering synopsis is open to all categories of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations, including educational institutions, industry, not-for-profit institutions, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, as well as NASA Centers and other U.S. Government Agencies. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Other Minority Universities (OMUs), Small Disadvantaged Businesses (SDBs), veteran-owned small businesses, service disabled veteran-owned small businesses, HUBzone small businesses, and Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSBs) are encouraged to apply. Participation by non-U.S. organizations is welcome but subject to NASA's policy of no exchange of funds, in which each government supports its own national participants and associated costs. Partners are sought for conceptual planning efforts focused on the design and development of ocean-profiling lidar instruments. In particular, NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) is seeking potential partners having demonstrated experience with elastic backscatter and/or High-Spectral Resolution (HSRL) Lidars, as well as expertise in fabrication, assembly, and testing. In addition, LaRC is also seeking potential partners with laser development and manufacturing experience. This integrated team will focus on developing a proposal for the EVM/I AO solicitation(s) that includes a spaceflight lidar for measurements of depth-resolved ocean subsurface attenuation and particulate backscatter profiles. The planned proposal work will leverage the success of the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) backscatter lidar on the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) satellite and the LaRC airborne High-Spectral-Resolution Lidars (HSRLs). CALIPSO is a LaRC-led mission and more information can be found at https://www-calipso.larc.nasa.gov/. If selected through this synopsis, it is expected that the selected partner(s) will work with NASA LaRC scientists and engineers to jointly develop the proposal. If the proposal is selected, NASA LaRC anticipates issuing contracts or other agreements to the selected partner(s) for performance of the proposed elements. 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) technical requirements, conceptual designs, technical data, proposal input, project schedules, and cost estimates for the spaceflight instrument concepts. It is expected that the selected partner(s) will work with NASA LaRC scientists and engineers as a team to jointly develop the technical requirements for the proposed lidar; an instrument concept with sufficient detail to enable accurate mass, volume, power, telemetry requirements, cost and schedule estimates for development, integration, and test of the proposed lidar; an assessment of areas of technical, cost and schedule risk and approaches for addressing those risk; and the technical and cost volumes of the proposal to the EVM/I solicitation. If the proposal is selected, it is anticipated that the partner(s) will work with LaRC on design, development, integration, and testing of the instrument; development of Ground Support Equipment (GSE); development of software for the instrument and GSE; and other potential mission specific elements. Partner selections will be made by NASA LaRC based on the listed criteria in the following order of importance: (1) Relevant experience, and past performance. This criterion evaluates the responder's relevant recent experience, past performance in similar development activities. Evidence of successful participation in similar development shall be included. (2) Technical capability and key personnel. This criterion evaluates technical capability to perform the development, and key personnel available to support the development. Resumes for key personnel are encouraged, and will NOT count toward the page limit requirement. (3) Facilities. This criterion evaluates the proposers' facilities (development, testing, and analyses) to conduct the development or demonstration of the proposed task. Instrument facilities for testing of space hardware and prototype hardware are considered important to this opportunity. 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 partnering opportunity. NASA will not pay for technical assessment or proposal preparation costs incurred by the respondent. The LaRC point of contact for this opportunity is Tory Scola (contact information below). For all questions submitted in writing, answers will be forwarded to those who have expressed an interest in responding to this opportunity, however, the source of the question(s) shall be held in confidence. Electronic or written narrative/word responses to this partnering synopsis shall: 1) not exceed 15 pages; 2) use a font size of 12 or larger; 3) address all requirements described in this document; and 4) provide a point of contact to address questions from NASA. If marked as such, responses will be treated as proprietary information and controlled as such. Responses can also be submitted in presentation/power point format; not exceed 30 pages; use a font size no smaller than 16 font; address all requirements described in this document; and provide a point of contact to address questions from NASA. Points of Contact: Brad Gardner, NASA Langley Research Center, Mail Stop 12, Hampton, VA 23681-2199. 757.864.2525 (robert.b.gardner@nasa.gov). Tory Scola, NASA Langley Research Center, Mail Stop 431, Hampton, VA 23681-2199 757.864.7025 (salvatore.scola@nasa.gov). All responses shall be submitted to NASA LaRC via e-mail by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on September 25, 2019, to Tory Scola and Brad Gardner.