Procurement of Crew Transportation and Rescue Services from ROSCOSMOS

NASA has a requirement for crew transportation services to and from the International Space Station (ISS). These services include launch, return and rescue of U.S. or U.S. designated astronauts and associated services. The associated services include primary and ancillary services not limited to: Launch and return of U.S. Operating Segment (USOS) Crew members to the ISS for planned six-month missions, On-orbit rescue services for the duration of six-month missions and provision of emergency rescue services, Search and Rescue services and recovery at landing site, Theoretical and practical training of Astronauts for nominal, off nominal and sea survival activities for the safe operation of the ISS vehicle, Provision for access to NASA designated support personnel to the launch site including visa support, housing, logistics, security and clearance for facility access, Cargo services for storage, delivery to, and return, from the ISS including disposal of trash from the ISS for cargo associated with crew delivery and return, ascent control flight control operations, rendezvous and on-orbit docking services, on orbit consumables, life support systems and habitability services. NASA is considering contracting with the State Space Corporation "Roscosmos" for these services on a sole source basis for two (2) Soyuz seats and associated services to the International Space Station (ISS) on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft vehicle. This transportation would be for one crewmember in the fall of 2020 and one crewmember in the spring of 2021. This procurement will be in compliance with and limited by the Iran, North Korea, Syria Nonproliferation Act. NASA has contracts with two U.S. commercial companies for crew transportation to the ISS. The Commercial Crew Contracts were initially signed in September 2014 with the first ISS crew rotations planned for December 2017.* Each provider must complete two test flights before the first ISS crew rotation flights; an uncrewed test flight and a crewed test flight. One U.S. commercial company conducted their uncrewed test flight in March 2019, while the other is currently planned to conduct theirs in December 2019. Each provider also has an additional abort test planned, prior to scheduling their crewed test flights. Past experience has shown the difficulties associated with achieving first flights on time in the final year of development. Typically, problems will be discovered during these test flights. The consequences of no U.S. crew on ISS warrant protection by acquiring additional seats. The absence of U.S. crewmembers at any point would diminish ISS operations to an inoperable state. This Soyuz seat procurement ensures uninterrupted access to the ISS in the event of a delay in U.S. commercial crew launches, mitigating the significant risk to ISS safety and operations that the absence of U.S. or US-designated crew members at any point in time would cause. This procurement will ensure that NASA has at least one crewmember on-orbit through September 2021. Obtaining this Soyuz transportation provides flexibility and back-up capability without adding unnecessary schedule pressure to our US commercial crew providers. The Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel has previously recommended that NASA should provide additional back-up capability in case US crew flights are delayed. This will also insure that NASA is meeting its own needs for crew transportation as well as its obligations to the International Partnership. Eleven months from now, in October 2020, there may no longer be a USOS presence on-board ISS unless action is taken. Based on the current status of the U.S. commercial program this date should allow overlap in capability and protect for continued ISS operation. Overlap with U.S. commercial crew capability is required to allow smooth and safe transition to a new U.S. capability. Even after U.S. crew transportation completes its test program, history has shown that developing an operational cadence of flights is difficult. Launch delays will occur. This overlap in crew transportation capability provides assurance of continuous safe operation and research activity on ISS. As a means to mitigate the aforementioned risks, NASA is issuing this synopsis in order to provide notice of the Agency's requirements and to determine whether any other potential sources have the current capability to provide these crew transportation services in the required timeframes. Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to provide the crew transportation services. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. The determination of whether or not to acquire these services without competition is solely within the discretion of the Government. Submissions must be provided in writing to the identified point of contacts not later than 8:00 a.m. local time on December 12, 2019. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice. The Government does not intend to acquire the described services as a commercial item using FAR Part 12. * The Post Certification Mission dates reflect the date at Authority to Proceed.