Professor of Physics & Astronomy, to participate in the Lightning Advisory Panel (LAP) and further development and evaluation of the Lightning Launch Commit Criteria (LLCC).

This is a sole-source requirement under FAR Part 13 for non-commercial services, issued by the NASA Shared Services Center on behalf of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, to engage a Professor of Physics & Astronomy for participation in the Lightning Advisory Panel (LAP) and the continued development and evaluation of the Lightning Launch Commit Criteria (LLCC). The solicitation, numbered 80NSSC26936496Q, was posted on June 26, 2026, with a response deadline of June 30, 2026, and is exclusively targeted at Dr. Joseph R. Dwyer from the University of New Hampshire, whose expertise in lightning physics and prior involvement with the LAP make him the sole qualified individual for this role. The contract falls under NAICS code 611310, and performance will occur primarily at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Orlando, Florida, with a one-year period of performance beginning at award. The selected individual will be required to attend one approximately three-day in-person or virtual meeting at Kennedy Space Center during Summer/Fall 2026, participate in 12 to 22 teleconferences of about 1.5 hours each, and serve on at least one, preferably two, LAP sub-committees focused on LLCC refinement, data analysis, and rationale documentation. Deliverables include a detailed description of contributions to LLCC development, sub-committee lead documentation with proposed wording updates, documentation of unpublished analyses, and an updated curriculum vitae submitted six months after award. Pricing must be separately structured for core LAP activities, travel expenses related to the in-person meeting, and potential Chair responsibilities, though no specific dollar amounts or CLINs are provided. The contract includes the NASA FAR Supplement Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, and requires all submissions to be in writing, with no oral communications permitted. No competitive evaluation factors, past performance reviews, or technical scoring criteria are applicable due to the sole-source nature of the acquisition.