Spacecraft/Satellite Payload Processing Facilities and Services Capabilities

July 28, 2022 - Information onlyNASA Launch Services Program (LSP) plans to release a Draft Request for Proposal (DRFP) for the Spacecraft Processing Operations Contract (SPOC) late August 2022.  The anticipated release date of the Request for Proposal (RFP) is mid to late September 2022.In the interim LSP would like to begin communications with industry and provide the following information:The RFP is anticipated to include an oral presentation that may be attended in person or by other video communication means. The oral presentation will be in accordance with FAR 15.102 Oral presentations. The Government is anticipating allowing each offeror up to 2 hours exclusive of any additional time needed for clarifications.Possible topics for oral presentation are as follows:Facility capabilities to:Cleanroom for pre-launch processing of NASA spacecraft.Support for launch vehicle fairing preparation and processing.Available transport routes for encapsulated spacecraft to launch pad that

meets all federal, state, and local regulations.Accommodate spacecraft Ground System Equipment (GSE).Cleanroom support facilities available to include control rooms for spacecraft electrical ground support equipment and office areas for spacecraft personnel during the processing of hardware in the cleanroom and during spacecraft pad operations.Available material handling equipment such as forklifts and pallet jacks to aid in loading and unloading trucks with GSE and flight hardware.  Trucks to deliver GSE to and from facility to the launch pad.Discuss maximum payload processing capability - size and mass.Discuss maximum fairing size capability.Facility Processing Systems capabilities:Support of purges for contamination or humidity control.Support for fueling of spacecraft with fuels or oxidizers.Support for the load, offload, and transporting services to include permitting, licensing, site plan, clearances, security escort, and road and bridge survey of spacecraft containers and GSE from offeror’s designated airports and seaports. Permitting and licensing for working with international partners, including working with Customs and other US government agencies.Security services and access control to protect the Spacecraft Customer hardware and Customer data at their facilitiesPlanning Management:Describe how the company will coordinate and communicate with LSP and the Spacecraft Customer during planning activities.Describe its scheduling process for facility assignments and facility systems (e.g., cranes) utilization.Describe its communication and scheduling process for joint occupancy, whether planned or due to dynamic launch manifests.Describe how it will ensure that there are no adverse impacts to NASA spacecraft if a joint occupancy were to occur specifically addressing contamination control, security, and customer access for foreign nationals subject to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) export control restrictions.Describe its process for identifying and tracking all potential risks to payload processing.Describe the access to its facility afforded to LSP and Spacecraft Customer to support planning activities.Describe its contingency plans for critical facility system outages, loss of utility services, natural disasters, and schedule delays.Operations Management:Describe how it will coordinate and communicate with LSP and the Spacecraft Customer during the occupancy period.Describe its scheduling process for determining facility areas and facility systems (e.g., cranes) availability during the occupancy period.Describe how it will operate the facility during the occupancy period, specifically addressing:a. Describe staffing methodology to support multiple shifts and extended shift schedules.b. Handle customers schedule facility systems, support, and operations while occupying the facility.c. Process to schedule and maintain facility systems operability through preventative or emergency maintenance.Identify all potential risks to payload processing during the occupancy period and describe how the Offeror will mitigate them.Describe its process to prepare the facility for spacecraft arrival to include clean work area preparation and testing.Other information related to the SPOCThe SPOC solicitation is anticipated to be an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract that will have a base of 5-years with an additional 5-years option.Base contract will include the following:On-ramp clauseCommon Launch Support Site Plan (LSSP)Price Catalog (NTE pricing for at least three Calendar Years)It is anticipated, at least, a draft copy of the Statement of Work and Common LSSP will be posted early August 2022. At that time, the Government will welcome any comments and questions on these documents.This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government nor will the Government pay for information solicited.  Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation.February 23, 2022:NASA/ John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is hereby soliciting information from companies with current Spacecraft/Satellite payload processing facilities and services capabilities, or capabilities that will be available at a later date, to support missions launching from Kennedy Space Center (KSC)/Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS) and Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB).The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) KSC is seeking capability statements from all interested parties, including all socioeconomic categories of Small Businesses and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)/Minority Institutions (MI), and members of the underserved communities as defined by Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity And Support For Underserved Communities Through The Federal Government, for the purposes of determining the appropriate level of competition and/or small business subcontracting goals for potential acquisition. The Government reserves the right to consider a Small, 8(a), Women-owned (WOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran (SD-VOSB), Economically Disadvantaged Women-owned Small Business (EDWOSB) or HUBZone business set-aside based on responses received.Additionally, in support of the Executive Order (EO) 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, NASA is seeking to advance equity or remove barriers for members of underserved communities related to this requirement. As defined in the EO, Underserved Communities refers to populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life, as exemplified by the list in the preceding definition of "equity." Equity means the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment, such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.NASA seeks input in the following areas:To support the requirements identified in this request for information (RFI)/sources sought notification, what barriers or opportunities exist to engage subject matter experts from industry and academia and how can those barriers be overcome? How can underserved communities be leveraged?To support the requirements identified in this RFI, what barriers or opportunities exist to partner with subcontractors that employ members of underserved communities, as defined above?What other recommendations would you make to enhance diversity and inclusion?What should be considered to encourage full participation and contribution of organizations and individuals (e.g., outreach efforts and innovative partnerships) in performance of this requirement?No solicitation exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on SAM.gov.  Interested firms are responsible for monitoring this website for the release of any solicitation or synopsis.Interested firms having the required capabilities necessary to meet the requirements described herein should submit a capability statement of no more 15 pages indicating the ability to perform all aspects of the effort. The required contents of the capability package are described below.  This requirement is considered to be a commercial service as defined in FAR 2.101.MANAGEMENT SECTION:The NASA Launch Services Program (LSP) is contemplating contract terms for spacecraft processing facilities and services that may include:Price Catalog for majority of services - (Attachment 01 – Sample Price Catalog)On-ramp of new facilities and servicesRequested Responses to above:Provide how many years the company is willing to price and if there is a preference for years of performance.Provide suggestions or concerns with any of the contemplated items, if any.TECHNICAL SECTION:NASA Launch Services Program (LSP) requires processing facilities and services for processing spacecraft and launch vehicle hardware (payload adapters and fairings) in preparation for launch at Kennedy Space Center (KSC)/Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS) or at Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB).  The spacecraft customer/Launch Services contractor has responsibility for assembly, test, and servicing during the build-up and checkout of their respective hardware in the facility.Operations to be performed in the facility would typically include spacecraft assembly & testing, spacecraft fueling, fairing cleaning, and spacecraft encapsulation.At a minimum, LSP’s requires the processing facility:Located to provide for launch site processing and transportation of encapsulated spacecraft launching from KSC/CCSFS or VSFB. Cleanroom area, entry/exit doors and handling equipment (cranes) capable of supporting the spacecraft and launch vehicle hardware operations.Operated and maintained in accordance with spaceflight industry safety, cleanliness, and security standards to protect the assets processed therein.Cleanroom environment capable of maintaining ISO 14644-1 class 8 cleanliness as a minimum.Design, siting and accommodations (monitoring, alarms) will be required for any stated capability by the facility provider for handling of hazardous commodities and operations.  Hazardous commodities and operations may include, but are not limited to, spacecraft fuel loading, spacecraft oxidizer loading, spin balancing, ordnance installation and checkout, non-ionizing radiation sources (e.g., RF, laser, bright light), and upper stage (solid rocket motor) / fueled spacecraft handling. Cleanroom support facilities available to include control rooms for spacecraft electrical ground support equipment and office areas for spacecraft personnel during the processing of hardware in the cleanroom and during spacecraft pad operations.At a minimum, LSP requires the following services to accompany a spacecraft/satellite processing:Advanced planning and documentation to optimize the spacecraft use of the facility.Provisions of supplies and consumables (such as cleanroom garmenting, cleaning fluid/supplies, gaseous nitrogen)Provisions of support equipment capabilities such as trucks, trailers, personnel lifts, forklifts, ladders, and blast shields.Logistics and services necessary to support spacecraft and launch vehicle hardware receiving and processing to include access control, permits, and route surveys.Certification of the facility systems, environment, and commodities.The Government is requesting the following additional information:The location(s) of the facility to support launches at KSC/CCSFS or VSFB, or both.The anticipated/current facility layout.The size, by class or by launch vehicle name, of missions that can be supported in the facility:  Small, Medium, Intermediate, or Heavy.The ISO 14644-1 cleanliness class to which the facility will be certified.The hazardous processing the facility will be capable of handling.The concept of operations for transportation of encapsulated spacecraft from the facility to the KSC/CCSFC or VSFB launch pads e.g., the approach to obtain Department of Transport waivers/licenses (if any) and how the company will mitigate any known obstacles on the route.INSTRUCTION SECTION:All responses shall be submitted electronically via email to Justin Ko atksc-ssppf@mail.nasa.gov no later than noon (12 PM) Eastern Time on March 10, 2022.  Please reference 80KSC022B0001 in any response. Responses are recommended to be no more than 15 pages in the following format: 8.5” x 11”, 12-point pitch, Times New Roman font. Responses shall also include a cover letter (not counted as part of the page limitations) with the following information: name and address of company, size of business, ownership, number of years in business, and company point of contact, including position, address and phone number.If interested in participating in a one-on-one virtual meeting, please note this in your cover letter. Dates for the meetings have not yet been determined but are anticipated to take place in late March/early April. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government nor will the Government pay for information solicited.  Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation.