NASA globe in Kennedy Space center. Alexander – stock.adobe.com
In anticipation of NASA’s upcoming Safety and Mission Assurance Services SMAS III contracting vehicle, the space agency is preparing to release the associated solicitation. This third iteration of SMAS is expected to have a ceiling value of $226 million. The procurement effort, detailed in a pre-solicitation notice, will be overseen by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
The primary aim of this requirement is to bolster the mission of the Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) Directorate, designated as Code 300, in mitigating risks associated with Earth and Space exploration. This objective is to be accomplished by establishing a highly esteemed SMA workforce that maintains a constant vigilance in risk assessment, prudent application of requirements, and effective dissemination of lessons learned, all with the overarching goal of ensuring a flawless 100% mission success rate.
In a more specific context, this procurement initiative is intended to furnish safety and mission assurance services. This will encompass tasks such as conducting independent surveillance, audits, reviews, and assessments of activities spanning design, development, testing, and mission operations. These services will be carried out both on-site and at supplier facilities, catering to the needs of the SMA Directorate. The SMA Directorate, in turn, is tasked with providing crucial support to projects undertaken by the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), including the management of institutional risks related to project operations.
The contract for SMAS III is slated to be awarded as a cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) arrangement with a five-year ordering period. It will also include options for service extensions. Performance locations will encompass NASA GSFC/Wallops, contractor facilities, and other sites as determined by individual task orders.
The set-aside for this procurement falls under the category of a Total Small Business Set-Aside. The Product Service Code associated with this procurement is R699, specifically categorized as “SUPPORT- ADMINISTRATIVE: OTHER.” The NAICS Code corresponding to this opportunity is 541715, which pertains to “Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology).”
While the final request for proposal is expected to be posted in January 2024, a draft RFP is anticipated to be available earlier, potentially in October or November of this year. To learn more about SMAS III, the previous iteration’s task order details and incumbents, or similar contracting vehicles, get full access with a 5-day trial of EZGovOpps today.
NASA granted the previous iteration of SMAS to the Millennium Engineering and Integration Company, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It had a maximum ordering value of $185 million. Similarly, the contract was tailored for small businesses to provide essential support to Goddard projects. Its primary focus was the enforcement of agency and center policies including occupational safety and health, systems safety, reliability and risk assessment, mission software, ground systems assurance, quality engineering, systems review, management systems, and mission assurance. Flight projects included Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx), the James Webb Space Telescope, as well as NASA’s collaborations with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. These collaborations encompassed the Joint Polar Satellite System-1 (JPSS-1) and the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) program. Additionally, support covered the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST), the robotic satellite servicing spacecraft Restore-L, and NASA’s cutting-edge Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite, which represents the most advanced global ocean color and aerosol mission to date.