Commercial Aviation Services to Support NASA Airborne Science

NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) has a requirement for commercial aviation services to support NASA Airborne Science. NASA requires access to a modified King Air B-200, A-90, Dash-8, or similar class aircraft class aircraft with one or more nadir ports, payload, power, inlets, modified nosecones, window fixtures, externally mounted antennae, and equipment racks suitable for carrying remote sensing instruments to support NASA earth observing missions and sensor development, maturation, and operations for science.

Examples of instruments that need to be supported include but are not limited to NASA ARC MODIS-ASTER Airborne Simulator (MASTER), the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Land Vegetation Imaging System (LVIS) and G-Light instruments, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) AVIRIS-NG and AirSWOT instruments. The support must be able to provide mechanical, electrical, and IT integration of NASA payloads, required power (e.g. 28V DC), and space for one or more equipment racks.

Additionally, one or more instrument operator must be able to fit on the aircraft. These instruments also include requirements for external GNSS/Global Positioning System (GPS) antennae, internal 19-inch racks to secure computers and inertial navigation systems (INS) such as Applanix 510/610 systems. The general aircraft performance requirements also must be able to provide medium altitude, medium lift, and medium speed. The payload is 3000 pounds (lb.), and the altitude is at 30,000 feet (ft).

NASA ARC intends to issue a sole source contract to acquire the services from Dynamic Aviation under the authority of 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1) and FAR 6.302-1 as the only responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

The Government intends to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12. Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort electronically via email to Joshua.D.Taggart@nasa.gov not later than 12:00 p.m. CT on August 22, 2024. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this acquisition on a competitive basis.

A determination by the Government not to compete this acquisition on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government. NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. The Center Ombudsman for this acquisition can be found at : https://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/regs/Procurement-Ombuds-Comp-Advocate-Listing.pdf