Space Weather Next L1 Series Solar Wind Plasma Sensor (SWiPS) Procurement

The purpose of this contract is to acquire implementation and instrument development activities for the two (2) SWiPS instruments and related services for the Flight Projects Directorate, in support of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with the goal of providing NOAA with the continuity of solar wind data and X-Ray irradiance measurements plus Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) imagery. The contractor shall design, analyze, develop, and fabricate the required quantity of sensor instruments.

The contractor shall also integrate, test, calibrate, evaluate and support launch and on-orbit check-out of the instruments. NASA has selelected a a contractor to perform the implementation and hardware development activities for the SWiPS instrument for Space Weather Next L1 Series. This contract was awarded on a full and open competitive basis. The contract type is a cost-reimbursement plus no fee.

This contract will operate in a very dynamic environment that entails a complex and dynamic scope of work that involves cost, schedule, and technical performance risk. Per FAR 16.302(b), a cost contract may be appropriate for research and development work, particularly with nonprofit educational institutions or other nonprofit organizations. Therefore, a Cost Plus No Fee contract type is best suited for mission success of the procurement.