Using the Rapid Spacecraft Acquisition
Acronyms
Like most government organizations, the Acronym shorthand is used extensively to shorten correspondence. We thought it would be useful to put this up front.
AO - Announcement of Opportunity
CBD - Commerce Business Daily
CO - Contracting Officer
COTR - Contracting Officers Technical Rep
CPAF - Cost Plus Award Fee contract
DO - Delivery Order
FFP - Firm Fixed Price contract
IDIQ - Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (type of contract)
Is - present tense action verb, but perhaps meaning not at this exact time.
LV - Launch Vehicle
PI - Principle Investigator
QR - Quick Ride (secondary payload program)
RFI - Request for Information
RFO - Request for Offer
RSA - Rapid Spacecraft Acquisition
RSDO - Rapid Spacecraft Development Office
SC - Spacecraft
SOW - Statement of Work
T&C - contract Terms and Conditions
What Is The Rapid Spacecraft Development Office (RSDO)?
The RSDO manages the Rapid Spacecraft Acquisition and Quick
Ride contracts for NASA. In the context of the RSA, the role
of the RSDO is to act as competition advocate and facilitator
for missions who wish to use the RSA. RSDO is charged with
the responsibility of assuring that each vendor is allowed
a "fair opportunity" to be considered for each Request for
Offer. To perform this role, RSDO employs experts
in Spacecraft Engineering and Procurement.
 Back to Top
What Is The Rapid Spacecraft Acquisition?
The RSA is an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ)
Firm Fixed Price contract for the acquisition of previously
developed spacecraft busses. There are 8
Vendors (offering 16 busses) currently under contract
to provide SC hardware, Integration and Test, Instrument accommodation,
Launch Support, and on orbit test support. Final acceptance
of the spacecraft by the customer is on-orbit after completion
of an on-orbit test program.
The concept of RSA is to reduce the cost of mounting a mission by leveraging the gains in commercial practices and taking advantage of the effort other programs have spent in developing spacecraft bus hardware. The spacecraft under the RSA contract have been developed under a variety of commercial and government programs, and therefore can be considered less "risky" than one of a kind developmental spacecraft.
Back to Top
Why Use The RSA?
The RSA contract allows missions without extensive "unique" requirements to take advantage of previous commercial and government investments in spacecraft development. This, along with vendor competition, can lead to savings in both spacecraft cost and risk. The RSA contract can also benefit missions by reducing the government procurement cycle for a spacecraft acquisition from a year to less than thirty days. The short timeframe for a purchase benefits missions requiring short development schedules and those who do not enjoy long Source Evaluation Board activities.
Back to Top
Who Can Be A Customer?
Any US Government Agency, or any organization working on behalf of a US Government Agency (such as a PI on a NASA initiative), can be a customer of the RSDO. RSA delivery orders require both a Civil Servant Contracting Officer and Contracting Officer Technical Representative. For non-Civil Service customers, the sponsoring agency normally provides these functions.
For missions supporting NASA initiatives, there is no charge for using RSDO. For other missions, there is a nominal (small) reimbursement.
Back to Top
Where Do I Get Information About RSA?
Information about the RSA contract can be found at several
sources. Information about individual spacecraft are available
in the RSA Catalog.
Hard copies of the catalog can be requested via Email,
or via phone (301-286-1289).
RSDO personnel are also available for consultation concerning
your mission. After reviewing your missions requirements,
we will help determine if RSA is the correct contract vehicle
for your mission, and if so, how to proceed to support your
mission. We suggest calling RSDO at (301-286-1289) to request
a meeting or telecon. RSDO has the capability and processes
to protect sensitive mission information in support of competitive
AO responses.
Back to Top
When Should I Contact RSDO?
Anytime. RSDO has supported missions in the Project Formulation phase and onward. In general, it is better to contact RSDO as early as possible.
Early mission support entails a "compatibility assessment" with the catalog, and can help in defining mission approaches leading to a successful RSA delivery. During this time, RSDO can host a "Request for Information" for your mission. An RFI is an unfunded request to industry to survey capabilities, and can be open to all of industry through CBD announcements.
If time permits, it has been found useful to perform an "Accommodation Assessment" prior to releasing a spacecraft Request for Offer (RFO). An Accommodation Assessment is a funded study targeted to RSDO vendors for the purpose of determining feasibility of support. Accommodation Assessments should occur within a year of spacecraft RFO.
If time does not permit, RSDO can structure a procurement to meet your constraints. RSDO has supported spacecraft purchases in less than one month, however it is generally more beneficial to all parties to allow a little more time.
A generic process schedule shows a "nominal" mission flow.
Back to Top
How Do I Know If RSA Is Right For Me?
RSA works best for missions that have clearly defined instrument interfaces and require minimal changes to the "core" spacecraft. That doesn't mean modifications are not allowed (see next topic), but it does mean that any modification does involve some inherent change in risk and/or cost. This risk and cost is mitigated by the quality and completeness of your requirements. Part of the initial consultation is to determine whether your mission is "comfortable" with how your requirements fit with the RSA spacecraft.
For any contract (FFP or CPAF, RSA or non-RSA) the success of the mission depends on the quality and completeness of the requirements. The RSA is no different. The time and effort spent creating the Mission Requirements may well lead to a successful or not quite successful mission.
Back to Top
Can Modifications Be Made Under RSA?
The RSA is extremely flexible in allowing mission unique modifications to the core spacecraft. The level of allowable modifications to the core spacecraft is dependent on two factors, the preferences of the mission and the allowances of the contract. Each mission has their own threshold of what is the acceptable level of modification. However, the RSDO also analyses each vendor bid to ensure that the proposed bus has sufficient heritage to be considered the "core" bus which was included in the base contract. The RSDO will work with you to scope the expected mission unique modifications that will be required for your mission.
Other changes, such as to delivery schedules, some contract terms and conditions, and the elimination or inclusion of tasks to the standard RSA Statement of Work are allowed. RSDO will work with the mission to discuss topics in these areas.
Back to Top
Do I Have To Use RSA?
There is no requirement for anyone to use any RSDO service. If the RSDO is not providing a useful service to the community, then we will cease to be.
Back to Top
|
