NASA/NSSC has a requirement for a course entitled “Fundamentals of Systems Engineering.” The objective of the training is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of deployed systems while concurrently reducing their operation and support costs. The course shall discuss space systems engineering at the application level emphasizing crucial activities spanning the entire project lifecycle through integrated technical and leadership assessments, individual development planning, developmental work assignments, mentoring, knowledge sharing, and curriculum with activities spanning the entire project lifecycle. The vendor shall be responsible for providing all training materials to include any software, textbooks or workbooks necessary. The vendor shall conduct five days of training, totaling 40 hours of in-class instruction which shall be broken into two segments with five weeks between segments to accomplish class assignments, papers, and individual and group projects. Training is to be held at Johnson Space Center, or within a 5 mile radius, for 30 students, and the period of performance for this training is from March 1 – July 31, 2009.
NASA/NSSC intends to purchase the above curriculum from Stevens Institute of Technology, School of Systems and Enterprises, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Pursuant to FAR 13.106, the acquisition of these services has been determined to be reasonably available from only one source. Competition is impractical for the following reasons: 1) The module being used is part of the only program in the U.S. offering unique combination of hands-on space systems engineering development, such as, space domain focus on space system engineering – balanced and integrated technical domain and system management tied to NASA’s NPR 7123.1a and NASA’s System Engineering Handbook; 2) The vendor provides the necessary breadth and depth of this integrated curriculum across the spectrum of robotic space systems and crewed space systems; 3) The vendor has previously tailored this program to meet the needs of NASA Johnson Space Center employees providing for cost-effective, timely, specialized training that can not be readily duplicated by any other source within the timelines required.
The Government intends to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12.
Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort in writing to the identified point of contact not later than 4:30 p.m. central time on December 15, 2008. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed effort on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the government.
Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice.
Capabilities and qualifications should be submitted to Megan Willis at Megan.M.Willis@nasa.gov.
An Ombudsman has been appointed. See NASA Specific Note "B".
Any referenced notes may be viewed at the following URLs linked below.
