Draft RFP Docs for NASA Tech Transformation Transfer Contract Posted

May 5, 2005

NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) issued two draft documents related to a planned Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Technology Transfer Transformation (TTT) contract. The agency posted for review by potential bidders a draft Statement of Work (SOW) and draft Data Requirements Documents list for the contract.

NASA's technology transfer program responsibilities were established when NASA was created in 1958 and were augmented by subsequent acts. Responsibilities of technology transfer include transfer of technologies from NASA ("spin-out"), and the transfer of needed technologies into the agency's programs and missions ("infusion").

The Technology Transfer program, in collaboration with internal legal counsel, collects and manages NASA's newly developed technologies, assesses them for intellectual property protection, and makes them available to the nation's commercial and industrial sectors. The program is managed by the Innovative Partnerships Program Office (IPPO) through an team comprised of NASA headquarters IPPO project managers and IPP officers from each of the 10 NASA field centers.

Draft Statement of Work
The draft SOW addresses the IPPO need for a single, centrally managed support-services function, accessible to the 10 NASA field centers. Key principles for this function, as outlined in the draft, include:

There will be a single point of entry to NASA's technology transfer programs (and for access to available technologies) at NASA headquarters, at each of the field centers, and through an online technology portal.
The program will provide notice of the availability of new technologies to the NASA scientific and engineering staff, as well as to the nation's economic sectors.
Access to high-technology sectors will be directly through local affiliates and by any other effective and cost-effective means deemed appropriate by the TTT contractor.

The intent of this SOW is to define requirements for the contractor to:

Develop and disseminate internally and externally information about NASA technologies available for technology transfer and about partnerships that address critical mission needs.
Identify and qualify partners to provide needed technologies for NASA's missions and programs and to license NASA technologies.
Assess intellectual property (IP) and recommend disposition.
Produce materials for NASA's IPPO outreach activities, and conduct outreach activities.

Data Requirements Documents Draft
According to the scope of the draft, the Data Procurement Document (DPD) sets forth the data requirements in each Data Requirements Description (DRD) and governs that data required by the DPD for the contract. The contractor will furnish data defined by the DRD's listed on the Data Requirements List by category of data, included in the draft, and made a part of the DPD. This data will be prepared, maintained and delivered to NASA in accordance with the requirements set forth within the DPD.

In cases where data requirements are covered by a Federal Acquisition Regulation or NASA FAR Supplement clause, that clause shall take precedence over the DPD, consistent with clause FAR 52.215-8.

All parties interested in the Technology Transfer Transformation contract are encouraged to register for email notification for automatic notification when announcements about the procurement are posted.

Documents related to the procurement are available at the NASA/HQ Business Opportunities web site.

While comments are welcome for any aspect of the draft documents, NASA will not reply to comments at this time. Comments on any element of this notice may be submitted via email.

Details on the IPPO program may be found at the Innovative Partnerships Program Office web site.

A link to briefing charts and further details on current and upcoming acquisition activities is available at the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate web site.

Source: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).