WASHINGTON - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced that the agencies have extended their request for proposal (RFP) for the Space Weather Next Program. This initiative aims to procure the Space Weather Next L1 Series Suprathermal Ion Sensor (STIS), a cutting-edge ion spectrometer device with a broad energy range. The project was amended to extend responses from 19 February 2024 to 22 March 2024.
The L1 Series Suprathermal Ion Sensor serves as a tool for characterizing solar ejecta, including phenomena such as Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), co-rotating interaction regions (CIRs), and interplanetary shocks. Specifically designed as a low-energy charged particle detector, this sensor measures ion flux population as a function of energy. It can detect ions with energies higher than that of the bulk plasma, originating from both local solar acceleration and acceleration from a CME shock front. The analysis of these ion spectra aids in estimating the arrival time and strength of CME shocks.
The contract's comprehensive scope encompasses the entire lifecycle of the instrument, including design, analysis, development, fabrication, integration, testing, verification, evaluation, launch support, supply and maintenance of ground support equipment (GSE), and ongoing mission operations at the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility (NSOF).
The first flight unit is slated for delivery by March 2027, with the second following in June 2029. The anticipated contract award date is set for July 2024.
This procurement will be conducted as a full and open competition, with the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code set at 336414 and a Size Standard of 1,300 employees. NASA anticipates awarding a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) hardware contract for two instruments.
All contractual and technical questions should be submitted electronically via email to Kevin Cook at [email protected]. More information, including technical documents, is available at https://sam.gov/opp/5aa48d645c98455bbec8cfe52bb3aa26/view.
