Aerospace Testing and Facilities Operations and Maintenance (ATOM-5)   3

NASA/ARC hereby issues the final Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Aerospace Testing and Facilities Operation & Maintenance (ATOM-5) acquisition. The resultant ATOM-5 contract will provide support services to the Aeronautics and the Exploration Technology Directorates at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC). The work to be performed includes testing and facility operations, development projects and operation of support facilities, performance of maintenance and repairs, and administration. The purpose of this contract is to utilize ARC's aerospace facilities to satisfy the research, development, testing, and commercial needs of Government and commercial programs and projects.

The ground-based aerospace test facilities at ARC, including wind tunnels, high-enthalpy Arc Jet facilities, and the Sensor and Thermal Protection System Advanced Research (STAR) Lab, support a vast variety and number of experiments. Researchers from ARC, other NASA Centers, other Federal agencies, and the commercial community utilize these facilities for their testing programs. Commercially produced aircraftare tested in these facilities. In addition, the Arc Jet facilities have provided test data for many NASA spacecraft, including the Orion Multi-purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) and Artemis; STAR Lab supports a variety of mission types, technologies, and flight instrumentation including Earth Reentry, Mars Entry, and Mars Sample Return Earth Entry Vehicle.

In addition to conducting high quality test programs and operating facilities, the contract requirements also include the development of test articles; the development and implementation of new data systems, sensors and instrumentations; and the development of innovative test techniques.