JPL Mission Assurance Support Services (MASS) Request for Information (RFI)

The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), operating under a prime contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), is seeking responses to its Mission Assurance Support Services (MASS) subcontract recompete. Subcontracts with JPL for this effort are funded by NASA under a NASA prime contract with Caltech.

The Government is considering this effort to be a 100 percent Small Business Set-aside.

In order for a prospective source to be considered qualified, and thereby, eligible for award, the prospective source must meet the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Size Standard Code 541715 - Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology).

BACKGROUND: Within JPL, there is a Mission Assurance Division which manages the Reliability Engineering and Mission Environmental Assurance Office, the Quality Assurance Office, the Electronic Parts Engineering Office, and the System Safety Engineering Office. There is also the Mechanical Systems Engineering, Fabrication and Test Division which manages the Spacecraft Mechanical Engineering Office. These offices are responsible for providing specialized technical engineering services for all JPL in-house projects/missions.

The purpose of this request is to determine the interest and capability of potential proposers in competing for this work. Specifically, JPL is seeking a source with Mission Assurance Engineering and Safety staffing capabilities.

Scope: The Subcontractor shall provide technical, engineering, and scientific support services in the areas of, but not limited to: reliability engineering analysis (REA), system reliability, problem failure accountability and reporting (PFA)/thermal environments, environmental requirements engineering (ERE), natural space environments (NSE), electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), probabilistic risk assessment (PRA), product assurance, quality assurance, parts and component engineering, system safety engineering, structural finite-element analysis (FEA) engineering and mechanical hardware engineering as directed by JPL.

1. Perform REA, worst case analyses, unit and system-level failure modes effects and criticality analyses; prepare reliability documentation and presentations, review problem failure reports in support of JPL Flight Projects and fault tree analyses.
2. Provide system reliability support to include electrical and mechanical systems analysis and reporting, systems requirements development, tracking and documentation.
3. Process and maintain problem/failure accountability and test status documentation.
4. Assist JPL in the development of Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) guidelines and requirements for JPL Flight projects and by performing PRAs.
5. Determine and evaluate flight/launch thermal environments. Specify environmental design and test requirements in support of JPL Flight Projects.
6. Assist JPL in ensuring all flight hardware are fully compatible with anticipated mission environments including environmental design and verification, planning, identifying, tracking and managing risks and relevant testing and documentation.
7. Determine and evaluate natural space environments. Specify environmental design requirements in support of JPL Flight Projects.
8. Determine and specify EMC, environmental design, and test requirements. Perform circuit and electromagnetic field analysis, prepare plans and procedures, and perform EMC and magnetic testing for JPL Flight projects and instruments.
9. Support quality assurance engineering requirements to JPL flight projects and perform quality inspections and certifications to space flight hardware.
10. Support components and parts engineering requirements to JPL flight projects including radiation analysis.
11. Support system safety engineering and advise, develop and implement efficient and effective safety programs including evaluate and assess hazards associated with systems design and prepare safety compliance documentation.
12. Provide structural FEA and stress analysis support to spacecraft, payload, and instrument flight projects.
13. Provide mechanical hardware development and delivery support, including design, built, assembly, and test (DBAT) and integration, in support of flight projects.

Supplier Information:

1. Do you have current facilities in the Southern California area that could perform a Subcontract based on the scope described above? If so, where is it located?
2. Do you have verification by DCAA or other audit agency, of an accounting system that has been audited and determined adequate for determining costs applicable to this contract, in accordance with (Federal Acquisition Regulation) FAR 16.301-3(a)(1)?
3. Describe your timekeeping/billing system and electronic invoicing.
4. Does your company perform work under any other NAICS codes besides 541715 - Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences?
5. Describe your Company's Government size standard/type of classification (large, small, Small Disadvantaged, 8(a), HUBZone, Woman-Owned Small Business, Veteran-Owned Small Business, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), and/or 8(a).

Statement of capabilities:

1. Describe your resources employed in Office of Safety and Mission type labor support which include: Reliability Engineering and Environmental Assurance, Quality Assurance Engineer, Quality Assurance Inspector, Parts and Radiation Engineering, System Safety Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Subject Matter Expert, and Staff positions. Document job title and responsibility specifically to MASS.
2. Describe your related experience supporting space flight hardware and/or other NASA Centers such as Ames Research Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Glenn Research Center, Johnson Space Center, and Goddard Space Flight Center.
3. Does your company currently support work that requires Top Secret Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) security clearances?
4. Describe any Quality Management System (QMS) Certifications you have such as ISO 9001 or AS9100.

This RFI is limited to U.S. domestic businesses only.

DISCLAIMER: It is emphasized that the requested information is for preliminary planning purposes only and does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that JPL will solicit you for such a procurement in the future. Neither JPL nor the Government will be responsible for any costs incurred by you responding to this RFI or in furnishing any requested information. Prospective subcontractors are advised that any information provided shall be deemed to be furnished with unlimited rights to JPL, with JPL assuming no liability for the disclosure, use, or reproduction of such data.

RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS: Interested firms having the required capabilities necessary to meet the Safety and Mission Assurance requirements described herein should submit a response. JPL appreciates receiving (1) your expression of interest, and (2) the above requested information under Supplier Information and Statement of Capability (no more than 10 pages). Please provide this information to smallbusiness.programsoffice@jpl.nasa.gov on or before the response due date on 03/31/2023.