Operations Mission Support to the Hinode (Solar-B) Program

NASA/MSFC has a requirement for continued support to Hinode mission science operations. Hinode was designated by the U.S. Department of State as an international partnership mission. The mission objective is to expand solar science, specifically, to investigate the magnetic activity of the Sun, including its generation, energy transfer and release of magnetic energy. Hinode was originally known as Solar B and was launched from Japan on 23 September 2006. The Hinode contracts were competitively selected by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Headquarters (HQ) in response to Announcement of Opportunity AO-98-OSS-05 to provide the Focal Plane Package for the Solar-B mission. These contracts are in support of the Focal Plan Package Mission Operations and Data Analysis (MO&DA) activities. The mission is a partnership between NASA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the U.K. Science and Technology Facilities Council. JAXA owns and operates the Hinode spacecraft, NASA operates the science instruments and also provides in-kind communications support for the mission.

NASA is tasked with being the primary manager of the on-board instruments and manages the three instrument-support prime contractors: Contract No. NNM07AA01C, Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory (LMSAL); Contract No. NNM07AB07C, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO); and Interagency Agreement No. 80MSFC24TA022, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL). The three Hinode instruments are intended to observe targets in harmony, along with simultaneous observations conducted with other instruments. A summary of each contract vehicle is provided below:

NNM07AA01C Lockheed Martin (LM)

Lockheed Martin currently provides mission support services for the Hinode (Solar-B) program, including inputs necessary for their Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) instrument command generation, SOT instrument health and performance. The operations support is provided by the Focal Plane Package/SOT science team, primarily located at the contractor home site in Palo Alto, CA, and at subcontractor sites within the US.

NNM07AB07C (SAO)

Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory currently provides mission support services for the Hinode (Solar-B) program, including inputs necessary for their X-Ray Telescope (XRT) instrument command generation, XRT instrument health and performance. The operations support is provided by the XRT science team, primarily located at the contractor home site in Cambridge, MA, and at subcontractor sites within the US.

80MSFC24TA022 (NRL)

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) currently provides mission support services for the Hinode (Solar-B) program, including inputs necessary for their Extreme UV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) instrument command generation, EIS instrument health and performance. The operations support is provided by the EIS science team, primarily located at NRL, Washington, DC, and at subcontractor sites within the US.

NASA/MSFC intends to issue a sole source contract modification to extend the period of performance (POP) of each Hinode Phase E contract vehicle for one-year, from October 31, 2025 through October 31, 2026 and align contract closeout options (Phase F), as applicable, to begin subsequent to the completion of Phase E. This extension will ensure continued uninterrupted support to acquire the services from Lockheed Martin, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, and The Naval Research Laboratory pursuant to FAR 6.302-1, which implements the authority for 10 U.S.C 2304 ( c)(1) for acquisition of supplies and services from only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. In accordance with FAR 6.302-1 (a)(2)(iii)(A), services may be deemed to be available only from the original source for continued provision of highly specialized services when it is likely that the award to any other source would result in substantial duplication of cost to the Government that is not expected to be recovered through competition and unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency's requirements.

The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12.

Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort electronically via email to Brandon Pitts at brandon.x.pitts@nasa.gov and Iris Walter at iris.r.walter@nasa.gov not later than 5:00 p.m. Central time zone on May 1, 2025. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this acquisition on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to compete this acquisition on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government.

NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. The Center Ombudsman for this acquisition can be found at : https://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/regs/Procurement-Ombuds-Comp-Advocate-Listing.pdf