Moon to Mars NextSTEP-3 Appendix B, Architecture Studies

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This document is a solicitation (Solicitation Number: 80MSFC26R0003) for services to support NASA's technology development and mission concept maturation activities. The work involves concept exploration, research, analysis, experimental studies, and specialized studies, with a focus on analytical investigation and knowledge advancement rather than hardware development. The ultimate goal is to support human missions beyond low Earth orbit, including to the lunar surface and Mars.

Services include:

• Concept Exploration: Initial investigation and preliminary research into proposed concepts' alignment with NASA strategic goals.
• Concept Refinement: Comprehensive mission concept investigations to assess feasibility and program alignment.
• Concept Maturation: Advancing research through derivation of functional requirements and design space exploration.
• Risk Reduction: Experimental research to investigate and characterize critical technical, programmatic, and operational risks.
• Special Studies: Specialized investigations requiring focused expertise outside the scope of the main CLINs.

Specific requirements will be defined in individual Task Orders (TOs) issued under this Multiple-Award Task Order Contract (MATOC).

• Contract Type: Multiple-Award Task Order Contract (MATOC).

• Task Orders: All Task Orders will be Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP).

• Period of Performance: Not explicitly stated in the provided sections, but includes a Base Period of 24 months and Option Period 1 of 12 months.

• Contract Ceiling: Not-To-Exceed (NTE) contract ceiling is TBD.

• CLINs: Non-priced ordering categories; pricing will be established at the Task Order level.

• Submission Deadline: Offers are due by 5:00 PM CT on February 20, 2026.

• Evaluation Factors: Not detailed in the provided sections, but Section M references "Evaluation of Options."

• NAICS Code: 541715

• Small Business Size Standard: 1,000 employees.

• Other: Various representations and certifications are required, including those related to responsibility matters, tax liability, and foreign ownership.

• This is a "DRAFT" document.

• Pricing for work will be established at the Task Order level.

• Funding will be obligated at the Task Order level.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is Attachment C, the Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ), for the NextSTEP-3 initiative. Its purpose is to gather information from organizations that have had first-hand experience with an offeror to evaluate their past performance. This evaluation is a key consideration in the proposal selection process for the Moon to Mars Architecture Studies initiative.

The questionnaire is divided into several sections:

• Contract Identification: Details about the contract being reviewed (contractor, number, type, period of performance, dollar value, description of work, competitive award status, contractor's role).
• Customer or Agency Identification: Information about the customer or agency for whom the work was performed.
• Respondent Identification: Information about the individual completing the questionnaire.
• Performance Information: This section includes detailed questions and a rating scale (Exceptional, Very Good, Satisfactory, Marginal, Unsatisfactory, Not Applicable) covering:
  • Technical Performance (understanding requirements, quality of deliverables, meeting standards, system engineering, QA program, technical depth).
  • Program Management (effectiveness, personnel, problem resolution, responsiveness, schedule changes, subcontractor management, communication).
  • Cost Performance (forecasting accuracy, meeting costs, alerting to unforeseen costs, cost reporting).
• General Comment: A section for overall remarks on the contractor's ability to execute.

While this document is to be completed by a third party (a past customer), it is crucial for potential bidders to understand what information will be collected regarding their past performance. Bidders should be aware that this questionnaire will be used as an integral part of the source evaluation and selection process. The questionnaire requests detailed feedback on technical execution, program management, and cost performance, which directly impacts their evaluation.

Completed questionnaires are requested by a specific date (to be inserted) and should be emailed to hq-nextstep3appb@mail.nasa.gov, Attention: Maranda McCord, Contracting Officer.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a Sample Task Order Request for Task Order Proposal (RTOP) for the Habitation Augmentation Study. It solicits lunar surface habitation studies and risk reduction activities to inform NASA's lunar surface exploration strategy and operations. The RTOP is structured into multiple Work Areas, and offerors can propose to one, some, or all of them.

• Work Area One: Trade Study of Habitation Augmentation Options: Focuses on how lunar surface habitation elements can augment other surface assets and enhance capabilities. This includes assessing habitable volume needs for different exploration phases (Artemis, Moon-to-Mars) and evaluating internal and external outfitting strategies.
• Work Area Two: Habitation Augmentation Risk Reduction Activities: Targets risk reduction activities to improve understanding and demonstrate the feasibility of habitation augmentation systems. This involves tests/demos of various aspects like volume, outfitting, science capabilities, and risk mitigation.
• Assumptions: The document outlines several assumptions regarding initial surface infrastructure (Human Landing System, habitation module, pressurized rover, lunar terrain vehicle), habitable volumes (TBD), durations, and crew sizes for exploration phases. It also details power source assumptions.
• Deliverables: For both Work Areas, deliverables include kickoff charts, status reviews, and a final presentation and report detailing results, analyses, risks, cost, and schedule. Specific outputs include concept of operations, CAD layouts, identified risks, and technology maturation paths.

This document defines the scope of work for a potential task order. Bidders should review the Work Areas, objectives, assumptions, and deliverables to determine their capability and interest in proposing solutions for habitation augmentation studies and risk reduction activities for lunar exploration. It outlines the specific areas of focus, the expected outcomes, and the evaluation context for proposals.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document provides instructions for submitting an Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCI) Plan as part of a proposal. It outlines the specific requirements and information that must be included in the OCI Plan to ensure compliance with FAR 9.5.

• Point of Contact: Identification of a point of contact for OCI issues.
• Understanding of OCI: Demonstration of knowledge regarding OCI principles, types of harm, and specific OCI categories (biased ground rules, unequal access to information, impaired objectivity).
• Company Roles & Procedures: Definition of company responsibilities for identifying, analyzing, resolving, and reporting OCIs, including screening processes and monitoring.
• Employee Notification & Training: Procedures for notifying employees of OCI requirements and establishing training protocols (entrance, refresher, exit).
• Breach Reporting: Process for reporting OCI breaches to the contracting officer and obtaining approval for corrective actions.
• Affiliated Companies: Identification of affiliated entities and procedures for coordinating OCIs.
• OCI Reporting During Performance: Process for reporting potential/actual OCIs during contract performance, including required report contents.
• Subcontractor Flow-Down: Explanation of how OCI provisions will flow down to subcontractors and their OCI programs.
• Sanctions: Definition of organizational and employee sanctions for OCI violations.
• Existing OCIs: Assertion regarding the existence of current OCIs and a list of prime and proposed subcontractor NASA contracts/subcontracts performed within the last five years, detailing contract number, scope of work, and potential conflicts.
• Other Interests: Disclosure of financial or other interests/relationships that may create an OCI, including nature, extent, and involved entities.
• Mitigation Strategies: Description of how potential OCIs will be avoided, neutralized, or mitigated.

Bidders must carefully review these instructions to develop and submit a comprehensive OCI Plan that meets all specified requirements. Failure to adequately address these points may impact proposal evaluation and award.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This document is Appendix B of the NextSTEP-3 Omnibus Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), titled "Moon to Mars Architectural Studies." It solicits applied concept development, risk reduction, and special studies to address architecture gaps identified by NASA for lunar and Mars missions. The goal is to create knowledge foundations for informed programmatic decisions regarding infrastructure, transportation, habitation, mission Concept of Operations (CONOPS), and lunar/Mars mission science.

Work is categorized into maturity levels: CLIN 0001 (Exploration), CLIN 0002 (Refinement), and CLIN 0003 (Maturation). Additional categories include CLIN 0004 (Risk Reduction) and CLIN 0005 (Special Studies). Offerors are expected to apply independent scientific and engineering judgment.

NASA intends to establish a Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC). Task orders will be Firm-Fixed Price with performance-based milestone payments. Open-topic opportunities may result in individual, standalone Firm-Fixed Price contracts.

• MATOC Proposal Deadline: February 20, 2026, 5:00 PM CST.

• MATOC Proposal Content: Focuses on technical capabilities and past performance.

• Directed-Topic Call Task Orders: Will be issued as Requests for Task Order Proposals (RTOPs) to MATOC contractors.

• Open-Topic Opportunities: Proposals will be accepted starting two months after initial MATOC award and will remain open through the life of Appendix B. These are for standalone contracts and potential MATOC on-ramping.

• Evaluation: Proposals will be evaluated on technical merit, relevance, and price. Specific evaluation criteria are detailed for MATOC proposals, task order proposals, and open-topic proposals.

• Eligible Offerors are U.S. institutions (companies, universities, nonprofit organizations).

• NASA civil servants, JPL employees, national laboratories, and FFRDCs cannot be Prime Contractors but may be team members.

• An Industry Day is scheduled for January 22, 2026.

• Written questions are due no later than February 13, 2025.

• All information will be posted electronically on SAM.gov. Refer to the NextSTEP-3 Omnibus BAA for additional details.