Opportunity Information: Apply for NNH09CAO003O
Apply for NNH09CAO003O
- The NASA Headquarters in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NATIONAL LAB OPPORTUNITY" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 00.000 Not Elsewhere Classified.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 7, 2009 and posted on Aug 6, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Open Proposal Period through December 31, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
- Unrestricted
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Opportunity Summary:
NASA's "National Lab Opportunity" is a standing solicitation that invites U.S. domestic organizations outside the U.S. federal government to propose research and development (R and D) activities that would use the International Space Station (ISS) as a national laboratory. The intent is to expand ISS utilization beyond NASA and other federal users by opening access to non-federal domestic participants, including private companies, nonprofits, universities, and state or local government organizations. Proposed work can be basic or applied research, technology development, or industrial processing, and it should take clear advantage of what the ISS uniquely provides (for example, microgravity, space environment exposure, or on-orbit operations). Example areas specifically mentioned include life sciences, sensors, communications equipment, engineering testbeds, spacecraft design and testing, and education-focused projects.
A key point is that this is not a traditional grant and it does not provide funding. NASA anticipates supporting selected projects through Space Act Agreements (under 42 U.S.C. 2473(c)(5)), which are partnership-style agreements that can provide access to NASA facilities, personnel, and technical information, and enable use of ISS capabilities. However, proposers must finance their own work, and NASA will not reimburse proposal preparation costs or provide money for the project itself. Participation depends on being selected by NASA and then successfully negotiating and executing an appropriate Space Act Agreement that aligns the project with ISS resources and constraints.
The solicitation was open for proposals on a rolling basis through December 31, 2014, with NASA reviewing submissions as they arrived. Proposals had to be submitted electronically by email (no paper submissions), and NASA indicated it could support secure transmission if needed. After receipt, NASA planned to notify proposers of selection for negotiations generally within about 60 days. NASA also reserved broad discretion to select all, some, or none of the submissions, and to amend or withdraw the announcement prior to the closing date. The opportunity is explicitly non-exclusive, meaning NASA could negotiate ISS access with multiple parties under this umbrella.
Eligibility is broad but specific: any domestic entity may apply as long as it is not a U.S. federal government agency, and NASA would not consider proposals that did not have a domestic entity as the lead proposer. NASA also emphasized protections for proposal confidentiality and proprietary information to the extent permitted by law (including FOIA-related limitations), while noting that contractor support personnel might assist in evaluations under nondisclosure and conflict-of-interest controls. By submitting, proposers effectively consented to NASA sharing proposal data with such support contractors for evaluation purposes.
NASA's evaluation uses three equally weighted criteria. First is the "Approach to Proposed Effort," focused on technical merit, rationale, feasibility, suitability for ISS-based R and D, and the degree to which the work could advance the state of the art; proposers also needed to explain how they would receive data and or samples back from orbit. Second is "Level of Benefit to the Public," such as enabling future products and services, strengthening U.S. industrial capacity, supporting economic growth, or improving STEM education outcomes. Third is "Level of Financial Commitment and Business Plan," requiring proposers to spell out financing (including any third-party funding), provide a brief business plan or link to an existing one, describe non-U.S.-government market potential, and show that the space activity is essential and tied to an addressable market with a roadmap to commercialization beyond the on-orbit work. This business and logistics section also had to cover cargo needs to and from the ISS, including sample return plans and what would happen to equipment or payloads after use.
Selection involves more than scoring: NASA noted it may consider programmatic realities like available on-orbit resources and ISS compatibility, and it could suggest collaborations among proposers if that would strengthen efforts (with the option for proposers to accept or decline). Importantly, selection for negotiations does not guarantee a launch opportunity, but NASA stated it would provide the needed on-orbit resources and trained crew time to perform the experiment once it is aboard, assuming the necessary agreements are executed and the project is aligned with ISS availability.
The submission format is structured and relatively tight. Proposals required a cover page, title page (including any restrictions on disclosure), points of contact (including a technical contact), an abstract capped at 750 words, and a main proposal detail section capped at 10 pages, with defined formatting. Resumes and additional supporting documents could be included without a stated page limit, and NASA provided a compliance checklist requiring proposers to address technical merit and feasibility, public benefit, financial commitment and business plan, a development schedule to flight readiness, a management or project plan for remaining development, and funding commitment letters showing sufficient financial support or milestone-based financing to complete development.
FAQs: NASA National Lab Opportunity (ISS National Laboratory Standing Solicitation)
1) What is NASA's "National Lab Opportunity"?
It is a standing solicitation inviting U.S. domestic organizations outside the U.S. federal government to propose research and development (R and D) activities that would use the International Space Station (ISS) as a national laboratory.
2) What is NASA trying to accomplish with this opportunity?
The intent is to expand ISS utilization beyond NASA and other federal users by opening access to non-federal domestic participants, including private companies, nonprofits, universities, and state or local government organizations.
3) Is this a traditional government grant?
No. NASA explicitly states this is not a traditional grant opportunity.
4) Does NASA provide funding for selected projects?
No. The opportunity does not provide funding. Proposers must finance their own work, and NASA will not provide money for the project itself.
5) Will NASA reimburse proposal preparation or submission costs?
No. NASA will not reimburse proposal preparation costs.
6) If there is no funding, what support does NASA anticipate providing?
NASA anticipates supporting selected projects through Space Act Agreements (under 42 U.S.C. 2473(c)(5)). These partnership-style agreements can provide access to NASA facilities, personnel, and technical information, and enable use of ISS capabilities.
7) What kind of agreement is expected if a proposal is selected?
NASA expects to proceed through negotiation and execution of an appropriate Space Act Agreement that aligns the project with ISS resources and constraints.
8) Who is eligible to submit a proposal?
Eligibility is broad but specific: any domestic entity may apply as long as it is not a U.S. federal government agency.
9) Can a U.S. federal government agency submit as the lead?
No. The solicitation invites U.S. domestic organizations outside the U.S. federal government, and NASA would not consider proposals that did not have a domestic entity as the lead proposer.
10) What types of organizations does NASA want to participate?
NASA specifically mentions non-federal domestic participants such as private companies, nonprofits, universities, and state or local government organizations.
11) What kinds of projects can be proposed?
Proposed work can be basic or applied research, technology development, or industrial processing, as long as it takes clear advantage of what the ISS uniquely provides.
12) What makes a project a good fit for the ISS under this solicitation?
The work should take clear advantage of unique ISS benefits such as microgravity, exposure to the space environment, or on-orbit operations.
13) What example topic areas are mentioned in the solicitation?
Examples include life sciences, sensors, communications equipment, engineering testbeds, spacecraft design and testing, and education-focused projects.
14) Is this solicitation exclusive to one project or partner?
No. The opportunity is explicitly non-exclusive, meaning NASA could negotiate ISS access with multiple parties under this umbrella.
15) When was the solicitation open, and how were proposals reviewed?
The solicitation was open for proposals on a rolling basis through December 31, 2014, with NASA reviewing submissions as they arrived.
16) How did proposals need to be submitted?
Proposals had to be submitted electronically by email. Paper submissions were not accepted.
17) Was secure electronic submission available?
Yes. NASA indicated it could support secure transmission if needed.
18) How long did NASA expect to take to respond after receiving a proposal?
NASA planned to notify proposers of selection for negotiations generally within about 60 days after receipt.
19) Can NASA choose not to select any proposals?
Yes. NASA reserved broad discretion to select all, some, or none of the submissions.
20) Can NASA change or cancel the announcement?
Yes. NASA stated it could amend or withdraw the announcement prior to the closing date.
21) What are the evaluation criteria, and how are they weighted?
NASA uses three equally weighted criteria: (1) Approach to Proposed Effort, (2) Level of Benefit to the Public, and (3) Level of Financial Commitment and Business Plan.
22) What does "Approach to Proposed Effort" mean in this solicitation?
This criterion focuses on technical merit, rationale, feasibility, suitability for ISS-based R and D, and the degree to which the work could advance the state of the art. Proposers also needed to explain how they would receive data and or samples back from orbit.
23) What does NASA mean by "Level of Benefit to the Public"?
NASA looks for public benefits such as enabling future products and services, strengthening U.S. industrial capacity, supporting economic growth, or improving STEM education outcomes.
24) What does "Level of Financial Commitment and Business Plan" require?
Proposers must spell out financing (including any third-party funding), provide a brief business plan or a link to an existing one, describe non-U.S.-government market potential, and show that the space activity is essential and tied to an addressable market with a roadmap to commercialization beyond the on-orbit work.
25) What ISS logistics information is expected in the business and logistics section?
The solicitation indicates this section must cover cargo needs to and from the ISS, including sample return plans and what would happen to equipment or payloads after use.
26) Does selection mean the project will definitely fly or get a launch opportunity?
No. NASA states that selection for negotiations does not guarantee a launch opportunity.
27) If a project does get aboard the ISS, what does NASA say it will provide?
NASA stated it would provide the needed on-orbit resources and trained crew time to perform the experiment once it is aboard, assuming the necessary agreements are executed and the project is aligned with ISS availability.
28) Does NASA consider anything beyond the three evaluation criteria?
Yes. NASA noted it may also consider programmatic realities such as available on-orbit resources and ISS compatibility.
29) Can NASA suggest teaming or collaboration among proposers?
Yes. NASA could suggest collaborations among proposers if that would strengthen efforts, and proposers could accept or decline those suggestions.
30) How does NASA handle proposal confidentiality and proprietary information?
NASA emphasized protections for proposal confidentiality and proprietary information to the extent permitted by law, including limitations related to FOIA.
31) Will anyone outside NASA see the proposal during evaluation?
Possibly. NASA noted that contractor support personnel might assist in evaluations under nondisclosure and conflict-of-interest controls.
32) What does submitting a proposal imply about sharing information with support contractors?
By submitting, proposers effectively consented to NASA sharing proposal data with such support contractors for evaluation purposes.
33) What proposal components were required?
Proposals required a cover page, a title page (including any restrictions on disclosure), points of contact (including a technical contact), an abstract capped at 750 words, and a main proposal detail section capped at 10 pages with defined formatting.
34) How long could the abstract be?
The abstract was capped at 750 words.
35) How long could the main proposal detail section be?
The main proposal detail section was capped at 10 pages, with defined formatting requirements.
36) Were resumes and supporting documents allowed, and were they limited?
Yes. Resumes and additional supporting documents could be included, and no page limit was stated for those materials.
37) What did NASA's compliance checklist require proposers to address?
The checklist required coverage of technical merit and feasibility, public benefit, financial commitment and business plan, a development schedule to flight readiness, a management or project plan for remaining development, and funding commitment letters showing sufficient financial support or milestone-based financing to complete development.
38) What did proposers need to say about receiving results from orbit?
Under the technical approach criterion, proposers needed to explain how they would receive data and or samples back from orbit.
39) What did proposers need to include about funding support?
Proposers needed to include funding commitment letters showing sufficient financial support or milestone-based financing to complete development.
40) Does NASA require a commercialization or market plan?
Yes. Under the financial commitment and business plan criterion, proposers needed to describe non-U.S.-government market potential and provide a roadmap to commercialization beyond the on-orbit work.
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