NASA FAR Sup 1835

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PART 1835

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1835.003 Policy.
1835.004 Publicizing requirements and expanding research and development sources.
1835.014 Government property and title.
1835.015 Contracts for research with educational institutions and

1835.016 Broad agency announcements.
1835.016-70 NASA Research Announcements.
1835.070 NASA contract clauses and solicitation provision.

PART 1835

1835.003 Policy.
See NPG 5800.1, Grant and Cooperative Agreement Handbook, for policy regarding the use of grants and cooperative agreements.

1835.015 Contracts for research with educational institutions and nonprofit organizations.

1835.016 Broad agency announcements.

(A) Announcements of Opportunity (see 1872).
(B) NASA Research Announcements (see 1835.016-70).
(C) Other forms of announcements approved by the Associate Administrator for Procurement (Code HS).
(ii) Other program announcements, notices, and letters not authorized by paragraph (a)(i) of this section shall not be used to solicit proposals that may result in contracts.

1835.016-70 NASA Research Announcements.

(b) Issuance.
(1) Before issuance, each field-generated NRA shall be approved by the installation director or designee, with the concurrence of the procurement officer, and each Headquarters-generated NRA shall be approved by the cognizant Program Associate Administrator or designee, with the concurrence of the Headquarters Offices of General Counsel (Code GK) and Procurement (Code HS). The NRA approval authority shall designate the selection official.
(2) The selection official shall assure that the NRA is synopsized prior to issuance in accordance with FAR 5.201 and 1805.201. The synopsis shall be brief, and the technical section describing the area of interest should not exceed 50 words.
(3) If a Headquarters-generated NRA may result in awards by a NASA field installation, the issuing office shall notify the installation procurement officer and provide a copy of the NRA.
(4) The selecting official is responsible for the preparation and distribution of the NRA. (5) NRAs normally shall remain open for at least 90 days.
(c) Content. The NRA shall consist of the following sections and items. The entire package shall be provided in response to requests.
(1) Cover. The cover shall display:
(i) "OMB Approval Number 2700-0087" in the upper right corner.
(ii) Title.
(iii) "NASA Research Announcement Soliciting Research Proposals for the Period Ending ".
(iv) NRA number.
(v) Official address for the office issuing the NRA.
(2) Summary and Supplemental Information.
(i) The Summary and Supplemental Information should not exceed two pages and shall include:
(A) Title and NRA number.
(B) Introductory paragraphs describing the purpose of the NRA and the period for receipt of proposals.
(C) Address for submitting proposals.
(D) Number of copies required.
(E) Selecting official's title.
(F) Names, addresses, and telephone numbers for the technical and contracting points of contact.
(G) The following statement when the NRA is to be issued before funds are available:

"Funds are not currently available for awards under this NRA. The Government's obligation to make award(s) is contingent upon the availability of appropriated funds from which payment can be made and the receipt of proposals that NASA determines are acceptable for award under this NRA."

(ii) The Summary and Supplemental Information may include estimates of the amount of funds that will be available and the number of anticipated awards. A breakdown of the estimates by research area may also be shown.
(3) Technical Description. The first page shall contain the NRA number and title at the top. A brief description not exceeding two pages is preferable, but it should be detailed enough to enable ready comprehension of the research areas of interest. Specifications containing detailed statements of work should be avoided. Any program management information included must be limited to matters that are essential for proposal preparation.
(4) Instructions for Responding to NASA Research Announcements. The NRA shall contain instructions as stated in 1852.235-72 (see 1835.070(c)).
(d) Receipt of proposals, evaluation, and selection.
(1) Proposals shall be protected as provided in FAR 15.608, FAR 15.609, and 1815.609-70.
(2) Late proposals and modifications shall be treated in accordance with 1815.208.
(3) The selection decision shall be made following peer or scientific review of a proposal. Peer or scientific review shall involve evaluation by an in-house specialist, a specialist outside NASA, or both. Evaluation by specialists outside NASA shall be conducted subject to the conditions in 1815.207. After receipt of a proposal and before selection, scientific or engineering personnel shall communicate with an offeror only for the purpose of clarification (as defined in FAR 15.306), or to understand the meaning of some aspect of the proposal that is not clear, or to obtain confirmation or substantiation of a proposed approach, solution, or cost estimate.
(4) Competitive range determinations shall not be made, and best and final offers shall not be requested.
(5) Part of a proposal may be selected unless the offeror requests otherwise. In addition, changes to a selected proposal may be sought if (i) the ideas or other aspects of the proposal on which selection is based are contained in the proposal as originally submitted, and are not introduced by the changes; and (ii) the changes sought would not involve a material alteration to the requirements stated in the NRA. Changes that would affect a proposal's selection shall not be sought. When changes are desired, the selecting official may request revisions from the offeror or request the contracting officer to implement them during negotiations with the successful offeror(s). The changes shall not transfer information from one offeror's proposal to another offeror (see FAR 15.306(e). When collaboration between offerors would improve proposed research programs, collaboration may be suggested to the offerors.
(6) The basis for selection of a proposal shall be documented in a selection statement applying the evaluation factors in the NRA. The selection statement represents the conclusions of the selecting official and must be self-contained. It shall not incorporate by reference the evaluations of the reviewers.
(7) The selecting official shall notify each offeror whose proposal was not selected for award and explain generally why the proposal was not selected. If requested, the selecting official shall arrange a debriefing under FAR 15.5, with the participation of a contracting officer.
(8) The selecting official shall forward to the contracting officer the following information:
(i) A copy of the NRA;
(ii) The results of the technical evaluation, including the total number of proposals received, the selection statement, and the proposal(s) selected for funding;
(iii) A description of any changes desired in any offeror's statement of work, including the reasons for the changes and any effect on level of funding;
(iv) If a contract will be used to fund the proposal, a description of deliverables, including technical reports, and delivery dates, consistent with the requirements of the NRA;
(v) A procurement request;
(vi) Comments on the offeror's cost proposal (either the selecting official's comments, which may be based on the reviewers' comments, or copies of the reviewers' comments with any different conclusions of the selecting official); these comments shall address the need for and reasonableness of travel, computer time, materials, equipment, subcontracted items, publication costs, labor hours, labor mix, and other costs; and
(vii) A copy of the selected proposal as originally submitted, any revisions, and any correspondence from the successful offeror.
(9) The selecting official may provide to the contracting officer copies of the reviewers' evaluations. Reviewers' names and institutions may be omitted.
(10) The selecting official may provide each offeror whose proposal was selected for negotiation a notification stating:

(ii) The offeror's business office will be contacted by a contracting officer, who is the only official authorized to obligate the Government; and
(iii) Any costs incurred by the offeror in anticipation of an award are at the offeror's risk.

(1) Advise the offeror that the Government contemplates entering into negotiations; the type of contract contemplated; and the estimated award date, anticipated effort, and delivery schedule;
(2) Send the offeror a model contract, if necessary, including modifications contemplated in the offeror's statement of work, and request agreement or identification of any exceptions (the contract statement of work may summarize the proposed research, state that the research shall be conducted in accordance with certain technical sections of the proposal (which shall be identified by incorporating them into the contract by reference), and identify any changes to the proposed research);
(3) Request the offeror to complete and return certifications and representations and Standard Form 33, Solicitation, Offer, and Award, or other appropriate forms;
(4) Conduct negotiations in accordance with FAR Subparts 15.8 and 15.9, as applicable;
(5) Award a contract; and
(6) Comply with FAR Subparts 4.6 and 5.3 on contract reporting and synopses of contract awards.

1835.070 NASA contract clauses and solicitation provision.

(c) The contracting officer shall ensure that the provision at 1852.235-72, Instructions for Responding to NASA Research Announcements, is inserted in all NRAs. The instructions may be supplemented, but only to the minimum extent necessary.

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