NASA's TSIS Sensor Contract: $90.4M for R&D, Sole-Sourced
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $90,359,365 ($90.4M)
Contractor: THE Regents of the University of Colorado
Awarding Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Start Date: 2008-12-17
End Date: 2018-09-30
Contract Duration: 3,574 days
Daily Burn Rate: $25.3K/day
Competition Type: NOT COMPETED
Number of Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: COST NO FEE
Sector: R&D
Official Description: TOTAL AND SPECTRAL SOLAR IRRADIANCE SENSOR (TSIS). THIS STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW) DEFINES THE EFFORT REQUIRED BY THE CONTRACTOR FOR THE DESIGN, ENGINEERING ANALYSES, HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT, FABRICATION, INTEGRATION, ALGORITHM DEVELOPMENT, TEST, EVALUATION, AND DELIVERY OF THE TSIS INSTRUMENT, AND SUPPORT FOR INTEGRATION OF THE TSIS INSTRUMENT WITH THE NPOESS C1 MISSION, SUPPORT FOR LAUNCH PREPARATIONS AND LAUNCH AND EARLY OPERATIONS. SCOPE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF TSIS ROUTINE ON-ORBIT OPERATIONS, TSIS INSTRUMENT ON-ORBIT DATA PROCESSING AND ANALYSIS, AND TSIS POST-LAUNCH SCIENCE SUPPORT IS NOT INCLUDED AT THIS TIME.
Place of Performance
Location: BOULDER, BOULDER County, COLORADO, 80309
State: Colorado Government Spending
Plain-Language Summary
National Aeronautics and Space Administration obligated $90.4 million to THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO for work described as: TOTAL AND SPECTRAL SOLAR IRRADIANCE SENSOR (TSIS). THIS STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW) DEFINES THE EFFORT REQUIRED BY THE CONTRACTOR FOR THE DESIGN, ENGINEERING ANALYSES, HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT, FABRICATION, INTEGRATION, ALGORITHM DEVELOPMENT, TEST, EVALUATION, AND DELIVERY O… Key points: 1. The contract focuses on the design, development, and delivery of a solar irradiance sensor. 2. It is a sole-source award, raising questions about price discovery and competition. 3. The significant R&D nature of the project suggests high technical risk. 4. The sector is Research and Development in Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences.
Value Assessment
Rating: questionable
The contract value is $90.4 million for a definitive contract with a cost-no-fee structure. Without comparable contracts or detailed cost breakdowns, assessing pricing efficiency is difficult, especially given the sole-source nature.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: sole-source
This contract was not competed, indicating a sole-source award. This limits price discovery and potentially leads to higher costs for taxpayers as there was no competitive pressure to drive down prices.
Taxpayer Impact: The lack of competition in this sole-source contract may result in a higher cost to taxpayers than if the contract had been competitively bid.
Public Impact
Development of a critical sensor for monitoring solar irradiance, impacting climate and space weather research. Potential for technological advancements in sensor design and data analysis. Long contract duration (over 9 years) suggests a complex and lengthy development process.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Sole-source award limits competition and price discovery.
- High R&D component implies significant technical and schedule risks.
- Cost-no-fee contract structure may reduce contractor incentive for cost control.
Positive Signals
- Development of a crucial scientific instrument.
- Potential for significant scientific data generation.
- Long-term support for a critical NASA mission.
Sector Analysis
This contract falls under Research and Development in Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences. Spending in this sector is often characterized by high innovation, long development cycles, and significant upfront investment, with outcomes that can be uncertain but potentially groundbreaking.
Small Business Impact
The contract was awarded to The Regents of the University of Colorado, which is not typically considered a small business. There is no indication of small business subcontracting requirements or participation in this award.
Oversight & Accountability
The contract is managed by NASA, a federal agency with established oversight mechanisms. However, the sole-source nature warrants close monitoring to ensure fair pricing and effective execution of the SOW.
Related Government Programs
- Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration Contracting
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration Programs
Risk Flags
- Sole-source award lacks competitive pricing.
- High R&D complexity increases technical risk.
- Cost-no-fee structure may reduce cost control incentives.
- Long contract duration poses schedule and cost overrun risks.
- Potential for scope creep beyond the defined SOW.
Tags
research-and-development-in-the-physical, national-aeronautics-and-space-administr, co, definitive-contract, 10m-plus
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
National Aeronautics and Space Administration awarded $90.4 million to THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO. TOTAL AND SPECTRAL SOLAR IRRADIANCE SENSOR (TSIS). THIS STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW) DEFINES THE EFFORT REQUIRED BY THE CONTRACTOR FOR THE DESIGN, ENGINEERING ANALYSES, HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT, FABRICATION, INTEGRATION, ALGORITHM DEVELOPMENT, TEST, EVALUATION, AND DELIVERY OF THE TSIS INSTRUMENT, AND SUPPORT FOR INTEGRATION OF THE TSIS INSTRUMENT WITH THE NPOESS C1 MISSION, SUPPORT FOR LAUNCH PREPARATIONS AND LAUNCH AND EARLY OPERATIONS. SCOPE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF TSIS
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO.
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (National Aeronautics and Space Administration).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $90.4 million.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2008-12-17. End: 2018-09-30.
What is the justification for the sole-source award, and how was the price determined to be fair and reasonable without competition?
The justification for a sole-source award typically involves unique capabilities, proprietary technology, or urgent needs that only one source can meet. For this contract, the specific reason for not competing it needs to be documented by NASA. Price reasonableness is usually assessed through techniques like comparison to historical prices, independent government cost estimates, or data from similar commercial items, even without direct competition.
What are the key technical risks associated with the TSIS instrument development, and what mitigation strategies are in place?
Key technical risks likely include achieving the required sensor accuracy and stability for precise solar irradiance measurements, ensuring instrument survivability in the space environment, and successful integration with the NPOESS C1 mission. Mitigation strategies would involve rigorous design reviews, extensive testing, redundancy in critical components, and close collaboration with the mission integration team.
How will the data generated by the TSIS instrument be validated and utilized to ensure its scientific and operational effectiveness?
Data validation will likely involve cross-calibration with other instruments, ground-based validation campaigns, and peer review of scientific publications. The data's effectiveness will be measured by its contribution to understanding solar variability, its impact on climate models, and its utility for space weather forecasting and satellite operations.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Scientific Research and Development Services › Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
Product/Service Code: RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT › Space R&D Services
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: NOT COMPETED
Solicitation Procedures: ONLY ONE SOURCE
Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: COST NO FEE (S)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Address: 1800 GRANT ST STE 600, DENVER, CO, 80203
Business Categories: Category Business, Educational Institution, Government, Higher Education, U.S. National Government, Not Designated a Small Business, Higher Education (Public), U.S. Regional/State Government, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $90,989,472
Exercised Options: $90,989,472
Current Obligation: $90,359,365
Contract Characteristics
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES PROCEDURES NOT USED
Cost or Pricing Data: YES
Timeline
Start Date: 2008-12-17
Current End Date: 2018-09-30
Potential End Date: 2018-09-30 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2024-09-06
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