The NASA Inter-agency Implementation and Advanced Concepts Team (IMPACT) at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is developing a foundation model, known as HelioFM, to improve space weather forecasting through artificial intelligence (AI). The project seeks a contractor to provide research expertise in several areas, including the design and implementation of tasks for detecting and forecasting solar flares and enhancing model architecture. The contractor will also create labeled training data, develop evaluation benchmarks, and support the AI team in validating the model's performance. Additionally, they will engage with the scientific community through workshops, training, and dissemination of research findings. The project will occur at Georgia State University from August 15, 2024, to February 14, 2026. This initiative aims to leverage AI to enhance predictive capabilities in understanding solar phenomena and their impact on space weather, aligning with federal interests in advanced space science applications.
NASA's Shared Services Center recommends pursuing a sole source negotiation with Georgia State University for the development of an AI Helio Foundation Model (HelioFM) aimed at enhancing Space Weather Forecasting. This project is vital for advancing scientific understanding and operational capabilities concerning solar phenomena like flares and coronal mass ejections, with an estimated performance period from August 15, 2024, to February 14, 2026. Georgia State's Data Mining Lab, which has already contributed expertise in data mining and machine learning, is uniquely positioned to address specific application needs due to their established involvement in the project's collaborative effort. The document asserts that no other vendor possesses the specialized knowledge essential for producing adequate Space Weather Forecasting models, indicating risks in terms of time and costs if alternatives are pursued. The initiative underscores NASA's commitment to utilizing cutting-edge artificial intelligence techniques to improve forecasting capabilities, with a focus on open science principles and innovative model development to support scientific research and applications.
NASA/NSSC is planning to award a sole source contract to Georgia State University Research Foundation Inc. for the SDO AI Helio Foundation Model (HelioFM), aimed at enhancing space weather forecasting capabilities. This decision is made under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i), designating Georgia State University as the exclusive provider for this specific model. The contract will be managed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. The procurement will follow commercial item acquisition protocols as outlined in FAR Part 12 and FAR Part 13, with an NAICS Code of 611430 assigned to this effort. Interested entities are invited to submit their qualifications by 9:00 a.m. CST on September 10, 2024, which will inform the government's decision on whether to pursue a competitive procurement process. All communication regarding this notice must be submitted in writing, as oral responses are not permitted. Tessa Martinez serves as the primary point of contact for further inquiries regarding this procurement initiative.