National Space Test and Training Complex (NSTTC) Innovative Technology & Engineering - Space Test and Range (NITE-STAR) - Capability Development
ID: DRAFT_FA2553-25-R-B002Type: Special Notice
Overview

Buyer

DEPT OF DEFENSEDEPT OF THE AIR FORCEFA2553 OPRN TEST & TRG INFR OTTI PKPETERSON SFB, CO, 80914, USA

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715)

PSC

SPACE R&D SERVICES; SPACE FLIGHT, RESEARCH AND SUPPORTING ACTIVITIES; APPLIED RESEARCH (AR12)
Timeline
    Description

    The Department of Defense, specifically the United States Space Force (USSF), is seeking industry feedback on a draft Request for Proposal (RFP) for the National Space Test and Training Complex (NSTTC) Innovative Technology & Engineering – Space Test and Range (NITE-STAR) Capability Development contract. This procurement aims to establish a Multiple Award Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contract to support the design, development, integration, testing, and sustainment of advanced space-based and ground-based systems, which are critical for enhancing the operational test and training infrastructure. The contract will have a five-year ordering period, with an optional five-year extension, and is expected to involve various contract types, including Firm-Fixed Price and Cost Reimbursable. Interested parties are encouraged to submit their questions and comments regarding the draft documents by September 22, 2025, to the designated government email addresses, as this is not a solicitation for proposals at this time.

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    The National Space Test and Training Complex (NSTTC) Innovative Technology & Engineering – Space Test and Range (NITE-STAR) Capability Development is a USSF multiple-award IDIQ contract. It supports the Operational Test and Training Infrastructure (OTTI) Integrated Program Office by developing, integrating, testing, and sustaining advanced space-based and ground-based systems. The contract has a five-year ordering period, with an optional five-year extension. Key areas include system development, sustainment, enterprise enhancements, and special studies, all while adhering to strict security, quality assurance, and documentation requirements. Contractors must cooperate with Government advisors, including the Aerospace Corporation, to ensure successful program execution.
    The provided government file, specifically a Contract Data Requirements List (CDRL) DD Form 1423-1, outlines data deliverables for a federal contract, FA2553-26-F-XXXX, under the NITE-STAR TO 01 system. It details two key data items under CLIN 0002: "Presentation Material" (A001) and "Meeting Minutes" (A002). For Presentation Material, the contractor must submit PowerPoint presentations in their format once, three business days prior to the Kickoff Meeting, with the submission date tied to when the presentation was delivered. Meeting Minutes, also in contractor format, are required once, three business days after each meeting. Both data items require email delivery of one copy each to crystal.price.6@spaceforce.mil, nicholaus.lepore.2@spaceforce.mil, and cassie.debree@spaceforce.mil. The document also includes standard government burden statements and submission instructions for the form itself. The CDRL is prepared by Bradley M. Baker and approved by Nicholaus Lepore, Capt, USSF, with a date of April 10, 2025.
    This DD Form 254 outlines the security classification specifications for Contract Number FA2553-25-R-B002, requiring Top Secret facility clearance and safeguarding. The contract is for the National Space Test and Training Complex (NSTTC) Innovative Technology & Engineering – Space Test and Range (NITE-STAR) Capability Development Multiple-Award (MA) Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) base contract vehicle, aimed at developing space-based and ground-based systems. It involves access to Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), Communications Security (COMSEC) information, Special Access Program (SAP) information, and Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) at various contractor and government locations, including Alabama, Colorado, Texas, and Hawaii. The document details specific security guidance, public release procedures, and additional security requirements, emphasizing compliance with NISPOM, DoD, and Air Force security directives. Inspections for SAP and SCI material are managed by specific government entities rather than the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA).
    The NITE-STAR Capability Development IDIQ's Attachment 3 outlines a comprehensive list of compliance and reference documents essential for federal government RFPs, grants, and state/local RFPs. This extensive list covers various critical areas including Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM), Program Protection Planning, Range Safety, Security Categorization, Personnel Security, National Industrial Security Program (NISP), DoD Architecture Framework, Cloud Computing Security, SAP Policy, Cyberforce Workforce Management, Adaptive Acquisition Framework, Critical Program Information (CPI) Protection, Cybersecurity, Risk Management Framework (RMF), SCI Administrative Security, Information Security, Cyberspace Workforce Qualification, Space Operations, and numerous NIST Special Publications related to risk assessment, security controls, and protecting Controlled Unclassified Information. The document also includes references for Configuration Management, Earned Value Management Systems, Software Development, Reliability, Survivability, and Technical Order Life Cycle Management, ensuring a robust framework for project execution and compliance within the defense and national security sectors.
    The NITE-STAR Capability Development Multiple Award (MA) Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contract outlines the ordering procedures for task/delivery orders (TO/DOs) supporting the OTTI Program Executive Officer (PEO) and other space test and training stakeholders. Managed by SSC/TIK, this centralized IDIQ is not mandatory. An initial $10,000 DO for a Post Award Kickoff Conference will be issued, with a total monetary limit of $981,000,000 for all TO/DOs. Ordering procedures follow FAR 16.505, requiring a Fair Opportunity Request for Offer (FORFO) to all prime contractors, unless an exception applies. TO/DOs will typically be selected via best-value tradeoff or lowest price technically acceptable methods, though the Government reserves the right to use any selection method. Evaluation criteria will be specified in individual FORFOs. The ordering period is five years with one five-year optional period, and TO/DO performance can extend up to one year beyond the optional period. Various contract types, including Firm-Fixed Price (FFP), Cost Plus Incentive Fee (CPIF), and Cost Reimbursable (CR), are anticipated, with the Government reserving the right to use any FAR Part 16 contract type.
    The NITE-STAR Capability Development IDIQ Attachment 5 outlines the government's procedures for
    This government solicitation (FA2553-25-R-B002) outlines instructions for proposals for the National Space Test and Training Complex (NSTTC) Innovative Technology & Engineering - Space Test and Range (NITE-STAR) Capability Development Multiple Award (MA) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Basic Contract. The acquisition will follow Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 15.101-2 and 15.3, with a NAICS code of 541715. The contract will be a multiple-award IDIQ with a five-year base ordering period and a five-year option. Proposals must be submitted electronically via the Procurement Integrated Enterprise Environment (PIEE) Solicitation Module by 12:00 pm Mountain Time on an unspecified date in 2025. Key proposal volumes include an Executive Summary, Technical Factor (addressing security compliance and relevant projects), Small Business Participation Commitment Factor, and Contract Documentation. The technical evaluation includes a gated approach for security clearance and relevant project experience, requiring proof of Top Secret facility clearance and two qualifying relevant projects (QRPs) focusing on Low-Earth Orbit and Geosynchronous/Geostationary Orbit space systems. Large businesses must also submit a Small Business Subcontracting Plan, and all offerors must address Organizational Conflict of Interest. The document specifies detailed formatting, submission, and content requirements, emphasizing that non-conformance may lead to disqualification.
    The National Space Test and Training Complex (NSTTC) Innovative Technology & Engineering - Space Test and Range (NITE-STAR) Capability Development Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract (FA2553-25-R-B002) outlines evaluation factors for award. This multiple award IDIQ will select qualifying offerors based on technical factors (Pass/Fail) and Small Business Participation Commitment (Acceptable/Unacceptable). Technical evaluation includes a gated process: Subfactor 1 (Gate 1) requires a TOP SECRET facility clearance with SAP-F overlay and cyber security/RMF capability, while Subfactor 2 assesses two recent and relevant Qualifying Relevant Projects (QRPs) as prime contractor. QRPs must detail LEO and GEO space system experience, including development, integration, testing, launch support, and on-orbit checkout, with specific technical attributes. The Small Business Participation Commitment factor evaluates the adequacy of proposed small business involvement and adherence to subcontracting goals. Contract documentation, including Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI) mitigation and Small Business Subcontracting Plans, will also be reviewed to determine contractor responsibility and eligibility for award. The Government reserves the right to award without discussions.
    The NITE-STAR Capability Development IDIQ requires Offerors to submit an Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCI) Mitigation Plan if actual or potential OCI situations are identified. This plan, an attachment to any resulting contract, must address specific checklist items, including a corporate commitment to OCI avoidance signed by a senior official, a description of the business unit's position, and organizational charts. It must define terms and acronyms, detail the management of the OCI Plan, including responsible individuals and documentation location, and outline corporate OCI policies and procedures. The plan must commit to flowing down OCI requirements to subcontractors, describe processes for notifying the Contracting Officer of changes or new OCI situations, and include a comprehensive OCI training plan for all personnel. It also requires an outline of OCI Plan reviews, a description of identified OCI situations, and detailed avoidance or mitigation techniques for each, particularly those involving biased ground rules or impaired objectivity.
    The National Space Test and Training Complex (NSTTC) Innovative Technology & Engineering – Space Test and Range (NITE-STAR) Capability Development Multiple-Award (MA) Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) base contract will design and develop complex space-based and/or ground-based systems. This IDIQ aims to provide space warfighters with interconnected, scalable, and distributed live/physical and synthetic/digital ranges for full-spectrum test and training. Capability developers will evaluate, deliver, and integrate space and ground systems, software services, sensors, and supporting infrastructure for the United States Space Force (USSF). Task Order 01, a firm-fixed price of $10,000, covers a mandatory Post Award Kickoff Conference in Colorado Springs, CO, within 30 days of the contract award. This 90-minute face-to-face meeting will establish communication channels and clarify contract requirements without renegotiating terms. Contractors must provide presentation materials three business days prior and submit kickoff meeting minutes, including team introductions, an organizational chart, and a capabilities overview briefing.
    The document,
    This document is a federal government Request for Proposal (RFP) for the National Space Test and Training Complex (NSTTC) Innovative Technology & Engineering - Space Test and Range (NITE-STAR) Capability Development Multiple Award (MA) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. It outlines various contract line items (CLINs) for supplies and services, utilizing different contract types such as Firm-Fixed Price (FFP), Fixed-Price Incentive Firm (FPIF), Cost Plus Incentive Fee (CPIF), Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF), Cost Reimbursable (CR), Cost Plus Award Fee (CPAF), and Fixed Price Award Fee (FPAF), with an ordering period from 2026 to 2031 and an optional extension to 2036. The RFP details inspection, acceptance, delivery, performance, and contract administration data, including instructions for electronic payment submissions via Wide Area WorkFlow (WAWF). Key clauses address subcontracts, allowable costs, incentive fees, and various federal acquisition regulations (FAR and DFARS). The purpose is to solicit offers for developing capabilities for the NSTTC.
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