Sustaining Engineering Support on the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) Instrument Tender

Procurement Summary

Country : USA

Summary : Sustaining Engineering Support on the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) Instrument

Deadline : 19 Jun 2025

Other Information

Notice Type : Tender

TOT Ref.No.: 120097412

Document Ref. No. : 80GSFC25R5835

Financier : Self Financed

Purchaser Ownership : Public

Tender Value : Refer Document

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Tender Details

Description

NASA/GSFC has a requirement for engineering support on the operation and performance of the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument, particularly the Sample Manipulation System (SMS), which is currently operating aboard the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover on the surface of Mars. This support includes management of the on-board Sample Manipulation System (SMS) and sample heating ovens, as well as the operations and maintenance of a ground-based engineering testbed with components identical to those currently operating on the surface of Mars). Continued expertise is required for the nominal operations of the SMS during Mars sample analysis as well as for trade-off analyses involving fast sample transfers in a contaminated environment, required because of an on-board anomaly involving N-methyl-N-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (MTBSTFA) a derivatization reagent fluid. Expertise is required for (1) continued instrument operations on Mars; (2) development of operational scripts to be used with the SAM instrument; (3) testing of new operational scripts; (4) development of operational workarounds during the MSL extended mission; and (5) support of end-of-life analyses.



NASA/GSFC intends to issue a sole source contract to acquire the services from Honeybee Robotics LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Blue Origin through 10 U.S.C. 3204(a) (1), as implemented through FAR 6.302-1 “Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.” This requirement is for the operation of unique and complex electromechanical hardware that was designed and developed by Honeybee Robotics and has been operated on the surface of Mars remotely by a team of scientists and engineers from Honeybee Robotics for over 10 years. The Sample Manipulation System (SMS) is a complex electro-mechanical device operating as part of an instrument payload on the surface of Mars, the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) payload, ...
Active Contract Opportunity
Notice ID : 80GSFC25R5835
Related Notice
Department/Ind. Agency : NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
Sub-tier : NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
Office: NASA GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER
General Information
Contract Opportunity Type: Presolicitation (Original)
Original Published Date: May 29, 2025 08:49 am EDT
Original Response Date: Jun 19, 2025 04:00 pm EDT
Inactive Policy: 15 days after response date
Original Inactive Date: Jul 04, 2025
Initiative: None

Classification
Original Set Aside:
Product Service Code: AR15 - SPACE R&D SVCS; SPACE FLIGHT, RESEARCH & SUPPORTING ACTIVITIES; R&D FACILITIES & MAJ EQUIP
NAICS Code: 927110 - Space Research and Technology

Place of Performance: Greenbelt, MD 20771 USA

Documents

 Tender Notice