Introduction

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has issued a solicitation for Data Analysis and Technical Support Services II (DATSS II), a multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract with a five-year base period and an estimated value of $48 million. The purpose of this contract is to provide data analysis, data management, data visualization, software development, and technical support services for NASA’s Earth Science Division (ESD) and other NASA customers. The contract will support ESD’s research and applied science activities in areas such as climate change, weather, natural hazards, air quality, water resources, and ecosystems.

GDI Consulting, a leading provider of capture and proposal services for government contractors, is well-positioned to win this contract. GDI Consulting has extensive experience in providing IT and software development services to federal agencies, including NASA. GDI Consulting also has a proven track record of winning self-scoring solicitations, such as GSA OASIS, GSA HCaTS, and GSA Alliant 2. In this article, we will provide an overview of the DATSS II solicitation, the historical background of previous RFPs that preceded it, the eligibility and evaluation criteria, the potential challenges and risks, and the best practices and strategies for preparing a winning proposal.

Historical Background

The DATSS II contract is a follow-on to the Data Analysis and Technical Support Services (DATSS) contract, which was awarded in 2016 to three small businesses: ADNET Systems Inc., Earth Resources Technology Inc., and Science Systems and Applications Inc. The DATSS contract had a ceiling value of $210 million and a period of performance of five years. The DATSS contract supported ESD’s data analysis needs across four task areas: Data Analysis Support Services (DASS), Data Management Support Services (DMSS), Data Visualization Support Services (DVSS), and Software Development Support Services (SDSS).

The DATSS contract was itself a follow-on to the Earth Science Data Analysis (ESDA) contract, which was awarded in 2011 to two small businesses: ADNET Systems Inc. and Science Systems and Applications Inc. The ESDA contract had a ceiling value of $150 million and a period of performance of five years. The ESDA contract supported ESD’s data analysis needs across three task areas: Data Analysis Support Services (DASS), Data Management Support Services (DMSS), and Software Development Support Services (SDSS).

The ESDA contract was preceded by the Earth Science Data Analysis Program (ESDAP) contract, which was awarded in 2006 to four small businesses: ADNET Systems Inc., Earth Resources Technology Inc., Global Science & Technology Inc., and Science Systems and Applications Inc. The ESDAP contract had a ceiling value of $100 million and a period of performance of five years. The ESDAP contract supported ESD’s data analysis needs across two task areas: Data Analysis Support Services (DASS) and Software Development Support Services (SDSS).

RFP Description

The DATSS II solicitation was released on October 15, 2023, with a response date of November 15, 2023. The solicitation number is DATSSII22589314. The solicitation is open to small businesses with a primary NAICS code of 541715 – Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology). The size standard for this NAICS code is 1,000 employees.

The DATSS II solicitation consists of two parts: Part A – Self-Scoring Worksheet and Part B – Technical Proposal. Part A is worth 10,000 points and Part B is worth 1 point. The total score for each offeror is the sum of Part A and Part B scores. NASA intends to award up to five contracts to the highest-scored offerors.

Part A – Self-Scoring Worksheet requires offerors to provide information on their relevant experience, past performance, key personnel qualifications, facilities clearance level, socioeconomic status, subcontracting plan goals, and cost realism. Each category has a maximum number of points that can be claimed based on the offeror’s self-assessment. Offerors must provide supporting documentation for each category to substantiate their claims.

Part B – Technical Proposal requires offerors to provide a narrative description of their technical approach for performing the DATSS II requirements. The technical proposal must address four task areas: Data Analysis Support Services (DASS), Data Management Support Services (DMSS), Data Visualization Support Services (DVSS), and Software Development Support Services (SDSS). The technical proposal must also address the offeror’s quality assurance plan, risk management plan, and transition plan. The technical proposal is limited to 50 pages.

Who Should Participate

The DATSS II contract is a lucrative opportunity for small businesses that have experience and expertise in providing data analysis and technical support services to NASA or other federal agencies. The contract offers a stable and long-term source of revenue, as well as the potential to expand the offeror’s capabilities and customer base. The contract also offers the opportunity to work on challenging and meaningful projects that contribute to NASA’s mission of advancing scientific knowledge and understanding of Earth and its environment.

However, the DATSS II contract is also a highly competitive and complex procurement that requires a thorough and strategic preparation. Offerors must demonstrate their ability to meet or exceed the DATSS II requirements, as well as their past performance and customer satisfaction. Offerors must also carefully assess their strengths and weaknesses, and optimize their self-scoring worksheet to maximize their points. Offerors must also craft a compelling and concise technical proposal that showcases their technical approach, innovation, and differentiation.

Therefore, offerors should participate in the DATSS II solicitation only if they have the following:

  • Relevant experience in providing data analysis and technical support services to NASA or other federal agencies, preferably in the Earth science domain
  • Positive past performance ratings and customer feedback from similar contracts
  • Qualified key personnel with relevant education, certifications, and skills
  • Adequate facilities clearance level to access NASA’s data systems and networks
  • Competitive pricing and cost realism
  • Effective capture and proposal management processes and resources

Challenges

The DATSS II solicitation poses several challenges for offerors, such as:

  • High level of competition from incumbent contractors and other qualified small businesses
  • Limited time to prepare a comprehensive and compliant proposal
  • Complex and detailed self-scoring worksheet that requires extensive documentation and verification
  • Strict page limit for the technical proposal that requires clear and concise writing
  • High expectations from NASA for technical excellence, innovation, and quality

Conclusion

The DATSS II contract is a valuable opportunity for small businesses that can provide data analysis and technical support services to NASA’s Earth Science Division. The contract offers a steady stream of work, a chance to work on cutting-edge projects, and a potential to grow the offeror’s capabilities and reputation. However, the contract also requires a rigorous and strategic preparation, as well as a high level of differentiation and competitiveness. GDI Consulting (www.gdicwins.com), with its proven experience and expertise in providing IT and software development services to federal agencies, including NASA, is well-positioned to win this contract. GDI Consulting also has a successful track record of winning self-scoring solicitations, such as GSA OASIS, GSA HCaTS, and GSA Alliant 2. With its capture and proposal services, GDI Consulting can help offerors optimize their self-scoring worksheet, craft a compelling technical proposal, and submit a winning bid for the DATSS II contract.