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Request for Information on NASA’s Role in Entrepreneurial Engagement Summary: The Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is requesting ... Request for Information on NASA’s Role in Entrepreneurial Engagement Summary: The Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is requesting information to improve entrepreneurial engagement outcomes. Positive entrepreneurial engagement outcomes include (1) increased adoption of dual-use technology for NASA use-cases and/or (2) direct stimulation of NASA relevant commercial markets where NASA is one of many potential customers. This request is directed to various stakeholder groups including companies, investors, and service providers especially those focused on deep tech development and commercialization. Information gathered though this Request For Information (RFI) will be used for strategic planning purposes, program development, and may be used to inform future decisions on partnerships, contracts, grants or other engagement approaches. Background: Through its Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), NASA ensures American global leadership in Space Technology, by providing a robust national space technology engine to meet agency and national aspirations, and provides a foundation for a self-sustaining U.S. space economy. As one part of this strategy, NASA invests in innovative early-stage technology concepts that could lead to future breakthrough capabilities, enable new mission paradigms, and foster growth of the US space economy. NASA recognizes that private sector investment in aerospace related innovation is larger than public sector investment and is increasing more rapidly. As large addressable markets and corresponding profits continue to encourage innovative thinkers to address private sector problems, many governmental agencies are reconsidering their entrepreneurial engagement and innovation strategies. Largely through their Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) programs, the United States Air Force (USAF) and United States Space Force (USSF) have implemented entrepreneurial engagement programs aimed at appealing to entrepreneurs and private investors in an effort to identify and adopt dual-use solutions that are viable for their own missions. Alternatively, the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) SBIR program has focused on identifying commercial markets relevant to their mission and stimulating those markets directly, without requiring NSF to be an end-user. Although their end goals are quite different both strategies use some similar tactics such as lowering the barrier to entry, engaging companies that are non-traditional government suppliers, investor engagement, and a commercialization focus. NASA could perhaps find value in both models, or a hybrid. NASA’s mission-oriented objectives could potentially benefit from the dual-use model. NASA could also add value by stimulating entrepreneurial markets with customers beyond NASA and accelerating growth in various emerging commercial markets through technology development. For example, according to the 2019 NASA Plan for LEO Commercialization: “A robust and competitive low-Earth orbit (LEO) economy is vital to continued progress in space. The United States is committed to encouraging and facilitating the growth of the U.S. commercial space sector that supports U.S. needs, is globally competitive, and advances U.S. leadership in the next generation of new markets and innovation-driven entrepreneurship. NASA has developed a long-term vision to achieve this goal where, one day, NASA will become one of many customers in LEO.” NASA’s role in market stimulation is not limited to space, as the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate has a long history of supporting commercial aeronautics, including the following quote from the 2019 Strategic Implementation Plan: “Envisioning the long-term plan for aeronautics research provides the basis for new concepts leading to industry innovation and societal benefits. The future holds new challenges for the aviation community, including the need to achieve continued growth that meets increasing global demand, safely integrate unmanned aircraft systems and other innovative vehicle concepts with myriad of applications, and proactively adapt to sometimes rapidly changing conditions.” The potential for NASA to continue to improve meeting mission objectives and stimulating relevant commercial markets requires an entrepreneurial engagement strategy that is designed specifically for NASA’s purposes. The uniqueness of aerospace markets, and the appropriateness of NASA’s role, does not necessarily allow borrowing directly from USSF, AFWERX or NSF’s model. NASA is considering an entrepreneurial engagement strategy that could include both of the following separate, but related, elements: Community Building and Pipeline Development Forums Community building forums provide a low barrier to entry opportunity for companies and investors that have never worked with NASA or have been discouraged by previous attempts to engage with NASA. NASA has some experience with these forums both through funded pitch competitions (meaning the companies can receive funding from NASA) such as the Science Mission Directorate’s (SMD) Entrepreneur’s Call and un-funded forums (where the companies do not receive funding from NASA, but are exposed to other benefits by participating) such as NASA iTech. Currently, these events bring together diverse stakeholders including entrepreneurs, investors, and various NASA subject matter experts. Notably, SMD’s entrepreneurs call was conducted under prize authority, not the SBIR program, though it was closely coordinated with NASA’s SBIR program. This allowed a streamlined competition structure while also allowing funded prize awards through the two stages of the competition. Future versions of these events could seek to accomplish objectives including: (1) establishing open, sustainable, and scalable networks (particularly across communities that seek to address technical and business risk), (2) increasing meaningful engagement with companies that don’t traditionally engage with NASA, and (3) filling the pipelines of other NASA programs and investors that are seeking to either develop or on-ramp technologies that meet a mission need and are commercially viable. Commercialization Focused SBIR Pitch Day Solicitation The purpose of NASA SBIR Pitch Days would be to offer a solicitation that is focused on capabilities for which NASA is one of many potential customers, potentially in emerging markets that could benefit from NASA’s stimulation. This would need to be within the legal structure of the SBIR program which is governed by the Small Business Administration SBIR Policy Directive. Features of the solicitation and process could include strong emphasis on the commercialization potential of the innovation, larger (or smaller) award value, less prescriptive solicitation topics, streamlined proposal processes, shorter periods of performance, milestone based follow-on funding, or a combination thereof. Much of the success of Pitch Day programming will depend on identifying technologies and quality companies capable of addressing a viable commercial market, and attracting follow on funding from the private sector while also being aligned with NASA strategic goals, and NASA relevance. For both of the elements above, NASA requests responses from commercialization focused companies and investors to inform the construction of programming that could provide the best combination of benefit to the entrepreneurial eco-system, NASA relevant commercial markets, and NASA missions. NASA also requests responses from service providers focused on tech scouting, investor engagement, event planning/execution, and proposal evaluation. Requested Topics: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is hereby soliciting information under this Request for Information (RFI) that will assist in determining NASA’s entrepreneurial engagement strategy within the Space Technology Research Mission Directorate (STMD). NASA is seeking written responses from various groups, below, that include companies, investors, and service providers who are especially focused on deep tech development. The questions in this RFI are intended for specific stakeholder groups. Respondents are encouraged to only respond only to the sections that are most relevant to their organization. Information gathered though this RFI will be used for strategic planning purposes and program development but could be used to inform future decisions on partnerships, contracts, grants or other engagement approaches. Commercialization Focused Technology Companies / Entrepreneurs Do you believe companies focused on commercialization are discouraged from participating in NASA’s Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program? If so, what features might encourage greater participation? How could a new, separate commercialization focused opportunity be constructed to best eliminate those barriers? If you have participated in another agency’s entrepreneurial engagement program in the past give specific examples of program elements that were beneficial. What funding gaps (i.e. markets, technologies, or technology readiness levels) exist in the investor community that you believe NASA is best positioned to fill? How can NASA best add value through community building events that do not provide direct funding to companies? Aside from direct funding, what additional services must NASA or potential NASA partners provide in order to improve the likelihood of long-term company success in contributing to continued American global leadership in space technology and aeronautics? What strategies might NASA use to support diversity, equity and inclusion in the founders that participate in NASA’s entrepreneurial engagement activities? Investors Do you believe that private sector investors are discouraged from investing in companies contracting with NASA? If so, what should NASA change to encourage more investment? How could NASA best construct a commercialization focused SBIR solicitation which would increase the likelihood of direct private sector investment downstream in companies contracting with NASA or co-investment through matched funding vehicles such as the Civilian Commercialization Readiness Pilot Program (CCRPP) and Tipping Point Solicitations What funding gaps (i.e. markets, technology areas or technology readiness level) exist in the investor community that you believe NASA is best positioned to fill? What specific NASA relevant technologies have the highest potential for private sector follow-on investment while providing dual-use in NASA missions? What specific NASA relevant commercial markets have the highest potential for private sector follow-on investment? What strategies might NASA STMD use to support diversity, equity and inclusion in the founders that participate in NASA’s entrepreneurial engagement activities? Service Provider Capabilities Both community building efforts and funded SBIR pitch days would require a range of services to be provided to NASA possibly including but not limited to tech scouting, 3rd party proposal review, investor engagement, coaching/mentoring, and event planning/execution. Initial entrepreneurial engagement efforts are likely to be rolled out in a low volume pilot, including possibly one community building event with approximately ten companies and one funded Pitch Day with six to twelve awardees in year one. The scale of these efforts could then be incrementally increased based on the success of the pilot. Which of these services does your company provide and what differentiates you from your competitors in these areas? What scope of services would your firm propose with $500k budget cap? What scope of services would your firm propose with a $2M budget cap? If possible validate scope and costs with relevant examples of work done for other organizations. What additional services does your organization provide that NASA should be considering in building its program? Organizations providing 3rd party evaluation services could be faced with actual or perceived conflicts of interest or bias. What steps does your organization take to ensure the integrity of the selection process? For organizations that provide tech scouting services, how do you promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the in the founders and teams that you choose for referrals? NASA may also conduct roundtable discussions on the topic of this RFI with invited participants as part of its market research. These meetings will allow for exchange of information and will provide an opportunity for invited parties to provide feedback on the Government’s preliminary requirements and acquisition approach. Pursuant to FAR 52.215-3, entitled “Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes,” this information is being made available for market research information, and planning purposes and to allow industry the opportunity to verify reasonableness and feasibility of the requirement, as well as promote competition. This RFI is subject to review or cancellation at any time and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to enter into a contract. The Government will not pay for the information submitted in response to this request and respondents will not be notified of the results. This announcement does not constitute a Request for Proposal. Please do not request for a copy of the solicitation, as no solicitation exists at this time. If a firm requirement is developed and a solicitation is issued, the solicitation will be made available on the System for Award Management (https://beta.sam.gov). It is the responsibility of responders and interested parties to monitor the internet site for the release of the solicitation and amendments, if any, and will be responsible for downloading their own copy of the documents. NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. The Center Ombudsman for this acquisition can be found at http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/pub/pub_library/Omb.html. Submission Instructions: Submission to this Request for Information shall be sent to hq-feedback-spacetech@mail.nasa.gov. Documents and attachments should be in Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, or text searchable PDF format. Files should not be greater than 5 pages for the response (no less than 12-point Times New Roman font exception in figure captions. Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) costing response is independent of the technical response and not page limited. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked “Proprietary” will be handled and protected accordingly. As applicable, NASA may provide proprietary information to its support service contractors who are under an obligation to keep third-party proprietary information in confidence. By submitting a response to this RFI, the responder is deemed to have consented to release of proprietary information to such NASA support service contractors. Electronic submissions shall not contain hidden formulas, tables, be locked, be protected or contain links to data not included in the electronic copy. All electronic submissions should be searchable and should not contain scanned documents, except those documents that must be provided in their native format (e.g., signature pages, as applicable). It is the Responder’s responsibility to ensure documents are free from virus and malware, as documents determined by NASA to contain a virus or malware will not be opened or reviewed.