UTILIZING PUBLIC - PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO ADVANCE TIPPING POINT TECHNOLOGIES | NNH16ZOA001N 16STMD 001

Opportunity Information: Apply for NNH16ZOA001N 16STMD 001

NASA Headquarters, through its Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), released a draft appendix to its broader SpaceTech-REDDI-2016 NASA Research Announcement called "Utilizing Public-Private Partnerships to Advance Tipping Point Technologies." This notice was not a call for proposals yet. Instead, it was an early, draft-stage request for industry feedback so NASA could refine the final solicitation before opening it for formal submissions. The central idea is to use public-private partnerships to push promising commercial space technologies over a key development hurdle so they can reach real-world use faster for NASA missions, other government needs, and commercial markets.

The opportunity focuses on what NASA calls "tipping point" technologies. In this context, a technology is considered at a tipping point when a relatively targeted investment, either in a ground-based development and demonstration effort or in a flight demonstration, would significantly mature the technology and make it much more likely to be adopted in a commercial space application. NASA is looking specifically for technologies that are close enough to readiness that a demonstration can unlock broader adoption, while also improving the proposing companys ability to successfully bring the product or capability to market. In other words, NASA is trying to apply funding where it can trigger a meaningful jump in maturity and market viability, rather than supporting very early-stage research.

A defining feature of this program is the public-private partnership structure and the contracting approach. NASA indicated that awards under the final appendix would be made to U.S. industry-led teams using firm-fixed-price contracts with milestone-based payments tied to technical achievements. That structure signals a strong preference for proposals that can define clear deliverables, measurable performance objectives, and a realistic schedule, because payment is triggered by meeting specific milestones rather than by reimbursing costs. Eligibility requirements and restrictions were referenced as being detailed in Section 3.0 of the draft appendix, and the notice highlights that the target applicants are U.S. companies, including both small businesses and other for-profit organizations.

The draft appendix was posted for review on platforms used for federal procurement and NASA solicitations, including FedBizOpps (at the time) and NSPIRES. NASA emphasized that it would not make awards based on the draft and would not pay for information submitted in response to it, since the purpose was purely to collect questions and comments. Industry input was explicitly encouraged on all parts of the draft, with NASA stating that feedback would be considered when writing the final appendix.

NASA also scheduled an online Virtual Industry Forum for July 20, 2016 to walk through the solicitation approach and address questions and comments received up to that point. Written questions and comments on the draft were accepted through July 25, 2016, with an earlier suggested deadline of July 12 for those who wanted their questions more likely addressed during the forum. Submissions were to be emailed to HQ-STMD-TippingPointAppendix@nasaprs.com. After the comment period, NASA anticipated releasing the final appendix around August 10, 2016, with an anticipated closing date around September 29, 2016, and the final proposal due date to be specified in the final release.

From the published listing details, the opportunity is associated with NASA (Agency Name: NASA Headquarters) and CFDA 43.012, categorized under science and technology research and development. The listing shows an award ceiling of $2,500,000 and indicates the eligible applicant types as small businesses and for-profit organizations other than small businesses. While the narrative emphasizes firm-fixed-price milestone contracts, the listing metadata also labels the funding instrument type as a grant, which is a common kind of mismatch in government postings when umbrella announcements span multiple award instruments; the controlling details would be in the final appendix and the STMD umbrella NRA terms.

In practical terms, the program is aimed at companies that already have a credible technical foundation and a near-term path to demonstration, but need a final push to prove performance, reduce risk, and unlock customers. NASA is trying to get the dual benefit of advancing capabilities it may later use, while also strengthening the U.S. commercial space sector by helping technologies clear the demonstration and commercialization barrier where many otherwise-strong innovations tend to stall.

• The NASA Headquarters in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "UTILIZING PUBLIC - PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO ADVANCE TIPPING POINT TECHNOLOGIES" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 43.012.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2016-06-29.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2016-10-13. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,500,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.

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