Price, contract terms helped Maxar secure Gateway contract

WASHINGTON — A capability to get on contract shortly and a worth far decrease that different firms have been key components in NASA’s choice to award a contract to Maxar Technologies for the first element of the lunar Gateway, the Energy and Propulsion Component (PPE).

A source selection statement launched by NASA Might 23 outlined the company’s evaluation of proposals for the PPE submitted by Maxar and 4 different firms: Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman Innovation Programs and Sierra Nevada Company (SNC). The doc gives particulars on the technical and administration elements of the businesses’ proposals in addition to their worth.

The doc exhibits that Maxar, recognized within the doc as Area Programs Loral (SSL), the previous identify of its satellite tv for pc manufacturing division, supplied a worth nicely under the opposite firms. Whereas Maxar supplied a agency fastened worth of $375 million, different bids ranged from $565.9 million by Northrop to $768.eight million from SNC.

The businesses have been extra carefully matched on technical method, which had an equal score to cost within the analysis. All the businesses acquired a “Very Good” score in technical method except SNC, which acquired a “Truthful” score.

Two different components, administration method and business and partnering method, had lesser weighting that, mixed, have been equal to both worth or technical method. Each Lockheed and Maxar acquired Very Good scores in each these classes, whereas Boeing acquired Good scores in each. Northrop acquired a Good rating in administration and Glorious in partnering, whereas SNC acquired a Truthful rating in administration and Glorious in partnering.

One other issue that labored in Maxar’s favor was the flexibility to start out work shortly. The broad company announcement that NASA used to solicit proposals required firms to submit a signed “mannequin contract” for the work. Firms might take exception to any required clauses however have been warned that doing so “might have a adverse influence on an Offeror’s potential choice for contract award.”

The supply analysis panel that reviewed the proposals concluded that Boeing, Lockheed, Northrop and SNC all contained exceptions to the mannequin contract “that render them non-awardable with out discussions and/or negotiations,” the doc acknowledged, “and solely SSL’s proposal had the potential to be awardable with out discussions or negotiations by means of clarification, which SSL offered in a well timed style.”

Michele Gates, the director of the PPE program at NASA Headquarters and the choice authority for the competitors, famous within the doc that every firm “supplied distinctive worth to NASA, aligned with NASA’s programmatic priorities, and would advance NASA’s deep area exploration targets.” With a choice, although, to award only a single contract — which Gates stated was in NASA’s “finest pursuits” however with out elaboration — Maxar stood out.

“I decide that the proposals submitted by Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and SNC don’t provide adequate worth to justify their proposed costs,” she concluded. “SSL’s proposal, however, gives plentiful worth for its proposed worth.”

The doc sheds some further particulars on elements of Maxar’s proposal for the PPE. Key strengths of the proposal embrace using a “well-proven, modular, heritage geostationary spacecraft product line” in addition to augmentations to the baseline design, comparable to the flexibility to switch a “substantial quantity” of energy to different Gateway modules and the flexibility to retailer extra gas than required.

The evaluation did cite some weaknesses within the design, together with “added complexity” within the automobile’s electrical propulsion system in addition to including a co-manifested lunar lander, a element the corporate didn’t disclose within the Might 23 announcement concerning the award. It additionally cited a priority a few lack of particulars about how the automobile’s photo voltaic electrical propulsion system, generally known as the Superior Electrical Propulsion System, shall be built-in into the spacecraft, a weak spot cited in a number of different firms’ proposals.

It additionally famous that Maxar deliberate to make use of a “at present unproven heavy-lift launch automobile” for launching the PPE. The doc didn’t establish the automobile, however one of many Maxar’s companions is Blue Origin, which is creating the New Glenn heavy-lift rocket slated to enter service in 2021. The doc famous, although, that Maxar deliberate to maintain the PPE suitable with “a number of” various launch autos.

The doc praised Maxar for its effort to reveal “a number of future business capabilities” with the PPE, together with “efficient business purposes within the areas of heavy carry launch and cargo switch to the lunar neighborhood” that would help future NASA exploration wants. Expertise developed for the PPE may be carried out in its line of business communications satellites.

Mike Gold, a Maxar vice chairman who participated in a name with reporters concerning the PPE award Might 23, emphasised that the corporate didn’t see this as a one-off program. “There’s going to be a whole lot of thrilling alternatives for tugs in cislunar area,” he stated. “We have a look at this as not simply the PPE award, however the first PPE award, as a result of we’re taking a look at a strong cislunar financial marketplace for each the federal government and the personal sector.”