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Purpose

This Special Notice is provided to further enhance industry understanding of National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) ongoing Exploration Production and Operations Contract (EPOC) effort. This Special Notice is issued solely for informational purposes.

Background

NASA developed the Space Launch System (SLS) as a heavy-lift capability to transport the Orion Spacecraft to trans-lunar injection (TLI) for Artemis missions.  The Block 1B variant of SLS will be used on missions beyond Artemis III utilizing a Core Stage (CS) with four integrated RS-25 engines, an Exploration Upper Stage (EUS) with four integrated RL10 engines, and two 5-segment Solid Rocket Boosters (Boosters), along with a Universal Stage Adapter (USA) and Payload Adapter that accommodates the Orion Spacecraft.

NASA is transitioning the method of contracting for SLS from procuring spaceflight hardware from multiple contractors and performing cross-program systems integration in-house, to procuring SLS as a launch service from a single contractor. The single-provider contract will be entitled EPOC and will provide launch services for the Orion flights currently designated as Artemis V through Artemis XIV.

The EPOC Contractor, Deep Space Transport, LLC (DST), will be required to interface with other Moon to Mars (M2M) Division programs including Exploration Ground Systems (EGS), and Orion, as well as the Cross-Program Systems Integration (CSI) office. In performance of EPOC, DST will:

1)   Assume design authority of the integrated SLS Vehicle;

2)   Manage production of SLS Vehicle Elements and support integrated assembly of the SLS Vehicle;

3)   Support Cross-Program Integration activities, including maintenance of the interfaces with EGS and Orion;

4)   Support operations of the integrated system during launch and flight operations; and

5)   Perform post-flight assessment to identify anomalies and corrective actions, as well as improve the understanding of system operation.

Update

NASA has revised the contracting approach from awarding a short duration transition planning contract as described in the EPOC Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition (JOFOC) published on October 12, 2022. NASA’s updated approach includes a longer-term preliminary contract entitled Pre-Exploration Production and Operations Contract (Pre-EPOC) Evaluation and Readiness to DST prior to implementation of EPOC. The purpose of Pre-EPOC is to reduce risk in the transition to and implementation of a launch service provider model through EPOC. DST will perform the following under the contract:

1)   Begin performing the programmatic and integration activities currently being performed by NASA;

2)   Demonstrate readiness to perform production, integration, and operations tasks using newly established business systems and processes;

3)   Exercise management of the SLS technical baseline;

4)   Hardware production and technical integration tasks under a single contract, which are currently being performed by NASA, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), and SLS support contractors under multiple contracts; and

5)   Formulate the development of the EPOC Transition Plans.

In addition, Pre-EPOC will require DST to manage work across multiple OEMs, demonstrate technical capabilities, and identify programmatic and cost efficiencies that will be required for DST to provide a launch service for SLS under EPOC.

Award of Pre-EPOC is anticipated in early 2024. This Special Notice is intended to inform industry of the change in contracting approach. Additional details about Pre-EPOC, including period of performance and estimated award value will be issued at a later date. Award of EPOC is now anticipated to follow the Pre-EPOC period of performance, closer to beginning of major hardware production ahead of Artemis V. NASA remains on track to have DST assume the long-term production and operations of SLS for crewed Artemis launches beginning with Artemis V.

Market research is ongoing for Pre-EPOC and will continue ahead of any future EPOC procurement.

Reference

https://sam.gov/opp/bcb1b1f60e394edb85660365223064f9/view

• October 26, 2021, NASA posted “Exploration Production and Operations Long-Term Sustainability”, on the Government Point of Entry (GPE), sam.gov, which included the EPOC Request for Information. No Notice ID was included. Under this same title, the following postings and documentation were added:

-   November 18, 2021 - SLS Industry Day Charts

-   February 10, 2022 - EPOC System and Work Statement Requirements Strategy White paper

-   June 2, 2022 - EPOC Industry Day Attendees List

• July 26, 2022, NASA posted Notice ID 80MSFC22R0010 “Exploration Production and Operations Contract (EPOC) Presolicitation Synopsis”. Under this same title, the following posting was added:

-   October 12, 2022 - NASA added the EPOC Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition (JOFOC). The JOFOC will be revised in the near future to reflect the incorporation of the Pre-EPOC Evaluation and Readiness contract effort and posted on sam.gov prior to issuance of the Pre-EPOC solicitation.

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