This FBO notice announces that a modification will be posted via the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System, or NSPIRES, on or about February 12, 2019. Because of the 35-day partial U.S. Government shutdown, NASA is modifying PEA N dates for 1) the pre-proposal web conference, 2) the mandatory notices of Intent (NOI) submissions and 3) the electronic and CD-ROM proposal submissions. Since this is an FBO notice, it is not a complete or verbatim summary of the EVC-1 program element appendix or its amendments. The full EVC-1 text is available at https://nspires.nasaprs.com/ by searching on NNH17ZDA004O-EVC1.

EVC-1 solicits proposals for cost-capped activities resulting in the design, implementation, on-orbit characterization, and scientific exploitation of observations from a capable observing system to enable retrieval of top of the atmosphere short wave, long wave, and total radiative fluxes. Measured top of atmosphere radiances and any necessary algorithms will be used by NASA to seamlessly extend and continue the Earth Radiation Budget (ERB) Climate Data Records. Other outputs are expected to include scientific investigations by the Principal Investigator (PI) team to advance the understanding of radiances, radiative fluxes, and the ERB.

EVC-1 PEA investigations may be proposed as a Focused Mission of Opportunity (FMO) or a Small Complete Mission (SCM) that fulfills the solicited objectives and includes all of the elements specified in both the PEA and in the SALMON-3 AO. The PI-Managed Mission Costs or PIMMC cap for the EVC-1 mission is $150M in fiscal year (FY) 2019 dollars, and NASA plans to complete the selection using a single step process. NASA intends to select one proposed PI-led investigation to proceed to development for flight and operations.

The investigation PI is responsible for conducting the proposed science investigation which includes, but is not limited to: (i) development and delivery of the observing system; (ii) integration with the spacecraft and/or launch vehicle; (iii) commissioning, validation, and operation of on-orbit and required ground systems to carry out the proposed science investigation; (iv) preparing and delivering appropriate data analysis software, including required calibration data; (v) analyzing the data; (vi) archiving all the proposed investigation data at one or more NASA-chosen Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) for public distribution to the scientific community; (vii) reporting the results of the science investigation in the scientific literature; and (viii) arranging for hand-off of operations at the end of the EVC-1 period of operations. Program specific, NASA strategic and other related documents will be made available in the EVC-1 Library at https://essp.larc.nasa.gov/EVC-1/evc-1_library.html.

Proposal selection and award will be implemented according to the guidelines set forth in Section 7.4 of the SALMON-3 AO and of this PEA. Proposers should read both the SALMON-3 and the PEA N: EVC-1 carefully.

A pre-proposal WebEx/Teleconference will be February 28, 2019. The forthcoming schedule updates, agenda, and logistical information for this session is found on the EVC-1 Acquisition Homepage: https://essp.larc.nasa.gov/EVC-1/.

The time frame for the solicitation is intended to be:

Mandatory Notices of Intent (NOI) due April 26, 2019, 11:59 PM EST
Proposals due July 26, 2019, 11:59 PM EST
Target Selection date January 8, 2020, 11:59 EST

Further lapses in Government funding, however, may impact these dates and other aspects of EVC-1. In the event of future lapses to the NASA operations, proposers should visit NSPIRES, the official NASA source for the full EVC-1 program element appendix.

Participation will be open to all categories of organizations (U.S. and non-U.S.), including educational institutions, industry, not-for-profit organizations, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, NASA Centers, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and other Government agencies. However, per NASA policy, only U.S. organizations are eligible to propose as the sole or lead organization. Non-U.S. organizations may participate as non-lead organizations collaborating with U.S. leads on a no-exchange-of-funds basis.

Further information will be posted on the Earth Science EVC-1 homepage at https://essp.larc.nasa.gov/EVC-1/ as it becomes available. Questions may be addressed by email only subject line to read "2019 EVC-1" to David Considine, Earth Venture Continuity - 1 Program Scientist at [email protected].

The period for questions will close two weeks before the proposal due date, and the period for responses will close one week before the proposal due date. Responses will be posted in the EVC-1 Acquisition Homepage at: https://essp.larc.nasa.gov/EVC-1/evc-1_qas.html. Anonymity of persons/institutions who submit questions will be preserved.