NASA CENTER FOR BIOLOGY INSPIRED TECHNOLOGY (NCBIT) – NASA
COMMERCE BUSINESS DAILY ISSUE OF APRIL 27,2000 PSA#2588
A — NASA CENTER FOR BIOLOGY INSPIRED TECHNOLOGY (NCBIT)
DUE 051900

POC
Lori M. Levine, Contract Specialist, Phone (301) 286-7164, Fax (301) 286-1773.

NASA’s Goddard Space
Flight Center (GSFC) intends to award a Cooperative Agreement to
develop a NASA Center for Biology Inspired Technology (NCBIT). The
procurement will be conducted on a full and open competition basis in
accordance with NPG 5800.1, Grant & Cooperative Agreement Handbook
and NPG 5000.1, Establishing Science & Research Institutes.

The
primary purpose of the NCBIT is to focus and develop world-class
interdisciplinary research leading to technology development based on
concepts derived from, or inspired by, biology. An objective of the
NCBIT is to develop an understanding of where and how the unique
attributes of biological systems can be applied to challenges of
spacecraft design and operations as well as the development of tools to
promote safe and effective human work in the exploration of space.

These technologies will enable novel missions and research capabilities,
hitherto not envisioned, and will dramatically impact the human safety
and productivity, affordability, and scientific outcome of space
exploration. It is also anticipated that such technologies will have
broad applicability to the solution of health, safety and improved
human performance in different hazardous and medical care activities on
Earth.

Achieving these systems requires innovative research efforts
designed to emulate biological solutions to sensory perception,
communication, adaptation, and motor control. Intelligent autonomous
systems will need to learn from their interactions with their
environment and adapt appropriately in real time. Like biological
systems, these future autonomous systems will incorporate significant
capability at the molecular level such as detection of signatures of
life and/or disease, delivery of targeted prevention and curative
therapeutics, healing of wounds, making decisions based on acquired
experience, etc.

Some attributes of these systems include the following
capabilities: Anticipatory (ability to anticipate future events on
basis of current data) Collaborative (ability to cooperate with other
systems) Curious (motivation to explore, investigate, and discover)
Self-modeling (ability to reason about its own changing status)
Adaptive (functionality change over time to meet changing needs)
Self-diagnosing (ability to check its health status) Self-Repairing
(ability to reconfigure and/or repair itself autonomously) Biologically
inspired sensor fusion & sensory-guided response control Self-
replicating and error correcting systems Portability (ability to be
mobile with no compromise of function).

Examples of systems of interest
to NASA include, but are not restricted to: 1. Medical Monitor and
Intervention Systems (non-invasive, automated, etc.) 2. Sensor Systems
for Life and Environmental Detection 3. Closed loop Life Support
Systems 4. Human-centered Information Processing Systems 5. Human-
centered prognostic and self-correcting systems 6. Spacecraft Guidance
and Data Acquisition Systems 7. Spacecraft Repair Systems Advances in
materials, processes, and systems designs that meet these space
exploration goals will have enormous terrestrial benefits in research
and commercial arenas. An aggressive schedule has been established with
the official CAN planned to be issued in late May 2000 and a pre-
proposal conference may be held approximately one week after issuance.

Proposals will be due approximately 37 days after the CAN is issued.
The anticipated Cooperative Agreement award is expected to occur in
September 2000. Questions and comments about the CAN are welcome and
encouraged. Prospective offerors shall notify this office of their
intent to submit an offer. It is the offeror’s responsibility to
monitor the Internet site for the release of the CAN and amendments
(if any). Potential offerors will be responsible for downloading their
own copy of the CAN and amendments (if any). Email: llevine@pop200.gsfc.nasa.gov
Leigh Anne C. Giraldi, Contracting Officer, Phone (301) 286-3318,
Fax (301)286-1773, Email Leigh.Anne.C.Giraldi.1@gsfc.nasa.gov.
WEB: Click here for the latest information about this notice,
http://nais.msfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/EPS/bizops.cgi?gr=D&;pin=51#10-03498.
Posted 04/25/00 (D-SN448543). (0116)