Request for Information. Life Sciences Research Systems on the International Space Station

Trade Agreement: NONE Tendering Procedures: Attachment: None Competitive Procurement Strategy: N/A - P&A/LOI Only Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement: No Nature of Requirements: Amendment 001

The Notice is amended as follow: Change the Region of Delivery for: Quebec. ------- Change the link for Technology readiness levels (TRLs) by the following: Technology readiness levels (TRLs): Technology Readiness Levels and Assessment Guidelines (CSA-ST-GDL-0001), Revision A, Canadian Space Agency, October 2010 available at ftp://ftp.asc-csa.gc.ca/users/TRP/pub/CSA-Life-Sciences-RFI/EN/ ------- Answers must be forwarded by e-mail or by mail: Information must be forwarded by e-mail to Denis.Dube@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca OR by mail (2 copies) at the address below, in one of the official languages of Canada, no later than March 7, 2013. Denis Dubé Supply and Compensation Directorate Quebec Region Public Works and Government Services Canada 800 rue de la Gauchetière Ouest, local 7300, Montreal, Qc H5A 1L6 ------- Additionnal Informations Request for Information (RFI) Answer and Webinar Registration. Life Sciences Research System on the International Space Station Elements to Include in the RFI Answer + Webinar Registration The RFI Answer (content described in Sections 1 to 3 below) should not be longer than 5 pages.

1. Organization Information.

- Organization Name. - Description of Organization's Activities in Life Science Research and/or Space Technology Development and/or Research (1/2 page limit).

2. Proposed Research System Description.

- Title of the Research System. - Description of Research System (two page limit). - Applications for Research System: describe the field of applications and give specific examples (one page limit). - Maturity of the Research System (Technology Readiness Level ) (1/2 page limit). - Suitability for International Space Station (1/2 page limit).

3. Identification of Application Category(ies) - Please name all of the following categories applicable to your proposed system(s) in your answer.

- Textiles or Other Flexible Materials: o Biomonitoring, o Protective, - Anti-microbial. - Radio-protective. - Aids to recovery from hypogravity post-landing: o Functional. - Easy clean i.e. without water. - Low mass / Low volume. - Bioanalysis. - Radiation Dosimetry. - Non-invasive Physiological Measures: o Intracranial pressure and/or ocular diagnostics, o Novel measures of health status, o Bone and muscle health, o Stress. - Other Capabilities. - Cell culture: o Processing of biological samples .

4. Information Requested for Registration for the March 19, 2013 Webinar

- First Name - Last Name - Position / Title - E-mail Address Phone Number ----------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------

Request for Information

Life Sciences Research Systems on the International Space Station

1- Canadian Content

Any Request for Proposal (RFP) resulting from this Request for Information will be limited to Canadian goods and/or services as defined in clause A3050T. https://buyandsell.gc.ca/policy-and-guidelines/standard-acquisiti on-clauses-and-conditions-manual

2- Purpose

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has access to the International Space Station (ISS) and to its crew members for use in research, technological demonstrations, and outreach activities.

Through this Request of Information (RFI), the CSA is requesting Canadian organizations involved in Space technology development and/or life science research in Canada to provide information about novel systems, instruments or technologies that could be implemented on the ISS to supplement ISS research capabilities. These systems, instruments or technologies must enhance current life science research capabilities on the ISS.

Results obtained through the RFI will eventually inform a Request for Proposals (RFP), leading to funding for development of systems for ISS. Funds may also be available for parallel development of terrestrial applications. CSA will hold a webinar on March 19, 2013, to foster partnerships and to further inform participants about ISS needs and constraints.

The webinar will: provide information related to ISS facilities for life sciences research and the technical constraints applicable to ISS payloads; describe an Internet platform to encourage partnership among organizations with complementary expertise.

RFI respondents will receive the detailed webinar instructions.

3- Requested Information

The information solicited by this RFI must support the research mandate of CSA's Space Health and Life Sciences (SHLS) branch, which is to characterize risks associated with human space flight and to develop new Canadian solutions in order to mitigate these risks. Human exploration missions currently occur in six month expeditions to the ISS, but in the future will likely consist of expeditions of longer duration, outside of low Earth orbit. Areas of interest to SHLS are shown in the Table 1 below ("mission risks" apply to the period of spaceflight and immediate return to Earth only; "long-term risks" apply to missions after return to Earth):

Table 1 Human Health, Behavioral and Performance Risks

Musculoskeletal Long-term health risk of space-induced osteoporosis; Mission risk of reduced muscle strength and aerobic capacity. Sensorimotor Mission risk of sensory changes/dysfunctions. Ocular Syndrome Mission and long-term health risk of Microgravity-Induced Visual Impairment and/or elevated Intracranial Pressure(VIIP). Nutrition Mission risk of behavioral and nutritional health due to

inability to provide appropriate quantity, quality and variety of food. Behavioral Health and Mission and long-term behavioral health risk. Performance Radiation Long-term risk of carcinogenesis and degenerative tissue disease due to radiation exposure. Hypogravity Long-term risk associated with adaptation during

intra-vehicular activities (IVAs) and extra-vehicular activities (EVAs) on the Moon, asteroids, Mars (vestibular and performance dysfunctions) and post-flight rehabilitation. Environmental Stressors Mission risk of exposure to a toxic environment without adequate monitoring, warning systems or understanding of potential toxicity (planetary dust, chemicals, infectious agents, microbial contamination). These risks could be encountered on the ISS, during EVAs in space or on planetary surfaces, or in the spacecraft environment upon landing on a planetary surface.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of capabilities that could address the risks presented in Table 1 above:

Textiles or other flexible materials - wearable systems are required. o Biomonitoring: system with at least 3 physiological sensors o Protective Anti-microbial Radiation-protective (need to have been tested using ground beam facilities) Aids to recovery from hypogravity post-landing o Functional Easy clean i.e. without water Low mass / Low volume Bioanalysis o On-orbit indicator of physiological or cellular state, using samples from cell culture, or human samples (e.g. blood, saliva, urine) Radiation dosimetry o Sensors should not detect/measure total dose but one or more of the major types of radiation specifically Non-invasive physiological measures (applicable to humans and/or animals) o Intracranial pressure and/or ocular diagnostics o Novel measures of health status o Bone and muscle health o Stress Other capabilities o Cell culture o Processing of biological samples (e.g.food, cells, saliva, blood, urine and stools).

The CSA is interested on any information related to one or more of these capabilities, or a combination. The CSA is also interested in an integrated system/architecture allowing interchangeable sensors or detectors that fall into the above categories. Information related to development of a system/architecture that would be demonstrated on the ISS using "off-the-shelf" sensors or detectors is also welcome.

Note that instruments, systems or technologies should expand, and not duplicate current ISS research capabilities. Proposed systems or instruments can be either installed into ISS infrastructure on one of the International Standard Payload Racks (e.g. Express rack) or "portable", i.e. can be stowed on ISS, unstowed and temporarily installed on ISS during periods of use.

Proposed systems must be suitable to the ISS. Here are the main criteria for ISS suitability: Low mass: proposed system, instrument or technology should be restricted to less than 35 kg. Low volume: should be restricted to less than 0.072 m3. Safe: means that the system or instrument or technology must not release toxic gases or small particles into the atmosphere, or release any toxic leachate, or use any toxic or corrosive chemicals. It also must not contain highly flammable substances. Toxic chemicals or releases or slightly flammable products may be allowed, provided that they are contained within three seals (i.e. triple containment). The ISS also has a low tolerance for sharp edges, corners or burrs, or other characteristics that could lead to crew injury. Other: a number of other criteria (e.g. power, data, cooling, and water) are described in the references below.

The eventual RFP will aim at an operational payload that can be used on ISS, i.e. which have attained a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 and is in progress toward TRL 7 or have completed TRL 7.

4- Responses to the RFI and Webinar Registrations

Interested organizations can find the instructions to participate and can register to the March 19, 2013 webinar, in the annex "Answer and Webinar Registration".

Information must be forwarded by e-mail to Denis.Dube@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca, by mail (2 copies) at the address below, in one of the official languages of Canada, no later than March 7, 2013.

Denis Dubé Supply and Compensation Directorate Quebec Region Public Works and Government Services Canada 800 rue de la Gauchetière Ouest, local 7300, Montreal, Qc H5A 1L6

Each respondent is solely responsible for ensuring its response is delivered on time to the correct location.

5- References

You will find below hyperlinks leading to further information related to topics mentioned in the present RFI: Background information on ISS: Http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V1N-45 6864W-1&_user=508782&_coverDate=06%2F30%2F2002&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high& _orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStr Id=1627125434&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000025149&_version=1&_ur lVersion=0&_userid=508782&md5=ab440c2b1198847081a56230cc4a04cd&se archtype=a

Current research capabilities on the ISS: http://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/hsf_research/ao2009/FEIP-2009. pdf (this reference presents the research capabilities currently on the ISS, so it can help determining what research capabilities not to duplicate).

Http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/579499main_HRP%20Flight%20Experiment%20In formation%20Package%202012%20Final.pdf (presents the flight experiments process and the main constraints).

Http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/508318main_ISS_ref_guide_nov2010.pdf (see more specifically the Research section) Http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/facilities_ca tegory.html

Express rack accommodations (other rack accommodations are similar): http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/EX PRESS_Racks.html Space radiation: Http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/osm_radiation.asp Http://three.usra.edu/articles/dosimetryposted3.pdf (this document is an informative reference but not an indication of precise requirement for this present RFI)

Visual Impairment and/or elevated Intracranial Pressure (VIIP): Http://humanresearchroadmap.nasa.gov/Evidence/reports/VIIP.pdf (specifically Sections I, II, III and VII)

Technology readiness levels (TRLs): Technology Readiness Levels and Assessment Guidelines (CSA-ST-GDL-0001), Revision A, Canadian Space Agency, October 2010 (available at ftp://ftp.asc-csa.gc.ca/users/TRP/pub/ RFI_Life_Sciences_EN).

6- General Information about the RFI Process

This RFI is not an acquisition process and is not in direct support of any government procurement. Exchanges with consulted organizations will cease long before the commencement of formal procurement activities. The assurance of open, fair and transparent procurement processes is imperative for both government and potential contractors; the demarcation between this "information gathering" initiative and any formal procurement process is clearly defined and implemented to ensure no conflicts between the two.

This RFI shall not be construed to be a RFP and no agreement/contract will be entered into with/awarded to any vendor based on responses to this RFI, and it shall in no way be considered as authorization by Canada for vendors to undertake any work.

Nothing in this RFI shall be construed as a commitment to issue a RFP. Response to this RFI will not create any obligation. Neither Canada nor vendors answering this RFI shall be bound by any aspect of their response to this RFI.

The information submitted in response to this RFI may be used in the development of a subsequent RFP. Vendors answering this RFI shall specify if the information or comments provided are confidential or exclusive to the company.

All responses to this RFI will be held by Canada in confidence, subject to applicable legislation. Once they have been received, the documents will become the property of Canada.

Vendors not responding to this RFI will not be penalized in an eventual RFP. Canada shall not be liable for, nor shall it reimburse any vendors for, any costs, fees or expenses which any vendor incurs in the preparation or submission of its response to this RFI.

Delivery Date: Above-mentioned

The Crown retains the right to negotiate with suppliers on any procurement.

Documents may be submitted in either official language of Canada.