The Mars Exploration Program has issued, in August 2013, a Request for Proposal for round VIII of the Mars Critical Data Products program.  This RFP provides support of the modeling the dust and particle environment of Comet 2013 A1 (Siding Spring) during its encounter with Mars in October 2014. The intent is to provide data products useful for risk assessment and mitigation strategy development for the Mars orbiter missions, due to possible impacts from dust and ion tail particles as this comet encounters Mars. Proposals are due on Wednesday, September 11, 2013.

Details of the RFPs are posted at: https://acquisition.jpl.nasa.gov/RFP/MJ-2692-072413/default.htm or https://acquisition.jpl.nasa.gov/bizops/.