The NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) has released a fourth Community Announcement as an amendment to the www.SAM.gov notice ID NNH20ZDA016L at https://sam.gov/opp/7a7c4989fa8a42b5bcecc945f7107778/view concerning its intention to solicit investigations for the New Frontiers Program.
As announced in the PDF document entitled “NASA Fiscal Year 2023 Congressional Justification (full budget request)” available at https://www.nasa.gov/news/budget/, the planned fifth New Frontiers Announcement of Opportunity (AO) release date has been accelerated. SMD plans to release the New Frontiers 5 AO in November 2023. Subsequent announcements will provide further information regarding the New Frontiers 5 AO’s content and schedule. As of the date of this notice, the updated schedule is estimated as follows:
| Release of this fourth notice: | June 2022 |
| Release of fifth notice providing major parameters of AO: | August 2022 (target) |
| Release of draft AO: | November 2022 (target) |
| Release of final AO: | November 2023 (target) |
| Preproposal conference: | ~ 3 weeks after final AO release |
| Proposals due: | March 2024 (target) |
| Selection for competitive Phase A studies: | December 2024 (target) |
| Concept study reports due: | January 2026 (target) |
| Down-selection: | October 2026 (target) |
The New Frontiers 5 AO, however, may contain provisions that differ substantially from this special notice, and the provisions in any final AO will take precedence. The New Frontiers 5 AO will be based on the SMD Standard PI-led Mission AO Template available at http://soma.larc.nasa.gov/standardao/sao_templates.html. However, proposers must read carefully the Final New Frontiers 5 AO text when it is released on the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) for necessary details and any adjustments to the AO Template or changes from the draft New Frontiers 5 AO text.
NASA has not approved the issuance of the New Frontiers 5 AO in draft or final. This special notice does not obligate NASA to issue the AO and solicit proposals. Any costs incurred by prospective investigators in preparing submissions in response to this email or the planned Draft New Frontiers 5 AO are incurred completely at the submitter’s own risk.
Further information, as it becomes available, will be posted on the New Frontiers 5 Acquisition website at https://newfrontiers.larc.nasa.gov/NF5/. Questions and feedback on the schedule in this notice are due by July 29, 2022, and may be addressed by email with “New Frontiers 5 AO” in the subject header to Dr. Curt Niebur, New Frontiers Program Lead Scientist, Planetary Science Division, Science Mission Directorate, NASA, Washington, DC 20546; Email: [email protected]. Questions and feedback will be acknowledged, and responses to inquiries will be posted at the Questions and Answers (Q&A) location on the NF5 Acquisition website. Anonymity of persons or institutions submitting questions will be preserved.