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Lunar Exploration Analogue Deployment (LEAD) – Capability Demonstration

Announcement of Opportunity

Publication date:

Application deadline:

Summary of key information

  • Eligible recipients: Eligible recipients are limited to for-profit organizations established and operating in Canada
  • Non-repayable contributions
  • Maximum amount for one project: $250,000 with an option for an additional $100,000
  • Maximum timeframe of the project: 24 months with a possibility of a three month extension for the option

Table of contents

1. Introduction

Key aspects of the Space Policy Framework of Canada are ensuring that Canada is a sought-after partner in international space exploration missions that serve Canada's national interests, and, continuing to invest in the development of Canadian contributions in the form of advanced systems and scientific instruments as part of major international endeavors.

To help determine the nature of Canada's potential contribution to future international space exploration and science missions, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) engages in three types of activities:

The CSA is preparing to conduct a Lunar Exploration Analogue Deployment (LEAD) Project to position Canada for potential future contributions to lunar rover missions by demonstrating capabilities for human and robotic exploration beyond Low Earth Orbit.

The LEAD project comprises two separate elements running concurrently but independently;

The CSA is soliciting proposals from Canadian industry sector for their participation in the LEAD-Capability Demonstration element of the LEAD project. The Capability Demonstration element should be considered as complementary to the LEAD-Core Human-Enhanced Robotic Architecture and Capabilities for Lunar Exploration and Science (HERACLES) element.

The purpose of this Announcement of Opportunity (AO) is to provide financial support for one project over two years for lunar science and/or technology projects commencing with preparatory activities in and culminating in a field deployment in at the CSA Headquarters (Analogue Terrain [AT]), with an optional second deployment to a remote analogue site in Lanzarote, Spain in , subject to further CSA approval.

The overarching goals are to address the CSA's Class Grant and Contribution (G&C) Program Objectives related to research and training:

This AO is consistent with the terms and conditions of the CSA G&C Program to Support Research, Awareness and Learning in Space Science and Technology – Research Component.

Applicants are asked to read the following AO thoroughly before submitting their applications. This AO was prepared to help applicants complete the application process, and outlines key elements, including mandatory criteria for eligibility, details on eligible projects and the selection process. In the event of any discrepancies between this AO and the individual funding agreements governing a project, the latter document(s) will take precedence.

2. AO objectives

The objectives for the Capability Demonstration element of the LEAD Project AO are:

For reference, the objectives for the LEAD-Core (HERACLES) element of the LEAD project sets the theme (Lunar Sample Return) and will drive selection of the analogue deployment site (during the optional year). The LEAD-Core mission scenario is based on the Human-Enhanced Robotic Architecture and Capabilities for Lunar Exploration and Science (HERACLES) concept which is being developed as a collaboration between European Space Agency (ESA), CSA, JAXA and NASA. More details of the mission concept are provided in the following CSA document:

"Space Exploration Science Maturation Study: Precursor to Human and Scientific Rover Lunar Demonstrator Mission" SOW - Appendix A (sections A.3 and A.4.5).

The Capability Demonstration field site for a deployment in the to period will be at the CSA Headquarters (AT) (see Appendix B).

The latest decision point for the remote analogue site deployment option is expected in the - timeframe. The site is expected to feature a clear minimum stretch of 300 m for autonomous navigation. It is anticipated to be in Europe. A potential site being investigated is Lanzarote in the Canary Islands (see Appendix C).

Command and control of the Capability Demonstration equipment (e.g. rover, instruments, payloads) and operations may be from the CSA Headquarters in Saint-Hubert, Quebec, pending availability of the Exploration Development & Operations Centre (ExDOC) or from the recipient's home location.

3. Eligibility criteria

3.1 Eligible recipients

Eligible recipients are limited to for-profit organizations established and operating in Canada.

3.2 Eligible projects

The CSA's Space Technologies Development Program (STDP) aims to support the strengthening of industrial capabilities (new concepts and/or know-how) related to basic R&D of the Capability Demonstration element of the LEAD Project.

The Capability Demonstration opportunity is to enable the recipients to prepare for, execute and close-out a demonstration of the capability of their Project (e.g. instrument, payload, rover or operational concept/methodology) during a field deployment. It does not include the design & development of an instrument, payload or mobility platform.

It is recognized that the CSA-AT site does not provide a rich opportunity for the conduct of science or for realistic lunar surface interactions, features and properties. Rather, it is an opportunity to demonstrate proof of concept, interfaces and operational procedures that may ultimately be used to conduct more realistic demonstrations at the optional Lanzarote deployment site in .

Eligible demonstrations would involve projects that address the specific objectives of the LEAD-Capability Demonstration element (section 2) by advancing community lunar science and/or technology that can benefit from test and demonstration at the CSA Headquarters analogue site and/or at the optional Lanzarote analogue site.

This opportunity allows industry to propose projects which include, but are not limited to the following science and technologies:

LEAD-Capability Demonstration projects may be run concurrently (on a non-interference basis) or in a serial manner at the CSA-AT deployment in and the optional Lanzarote deployment site location in .

CSA will determine which projects should be conducted concurrently or serially.

The only Capability Demonstration "phases" that are eligible are; Preparation (may include instrument/payload adaptation/packaging); Deployment (execution); Close-out (including return of any borrowed CSA equipment and Final Report which includes the summary of outcomes in comparison to the proposal, the performance measures listed in section 6.5, and feedback on CSA technical and human resources provided, if applicable). Note that design & development of the Project's instrument, payload, or mobility platform is not within the scope of this AO.

Any logical breakdown or combination of the eligible phases can constitute a funded project. However, breaking down a project into numerous phases to obtain more than the maximum grant or contribution is not allowed. Furthermore, even if the maximum funding for one project is not reached, the completion of a funded phase does not automatically guarantee funding of the remaining phases.

Important notes to applicants:

Canadian post-secondary institutions and industry are encouraged (not mandatory) to consider collaborations or partnerships with each other.

The CSA would provide access to, and technical support for the use of, CSA facilities (e.g. AT) and mobility platforms (e.g. rovers – 2 Junos and 1 LRPDP). This could include use of CSA associated Infrastructure (e.g. local WiFi & Satellite data network communications), by the Recipient for preparatory activities and deployments, as required. The location would be at the CSA, the Recipient's home location pending sufficient justification (e.g. integration of payload/instrument) and the selected optional Lanzarote analogue deployment site () per Appendix B. The capability demonstration itself, is to be conducted at the CSA AT in and optionally at Lanzarote in .

The CSA would provide coordination and oversight to ensure that all activities carried out by participating parties, occurring at the same location (CSA-AT in and/or the optional Lanzarote analogue deployment site in ), do not conflict with one another.

CSA will be developing its own Space Education (Outreach) Plan. Should the recipient want to conduct their own Public Outreach activity, it must first be coordinated with the CSA.

Contributions awarded under this AO are expected to cover travel (from the funded organization to the sites required for preparatory activities and the optional selected remote deployment site), logistics (equipment transport), instrument/payload-to-rover interface modification (as required) and associated labor costs.

Respondents are asked to provide the following information:

3.3 Links to CSA priorities

This AO focuses on the CSA's priority of building industrial capabilities, meaning those projects that aim to develop new concepts and/or know-how. Industrial capability building therefore encompasses all projects aimed at strengthening the industry core capabilities with particular focus on developing its people and technologies.

To be eligible, projects supported under this AO must contribute to at least one of the following CSA priorities:

3.4 Links to the Class G&C program objectives

To be eligible, projects supported under this AO must contribute to the achievement of at least one of the following objectives:

3.5 Basic R&D definition

Eligible projects supported under this AO must comply with the following definition for basic R&D by providing the required justification within section 5 of the Application Form (Information with respect to basic R&D provided only in the proposal will not be used for screening the project):

"Any pre-commercial science and technology activities that are carried out to resolve unknowns regarding the feasibility of (i) space concepts or (ii) applications in the space sector."

The following due diligence process will be applied to determine whether projects are compliant with this definition. To that end, justification provided in section 5 of the application form must:

The following TRL definitions must be used:

TRL 1

Basic principles observed and reported

TRL 2

Technology concept and/or application formulated

TRL 3

Analytical and experimental critical function and/or characteristic proof-of-concept

TRL 4

Component and/or breadboard validation in laboratory environment

TRL 5

Component and/or breadboard validation in relevant environment

TRL 6

System/subsystem model or prototype demonstration in a relevant environment (ground or space)

Basic R&D activities supported under this AO shall be undertaken in Canada unless it is essential to the success of the project.

3.6 Required documentation

The application must include the following:

It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that the application complies with all relevant federal, provincial and territorial legislation and municipal bylaws.

Applications must be mailed to the CSA at the following address:

Sid Saraf
Manager, Technology Development
Canadian Space Agency
6767 Route de l'Aéroport
Saint-Hubert, Quebec J3Y 8Y9

Questions and answers related to this AO will be posted on the CSA website in the Frequently asked questions (section 8).

3.7 Service standards – Complete applications

Applicants will be notified in writing of decisions regarding their application. Selected applications will be announced on the CSA website. The CSA has set the following service standards for processing times, acknowledgement of receipt, funding decisions and payment procedures.

Acknowledgement: The CSA's goal is to acknowledge receipt of proposals within 1 week of receiving the completed application package.

Decision: The CSA's goal is to respond to the proposal within 4 weeks of the AO's closing date and to send a contribution agreement for signature within 2 weeks after formal approval of the proposal.

Payment:
The CSA's goal is to issue payment within 6 weeks of the successful fulfillment of the requirements outlined in the contribution agreement.

Compliance with these service standards is a shared responsibility. Applicants must submit all required documentation in a timely fashion. Service standards may vary by AO.

4. Evaluation

4.1 Eligibility criteria

4.2 Evaluation criteria

Applications will be evaluated according to the following point rated criteria:

  1. Innovation (30%)
    • 1.1 Degree of innovation
    • 1.2 Degree of readiness
  2. Project feasibility, resources and risk assessment (20%)
    • 2.1 Team technical expertise
    • 2.2 Project clarity, completeness, feasibility and risk assessment
  3. Outcomes and benefits to Canada (50%)
    • 3.1 Development of industrial core capabilities
    • 3.2 Competitive advantage
    • 3.3 HQP and students
    • 3.4 Benefits of a capability demonstration

The word limit to support each of the previous criteria and the scoring grid is specified in Appendix A.

4.3 Evaluation process

Only applications that have passed the eligibility assessment listed in section 4.1 will be given further consideration.

Once the eligibility criteria are confirmed, evaluators will assess the screened applications according to the criteria listed in section 4.2. Evaluators shall be experts in the fields relevant to the applications and may include representatives of other government and non-government agencies and organizations as well as external consultants. If applicable, a multidisciplinary evaluation committee will be formed when applications from several different disciplines are competing in order to provide a uniform final score and ranking of proposals.

Before a final decision is made, the CSA's Program Manager responsible for this AO may seek input and advice from other organizations, including (but not limited to) federal, provincial, territorial and municipal government agencies and organizations.

The amount of support will be determined according to the total eligible cost of the project, as well as the other sources of funds invested by other stakeholders and the applicant.

5. Funding

5.1 Available funding and duration

The total maximum funding amount given in contribution for the project will be $250,000 over a maximum period of 24 months as well as an option with a possibility of a three month extension and an additional $100,000.

The eligible recipient can be funded for one project under this AO.

Company financial statements for the last two years and the most recent interim results will be requested, in a later phase of the evaluation process, as a condition to signing a contribution agreement. It is not required to submit financial statements with the application.

Approved proposals will be eligible for a total amount of government assistance (federal, provincial, territorial and municipal) of up to 75% of total project costs.

To determine the amount of funding to be allocated, consideration will be given to the availability of CSA funds, the total cost of the project, and the other confirmed sources of funds provided by other stakeholders and the applicant.

Applicants must identify all sources of funding in their applications and confirm this information in a funding agreement if the project is selected for funding. Upon completion of a project, the recipient must also disclose all sources of funding.

The CSA reserves the right not to accept any proposals or to reduce the amount of the contributions at its entire discretion.

5.2 Eligible costs

Eligible costs are direct expenses that are associated with the delivery of the approved project and that are required to achieve the expected results of the project. Expenses will be covered subject to the applicant signing a funding agreement, in the form of a contribution, with the CSA.

Eligible costs for contributions under this AO are the following:

6. Funding agreements

6.1 Payments

The CSA and each successful applicant (the recipient) will sign a funding agreement. This is a condition for any payment made by the CSA with respect to the approved project.

Payments for contribution agreements will be made in accordance with the process and the reporting requirements described in the signed funding agreement. Upon notice of a successful application, the CSA will have no liability until a funding agreement is signed by both parties. Only eligible costs incurred after the funding agreement is signed and indicated in the agreement will be reimbursed.

6.2 Audit

The recipient of a funding agreement shall keep proper records of all documentation related to the funded project, for the duration of the project and for six (6) years after the completion date of the project, in the event of an audit. This documentation shall be available upon request.

6.3 Conflict of interest

In the funding agreement, the recipient will certify that any current or former public office holder or public servant it employs complies with the provisions of the relevant Conflict of Interest and Post-Employment Code for Public Office Holders and the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector respectively.

Note: Current employees of the CSA are not eligible to participate in any way in any application under this AO.

6.4 Intellectual property

All intellectual property developed by the recipient in the course of the project shall vest in the recipient.

6.5 Performance measurement

The CSA will ask the recipients to report on certain aspects of their projects such as:

As a courtesy, the CSA would like to receive a copy of publications arising from the work, and to be informed in advance of significant press releases or media interest resulting from the work.

7. Privacy notice statement

The CSA will comply with the federal Access to Information Act and Privacy Act with respect to applications received. By submitting personal information, an applicant is consenting to its collection, use and disclosure in accordance with the following Privacy Notice Statement, which explains how the applicant's information will be managed.

Necessary measures have been taken to protect the confidentiality of the information provided by the applicant. This information is collected under the authority of the CSA Class G&C Program to Support Research, Awareness and Learning in Space Science and Technology – Research Component, and will be used for the evaluation and selection of proposals. Personal information (such as contact information and biographical information) included in the rejected proposals will be stored in a CSA Personal Information Bank for five (5) years and then destroyed (Personal Information File no. ASC PPU045). Personal information included in the successful proposals will be kept along with the proposal results for historical purposes. These data are protected under the Privacy Act. According to the Privacy Act, the data linked to an individual and included in the proposal being evaluated can be accessed by the specific concerned individual who has rights with respect to this information. This individual may, upon request,

  1. be given access to his/her data and
  2. have incorrect information corrected or have a notation attached.

Applicants shall note that for all agreements, information related to the funding agreement (amount, grant or contribution, name of the recipient and project location) will be made available to the public on the CSA website.

For additional information on privacy matters prior to submitting a proposal, please contact:

Access to Information and Privacy
Canadian Space Agency
Telephone: 450-926-4866
Email: aiprp-atip@asc-csa.gc.ca

8. Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

It is the responsibility of the applicants to obtain clarification of the requirements contained herein, if necessary, before submitting an application.

For any questions related to the AO, applicants shall use the following generic email address lecedessetc-thegandccoe@asc-csa.gc.ca. Questions and answers related to this AO will be posted on the CSA website in the FAQ section of this AO. The CSA will respond to questions received before 12:00 noon (ET), .

At any point, applicants are welcome to share with the CSA their comments or suggestions regarding the AO, the program or the process. Applicants may either use the generic email address or the generic web-based comments and suggestions box.

Question 1: Is the intent to fund only one project under this AO?

Answer 1: Yes, there will be financial support for only one project awarded to one recipient as a result of this AO.

Question 2: In the submission of an application, would a letter of support from a third party be accepted to further demonstrate the technical expertise and qualification of our team?

Answer 2: The proposal should thoroughly respond to the point-rated evaluation criteria 2.1 "Team Technical Expertise" which also requires résumés. The letter of support from a third party would be considered as an additional reference to support this criteria.

Question 3: Are there any robotic arms available for use under this AO?  If so, what are the specifications (maximum payload mass, holding force…)

Answer 3: The equipment you have requested is not available for use under this AO. Only the assets and resources listed in Appendix B of the AO are offered, subject to availability.

Question 4:

  1. What are the capabilities of the Junos and LRPDP rovers (particularly regarding localisation and mapping)? Perhaps there is some documentation available?
  2. Which rover instruments can be provided by the CSA? In particular, can the CSA provide a small robotic arm installed on the Junos or LRPDP rovers?
  3. Are the Junos or LRPDP rovers already modelled in the CSA's Apogy framework?
  4. Considering there is only one project that will be funded by this announcement of opportunity, are the other unfunded projects still eligible to access CSA's rovers, infrastructure and facilities?

Answer 4:

  1. The basic rover platform only provides limited coarse localisation information. The only information available is via the CSA Website link provided in the AO. CSA will work with the successful organization to answer specific detailed technical questions after the Contribution Agreement is signed. As stated in the AO (Appendix B), the Proposal should therefore also address the risk & mitigation plan if any requested CSA assets & resources cannot be made available for use.
  2. Only the assets and resources listed in Appendix B of the AO are offered, subject to availability. The equipment you have requested is not available for use under this AO.
  3. Yes for the Junos, but no for the LRPDP.
  4. The CSA's Space Capacity Development Program (SCDP) framework is currently being developed – this will include a formal process and structure for making our facilities and assets (including rovers) available to external entities. In the meantime, we treat for-profit organization requests only via formal competitive processes such as Request For Proposals and Announcement of Opportunities. As such, there is currently another AO posted on CSA's website targeting Canadian universities and post-secondary institutions, which are eligible to access CSA rovers, infrastructure, and facilities: "Fieldwork for the Advancement of Science and Technology - Lunar Exploration Analogue Deployment ". As stated in the AO (Appendix B), the Proposal should therefore also address the risk and mitigation plan if any requested CSA assets & resources cannot be made available for use.

Question 5: Is there a possibility of granting an extension of the due date for this AO?

Answer 5: As there is a strict timeline for the resulting 24-month project, the closing date of this AO will not be extended. Please note that this is last question related to requesting an extension, that will be accepted and responded to.

Question 6:

  1. Is there any pre-qualifying criterion for the application? By this what I mean is, we found out about this tender recently so we have no idea if there was any screening of any kind this tender came out. If that is the case, we have missed that screening test, in which case we can not bid for the tender.
  2. It is still not very clear to us what the project deliverables are? Do we need to develop the entire system and demonstrate it or we need to write a proposal and report explaining how we can build what we want to build.
  3. Is it possible for us to speak to someone who can clear all our doubts over the phone? if yes, do you mind sharing his/ her contact details?

Answer 6:

  1. This is an AO for a contribution agreement and not a tender for a contract through a Request for Proposal (RFP). There was no screening test before the AO was posted. However, there are "Eligibility Criteria" specified in section 4.1 of the AO that will be used to screen submitted applications. Please also see section 4.3 of the AO for the evaluation process.
  2. Please see "Eligible Projects" in Section 3.2 in the AO. The Capability Demonstration opportunity is to enable the recipients to prepare for, execute and close-out a demonstration of the capability of their Project (e.g. instrument, payload, rover or operational concept/methodology) during a field deployment. It does not include the design & development of an instrument, payload or mobility platform.
  3. As this is a competitive process, all questions will be processed as described in section 8 of the AO, in order to ensure fairness and transparency.

Question 7:

  1. Our concern is we're not clear on what additional opportunities there would be for applicants who may not yet be at the calibre of bidding for the entire amount. What would be some good outcomes of submitting an application when the likelihood of winning is slim? Would our application be reviewed further by robotics engineers who may want to take on the project?
  2. For Eligible Project — would this be applicable under 'Lunar micro-rover missions'? Should we add more clarity to this?
  3. For the sections of Background/Context, Main objective, and Benefits — can these sections be longer than 300 words?
  4. Are we allowed to add photos to the text of the application?
  5. Where would the description of the team go? In Background/Context?
  6. Any other interesting opportunities coming up that could help us tackle this multi-robot sample return mission?

Answer 7:

  1. Any application and proposal submitted under this AO will only be evaluated for the purposes outlined in the AO. Please also see note in section 3.2: Canadian post-secondary institutions and industry are encouraged (not mandatory) to consider collaborations or partnerships with each other.
  2. It is at the applicant's discretion to determine if their proposal is an eligible project under section 3.2 of the AO. CSA will perform the screening for project eligibility and then the proposal evaluation, if the application is screened successfully, after receiving the complete application and proposal.
  3. These sections, in the application form, may be more than 300 words. The 300 words limit only applies to the "Short summary of the project" section.
  4. Yes photos are allowed within the Proposal. It is not recommended to add photos to the Application Form.
  5. Please see section 3.6 of the AO. An Application Form as well as a Proposal is required. These are two separate documents. It is at the applicant's discretion to provide the team description in the Application Form as well as to select the appropriate section within the Application Form. The proposal should cover all the criteria listed in "Appendix A: Point-rated evaluation criteria" while respecting the word count limit provided for each criteria. Point-rated evaluation criteria 2.1 covers Team technical expertise.
  6. Please refer to the following website for CSA funding opportunities.

Question 8:

  1. In addition to the sensors listed in this document: www.asc-csa.gc.ca/images/recherche/tiles/89e83070-3de9-4713-be67-b24a340b7dc2.jpg Are there other sensors available that we can ask to be installed?
  2. What kind of document(s) are you expecting/referring to in this sentence "A copy of the document(s) confirming the legal name of the applicant"?
  3. "Proposals must be received at the CSA no later than 12:00 noon (ET) ;" do you mean postmark date or physically received at the address in the AO?

Answer 8:

  1. The graphic illustrates the configuration of a Juno Rover that will be utilized by the CSA for it's own LEAD-Core (HERACLES) activities. This specific rover is not available to the recipient for the Cap Demo. As indicated in the AO, only 3 basic CSA rover platforms may be available i.e. does not include sensors, payloads or instruments.
  2. The document that confirms the legal name of the applicant is the Certificate of Incorporation or the Letters Patent of Incorporation.
  3. Physically received at the address in the AO.

Question 9: Is the arrangement concerning applicant contributions the same as previous AOs, where only the principal applicant's contributions can be counted, or can consultant / partner / subcontractor contributions eligible for consideration?

Answer 9: Please see note in the Application Form, Section 4 – Source of Funding: in-kind contributions are not considered eligible sources of funding. The funding amount should be expected to be an incurred cost by the applicant.

Appendix A: Point-rated evaluation criteria

Application must receive an overall minimum score of 65% as well as minimum specified thresholds to be considered for funding. Obtaining the highest score possible maximizes your chance of being selected to obtain financial support (see section 5). The following point-rated criteria will be evaluated using 4 benchmark statements. Each benchmark statement will receive the following percentage of maximum points according to the following scale:

  1. Poor: 25%
  2. Average: 50%
  3. Good: 75%
  4. Excellent: 100%

1. Innovation (30% of overall score)

Maximum: 30 points
Minimum: 15 points (50%)

1.1 Degree of innovation

(Please limit the proposal pertaining to this criterion to 1000 words)

Maximum: 15 points

This criterion evaluates the novelty associated with the new concepts and/or know-how to be demonstrated. Innovation can range from sustaining innovations that improve the performance of existing processes to disruptive innovations that offer an entirely different value proposition leading to the creation of new processes and markets. The design & development of the project's instrument, payload, or mobility platform is not within the scope of this AO This criterion seeks answers to the following:

Poor: There is little or no innovation being applied to the demonstration of the proposed concepts or know-how.

Average: A moderate level of innovation is being applied to the demonstration that will lead to improved performance of existing concepts and/or know-how.

Good: A high level of innovation is being applied that will lead to the demonstration of leading-edge concepts and/or know-how.

Excellent: The level of innovation is transformative and will lead to the demonstration of disruptive new concepts and/or know-how.

1.2 Degree of readiness

(Please limit the proposal pertaining to this criterion to 1000 words)

Maximum: 15 points
Minimum: 11.25 points (75%)

This criterion evaluates the degree to which the science and/or technology is ready for Capability Demonstration. The only Capability Demonstration "phases" that are eligible are; Preparation (includes instrument/payload adaptation/packaging); Deployment (execution); Close-out (including return of any borrowed CSA equipment and Final Report). The design & development of the project's instrument, payload, or mobility platform is not within the scope of this AO. This criterion seeks answers to the following:

Poor: The science and/or technology being proposed will not be ready for capability demonstration at a lunar analogue site, within the schedule provided.

Average: The science and/or technology being proposed is somewhat ready for capability demonstration at a lunar analogue site, within the schedule provided. There are many factors that have not been taken into account in order to demonstrate readiness.

Good: The science and/or technology being proposed is ready for capability demonstration at a lunar analogue site, within the schedule provided. There are some factors that have not been taken into account in order to demonstrate readiness.

Excellent: The science and/or technology being proposed is clearly ready for capability demonstration at a lunar analogue site, within the schedule provided. All known factors have been taken into account in order to demonstrate readiness.

2. Project feasibility, resources and risk assessment (20% of overall score)

Maximum: 20 points
Minimum: 10 points (50%)

2.1 Team technical expertise

(Please limit the proposal pertaining to this criterion to 1000 words)

Maximum: 10 points

This criterion evaluates the combined technical qualifications and experience of the team assembled to carry out the proposed work (i.e. the Capability Demonstration opportunity to prepare for, execute and close-out a demonstration of the capability of their instrument, payload, rover or operational concept/methodology during a field deployment). Résumés appended to the proposal will be assessed for this criterion.

Poor: The technical team has limited or no qualifications and experience with closely related technologies and demonstrations.

Average: The technical team has some qualifications and experience with closely related technologies and/or the team has a moderate track record of successfully demonstrating related technologies. Key qualifications are missing to form a comprehensive team.

Good: The technical team has worked actively with closely related technologies and has a track record of successfully demonstrating technologies of comparable scope and complexity. The proposed technical team possesses all the qualifications and experience required to perform the proposed work.

Excellent: The technical team is highly experienced and has a proven track record of successfully demonstrating closely related technologies of comparable scope and complexity. The proposed team possesses all the qualifications and experience required to perform the proposed work.

2.2 Project clarity, completeness, feasibility and risk assessment

(Please limit the proposal pertaining to this criterion to 2000 words)

Maximum: 10 points

This criterion evaluates the completeness and effectiveness of the proposed implementation plan in directing the project to successful completion. This criterion seeks answers to the following:

Poor: The implementation plan is poorly defined, incomplete or difficult to understand. There is a high likelihood that the objectives will not be met due to inappropriate methodology, budget, schedule, key risks or availability of resources.

Average: The implementation plan is somewhat defined but lacks details or clarity. Doubts remain regarding the technical methodology of the proposed work or the likelihood that the objectives will be met.

Good: The implementation plan is complete and well defined. The proposed methodology seems adequately suited for the proposed work to be carried out. The expectation that the proposed work will meet the set objectives and be completed on schedule and within budget is credible.

Excellent: The implementation plan is complete, very well defined and coherent. The methodology described is logical and well suited for the proposed work to be carried out. The likelihood that the proposed work will meet the set objectives and be completed on schedule and within budget is high.

3. Outcomes and benefits to Canada (50% of overall score)

Maximum: 50 points
Minimum: 32.5 points (65%)

3.1 Development of industrial core capabilities

(Please limit the proposal pertaining to this criterion to 1000 words)

Maximum: 10 points

This criterion evaluates the potential of increasing industrial capabilities through this capability demonstration. It also assesses how the proposed project will contribute to enhancing Canadian industry's ability to meet national space needs. This readiness is reflected by the breadth and depth of the technological domains in which the Canadian industry is active. This criterion seeks answers to the following:

Poor: The proposal does not substantiate a valuable enhancement of Canadian industry's core capabilities that would enable the applicant to respond to space needs.

Average: The proposal provides a limited and/or vague description of the benefits to be gained by the Canadian industry. Industry's readiness to respond to space needs is only somewhat improved by this enhancement to core capabilities.

Good: The proposal clearly substantiates how the enhancement of the applicant's core industrial capabilities will enable it to better respond to space needs.

Excellent: The proposed project would significantly enhance Canadian industry's capabilities and would clearly increase the breadth and/or depth of the Canadian space industrial capabilities as a whole, enabling it to better respond to national space needs.

3.2 Competitive advantage

(Please limit the proposal pertaining to this criterion to 1500 words)

Maximum: 10 points

This criterion assesses the merit and potential of the proposed capability demonstration to positively affect the company's competitive advantage and/or overall market share. It is recognized that an improvement in the company's overall market share (or competitive advantage) can be achieved through creating a new market, penetrating for the first time an existing one and/or increasing one's position in an already accessed market.

Poor: The proposed capability demonstration is unlikely to impact the company's competitive advantage.

Average: The proposed capability demonstration is likely to improve the company's competitive advantage and/or overall market share, and a strategy/plan to market has been identified.

Good: The proposed capability demonstration will improve the company's competitive advantage and/or overall market share. A credible strategy/plan to market is included along with interest of partners/clients and their requirements are known.

Excellent: The proposed capability demonstration will substantially improve the company's competitive advantage and overall market share. A detailed and credible strategy/plan to market is included along with formally expressed interest of clients (Letters of Intent, MOUs, MOAs, etc.) indicative of potentially significant sales, and the clients' requirements have already been provided.

3.3 HQP and students developing STEM skills

(Please limit the proposal pertaining to this criterion to 1000 words)

Maximum: 15 points

This criterion evaluates the degree to which this capability demonstration will help retain and enhance the number of HQP as well as their knowledge and expertise through their involvement in this project. The criterion also evaluates the degree to which the capability demonstration encourages Canadians to develop STEM skills in order to prepare them for the jobs of tomorrow.

This criterion seeks answers to the following:

Poor: HQP provide minimal value to the project or HQP roles, responsibilities and accountability are poorly defined. Less than 35% of the level of effort is provided by HQP.

Average: HQP provide reasonable value to the project and HQP roles, responsibilities and accountability are reasonably defined. HQP provide between 35% and 50% of the level of effort required to successfully complete the project.

Good: HQP provide high value to the project and HQP roles, responsibilities and accountability are well defined. HQP provide between 50% and 80% of the level of effort required to successfully complete the project.

Excellent: HQP provide very high value to the project and HQP roles, responsibilities and accountability are very well defined. HQP provide over 80% of the level of effort required to successfully complete the project. The project provides students and post-doc fellows with opportunities to develop their STEM skills.

3.4 Benefits of a capability demonstration

(Please limit the proposal pertaining to this criterion to 1500 words)

Maximum: 15 points

This criteria evaluates the suitability of, and benefits (value) to a future mission, in performing a capability demonstration of the proposed science operations and/or technology at the CSA AT and the optional Lanzarote deployment site in .

This criteria seeks to answer the following questions:

Poor: The capability demonstration project is not necessary to the future success of the science operations and/or technology being implemented, in a future mission. The benefits of the results attained from the capability demonstration do not outweigh the costs of the project.

Average: The capability demonstration project is important to the future success of the science operations and/or technology being implemented, in a future mission. The benefits of the results attained from the capability demonstration are equivalent to the costs of the project.

Good: The capability demonstration project is essential to the future success of the science operations and/or technology being implemented, in a future mission. The benefits of the results attained from the capability demonstration outweigh the costs of the project.

Excellent: The capability demonstration project is critical to the future success of the science operations and/or technology being implemented, in a future mission. The benefits of the results attained from the capability demonstration far outweigh the costs of the project.

Appendix B

Access to CSA rovers, infrastructure & facilities in Saint-Hubert (Quebec) for field investigations

In order to facilitate the ground testing and demonstration of planetary exploration technologies, and to support field investigations to prepare Canada for future planetary exploration missions, the CSA has developed an infrastructure and facilities for testing, integration and operations of planetary exploration systems and equipment such as rovers and scientific instruments, in a "mission-like" planetary environment. The facilities include integration labs, test facilities, a planetary analogue site (located at the CSA), a control center and the communications infrastructure necessary to connect various on-site facilities.

The CSA is offering to recipients, subject to availability, some rovers (i.e. 2 Junos and 1 LRPDP) from its fleet of prototype Planetary Mobility Systems (Rovers) and associated indoor & outdoor Facilities and Infrastructure to support the Testing, Integration and Operations of Planetary Exploration systems and equipment (e.g. Rovers, instruments, payloads).

Applicants interested in utilizing CSA assets must clearly state so in their application and provide information on their rover, instrument or payload as well as their schedule. However, the CSA cannot guarantee a specific asset will be available at the location, period of the year or time of day stated in a recipient's proposal. The Proposal should also address the risk & mitigation plan if any requested CSA assets & resources cannot be made available for use.

Use of CSA rovers, infrastructure or facilities on-site in Saint-Hubert (Quebec)

The CSA will provide, subject to availability, expert engineering and technical staff resources to operate the CSA-provided elements and infrastructure, and support the recipients while on-site at the CSA.

The CSA will also provide the appropriate information to the recipient to ensure that interfaces (e.g. such as those of the rovers) are well understood in order to accommodate recipient instruments or payloads. Instrument or payload interface adaptation/modifications may be necessary.

Process

Once a project has been selected, the applicant will have to fill out a questionnaire providing additional information on its rover, instrument or payload and the field investigation requirements. The applicant will subsequently be responsible for ensuring its equipment will be ready on time and meets CSA safety and interface requirements, which will be provided by the CSA upon request.

The preliminary schedule provided in the proposal should include a target deployment date and a "Deployment Readiness Review" 4 weeks prior to the scheduled deployment date. The deployment date will be confirmed shortly after the Readiness Review. The CSA will do its utmost to accommodate all selected applicant requests that meet the CSA Health & Safety (H&S), Security, interface requirements, and that are compatible with the ongoing CSA plans and schedule for use of its rovers, facilities and infrastructure and technical support resources.

Users of CSA facilities (e.g. AT) will be sent Facility-specific H&S Plan. s) prior to their arrival. Each participant will be asked to respond with an email stating that they have read, understood and will comply with the H&S requirements.

CSA badging will be arranged prior to arrival. Depending on the length of visit and frequency of trips to the CSA, either a Visitor's Badge (Escort required) or a CSA Access Badge (no Escort required) will be issued on-arrival. For CSA Visitor Badges - Canadians need to show ID (e.g. Driver's License) and non-Canadians need to show ID + student/work Visa + Passport). For CSA Access Badges - a Government Security Check will be done including Fingerprinting & Form to be filled and submitted approximately 2 weeks prior to visit.

Agreements

An agreement will have to be signed between CSA and a recipient in order to have access to CSA rovers, infrastructure and facilities. This agreement will include, among other things, clauses relating to the following elements:

Expenses

All expenses associated with the Recipients rover, instrument or payload testing, integration and shipping, as well as travel and accommodation before, during and after the field investigation activity, are the Contribution recipient's responsibility.

Use of CSA rovers at a remote location (e.g. optional Lanzarote analogue site)

Applicants requesting access to a CSA rover at a remote location must plan a visit to CSA Head Quarter located in Saint-Hubert (Quebec), as CSA will provide, subject to availability, expert engineering and technical staff resources to train recipients on how to operate the CSA rovers, but only at the CSA Saint-Hubert location.

During that visit, the CSA will work with the recipient to ensure that interfaces are well understood in order to accommodate recipient instruments or payloads. Instrument or payload interface adaptation/modifications may be necessary.

Note that the CSA Rovers may also be available for use by the Recipient at their home location, if sufficient justification is provided (e.g. for integration of payload/instruments). However, the capability demonstration is to be conducted at the CSA AT in and optionally at Lanzarote in .

Loan agreement

Should the project involve the use of CSA rovers at a remote location, a loan agreement must be signed between CSA and the recipient. The agreement will include, among other things, clauses relating to the following elements:

Expenses related to the use of CSA rovers

All expenses associated with the recipient instrument or payload interface adaptation, testing, shipping and integration with a rover, as well as travel and accommodation before, during and after the field investigation activity, are the contribution recipient's responsibility. This also includes shipment of the CSA-rover to/from the recipient's home location and/or the optional Lanzarote site.

CSA rovers & facilities documents

In order to provide as much information as possible for the AO release date, the following CSA Documents are also being made available on a per-request basis and in an "as-is" state. In some cases, the information contained does not reflect with 100% accuracy the current configuration of the facilities, as some upgrades may have occurred since the documents were prepared. However, the information supplied should be sufficient to provide the applicant with an understanding of the available functionality, capability and general interfaces. Available documentation is listed below:

To obtain a copy of those documents, please send a request to pdts-stdp@asc-csa.gc.ca.

For any questions on those documents, please refer to section 8 (FAQ's) of the AO.

CSA fleet of rovers

The Canadian Space Agency's fleet of rovers

Credit: CSA

For a description of CSAs fleet of rovers. (Note: Only 2 Junos and 1 LRPDP are available for this AO)

CSA facilities descriptions
ExDOC

The ExDOC provides centralized command and control for various technology and science resources deployed at local or remote analogue sites.

It also provides re-distribution of voice, video, and data & control functions to other participating centers e.g. universities, contractors, international partners.

Credit: CSA

AT (Planetary AT)

The CSA-located AT is a 60 X 120 metre outdoor facility offering various surface features and topographies to simulate the planetary surface, such as rock bed, crater, summit, and flag stone patch. This facility is also equipped with situation awareness cameras and WIFI network for the needs of rover and instrument or payload testing and deployment.

Credit: CSA

PCCS

This infrastructure provides a controlled & secure environment for conducting remote analogue site deployments i.e. a portable "ExDOC" and can be rapidly deployed and setup. Note: For the LEAD Project the PCCS will be available for use at the CSA deployment site, but will not be available at the potential Canary Islands deployment site should the 3rd year () option be approved.

It measures approximately 10 m (including Hitch) by 3 m by 3 m tall.

Equipped with multiple workstations and satellite & wireless communications equipment.

Credit: CSA

RIF

The RIF is both a development and integration & test facility for rovers, payloads and instruments, providing.

Credit: CSA

ESF

Co-located with the AT, the ESF provides a sheltered and secure environment in which to store a variety of rovers and science & technology instruments.

ESF dimensions are 10.4 m by 7 m with 3.2 m ceiling height, providing over 70 square-meters of storage area. It is able to provide storage for up to 20 rovers.

Credit: CSA

RIW

The RIW is an indoor testing facility located in the CSA High Bay.

It is a somewhat smaller (13.4 m by 11.0 m) version of the AT that is generally used when weather conditions prohibit use of the AT, but provides similar functionality.

Credit: CSA

Appendix C: Optional Remote analogue site –Lanzarote, Spain

Lanzarote, Spain is being considered for the Capability Demonstration and LEAD-core (HERACLES) optional deployment in .

Lanzarote provides analogue sites used by the ESA. Ortiz Cardrona, Tinguatan South and Valle de la Tranquilidad South are candidates for the deployment. Images and site specific details are provided in Figures 1-4 below and in the following scientific article "Assessing qualitative long-Term volcanic hazards at Lanzarote Island (Canary Islands), Becerril et al, 2017, Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences".

Requirements to be fulfilled under this Project funding include: shipping to the site of instruments and supporting equipment as needed to operate the instruments and for any planned field validation activities; travel to the site for field members who will operate the instrument(s), including daily transport of instruments, support equipment and team members from accommodation in nearby villages to the site; accommodation and meals for the field team, and any export permits needed for equipment. It is expected that a coordinated permit for site access will be procured by CSA. Communications and some power at the analogue site can be anticipated to be provided by CSA.

Access to the sites can be anticipated to require some portion of travel along rough tracks.

Figure 1: Analogue sites in the region of recent volcanism on Lanzarote. Ortiz Cardona, Valle de la Tranquilidad South and Tinguatan South are candidates for the deployment.

Figure 2 image A

Figure 2 image B

Figure 2 image C

Figure 2 image D

Figure 2: Ortiz Cardona: Man-made mounds and pits are found at the entrance of the field site. Terrain is hummocky with some relatively flat areas (Image A). High rock abundance. The boundaries of the field site is marked by rough lava flows. More outcrops and rock fragments are found approaching the lava flows. Some of the outcrops have a lot of lichen cover. Vegetation covers some of the regolith giving it a whitish-green appearance (Image A+B).

Figure 3: Tintaguan South. The site is situated close to the town of Tinajo (approximately 2 km) and the Timanfaya visitor centre (1.7 km south) (29°1'13.30"N / 13°42'51.91"W). Access to the site is a gravel/dirt road with scattered blocks of lava flows ranging from 5 cm to 30 cm. This site is used by the ESA's PANGAEA course (Image A). The site is characterised by lapilli regolith (2-64 mm sized volcanic fragments, Image B), and, low vegetation cover, with some lichen cover on regolith and outcrops, and relatively high rock abundance with lava flow fragments scattered across the regolith (Image C). Olivine-rich xenoliths are encased in the lava flow outcrops and fragments.

Figure 4: Valle de Tranquilidad South. The site is situated off the SW border of the Timanfaya National Park, off of the LZ-67 road (28°58'44.36"N / 13°44'56.52"W). A camel road cuts through the site. This site is characterized by flat and hummocky terrain with low vegetation cover. (Credit: Western University)

Description:

  • Moderately high rock abundance, greatest close to the margins of the rough lava flows (Image A).
  • Red-oxidized regolith found close to the camel dirt road (Image B).
  • Some outcrops have been weathered but not extensively.
  • Outcrops with a low lichen coverage (Image C).
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