The Government intends to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12 and the Simplified Acquisition Procedures set forth in FAR Part 13. This notice is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation, which is issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ); quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. Offerors are required to use the On-Line RFQ system to submit their quote. The On-line RFQ system is linked above or it may be accessed at http://procurement.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eps/bizops.cgi?gr=C&pin= . The information required by FAR Subpart 12.6 is included in the on-line RFQ. NASA/LaRC plans to acquire commercially available software tools affecting the verification of avionics software for commercial transport aircraft including 1 year of maintenance and 4 option years of maintenance. The tools will be used in a research study of potential new criteria for tool qualification in compliance with RTCA/DO-178B "Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and Equipment Certifications". The document, RTCA/DO-178B, is a publicly available standard from the RTCA (Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics). Tools for consideration under this study must meet the following criteria: the tool must be commercially available, the tool must be able to meet the current tool qualification criteria in DO-178B, the tool must have the capability to either (a) evaluate structural coverage, including statement coverage, decision coverage, and modified condition/decision coverage as defined in DO-178B, or (b) apply formal methods in development and verification of software source code in compliance with DO-178B. Structural coverage tools that have been qualified on at least one program developed and approved in compliance with the DO-178B guidelines are of particular interest. Questions regarding this acquisition must be submitted in writing (e-mail is preferred) no later than November 8, 2002. It is the quoter's responsibility to monitor this site for the release of amendments (if any). Potential quoters will be responsible for downloading their own copy of this notice, the on-line RFQ and amendments (if any). An ombudsman has been appointed - See NASA Specific Note "B". Any referenced notes can be viewed at the following URL: http://genesis.gsfc.nasa.gov/nasanote.html .

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