Preliminary Request for Proposal (RFP)

Date: January 1, 2077
Re: "Aynah" Space Settlement Contract

Introduction
This is a request by the Foundation Society for contractors to propose the design, development, construction, and operations planning of the first large space settlement community in orbit around planet Mercury.

For planning purposes, the Foundation Society has selected "Aynah" as this community's name. Proposals may suggest alternate names for this community, within the Foundation Society's established naming convention that requires the name to begin with the letter "A" and end with the suffix "ah".

Format and Schedule
Only entries from registered teams are eligible to advance in the Competition.

Submit proposals in the English language, single-sided on paper, with a 40-page limit. Submit paper and, for archive purposes, a PDF of your work. Copies of each proposal must be received no later than August 10, 2011.

This is a preliminary Request for Proposal (RFP). Your proposal is expected to include all of the items identified in the Statement of Work. Proposals must meet more detailed requirements described in the Final RFP, which will be sent to each team that submits a completed Registration Form. You must register to receive the complete and final RFP.

Statement of Work

1. Basic Requirements -- The contractor will describe the design, development, and construction of the Aynah space settlement in orbit around Mercury.
2. Structural Design -- Aynah must provide a safe and pleasant living and working environment for 14,000 long-term residents, and up to 200 short-term visitors. Specify allocation of interior "down surfaces", with drawings labeled to show residential, industrial, commercial, agricultural, and other uses.
3. Operations and Infrastructure -- Recommend an orbital location for Aynah and the reasons for its selection. Aynah design will show elements of basic infrastructure required for the activities of the settlement's residents, including atmosphere/climate/weather control, food production, electrical power generation, water management, household and industrial solid waste management, internal and external communication systems, internal transportation system(s), and day/night cycle provisions.
4. Human Factors -- Aynah will provide services that residents could expect in comfortable modern communities, variety and quantity of consumer goods, and public areas designed with long lines of sight. Provide designs of typical residential homes, clearly showing room sizes. Show spacesuit designs and airlock designs.
5. Automation Design and Services -- Specify numbers and types of computing and information processing devices, multi-function personal electronic tools, servers, network devices, and robots required for Aynah's facility, community, and business operations. Show robot designs, clearly indicating their dimensions. Specify automation systems for maintenance, repair, and safety functions, including backup systems and contingency plans. Describe funtionalities of automation devices to enhance livability in the community, productivity in work environments, and convenience in residences.
6. Schedule and Cost -- The proposal will include a schedule for completion and occupation of Aynah, and costs for design through construction phases of the schedule.
7. Business Development -- Aynah will host a variety of commercial and industrial ventures. The original configuration must, however, accommodate three major business pursuits: infrastructure for refining and manufacturing reardonium parts; receiving and shipping reardonium parts; and Port of Entry for Mercury.