NASA Issues RFP for Virtual World--Don't Expect to Get Paid

Last March, NASA earmarked $3 million to develop a virtual world to bolster science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. The space agency followed up in January with an RFI asking for "powerful physics capabilities" to "simulate real NASA engineering and science missions in a medium that is comfortable and familiar to the majority of students in the United States today." On Friday NASA issued an RFP looking for developers to meet those requirements for free. That's right: "It is intended that this request will result in the establishment of a non-reimbursable Space Act Agreement (defined as one with no exchange of funds) that will define the full roles and responsibilities of NASA and the proposing organization."

Instead of payment, "In exchange for a collaborator's investment to create and manage a NASA-based MMO game for fun and to enhance STEM, NASA will consider negotiating brand placement, limited exclusivity and other opportunities."

That might explain why NASA is citing larger MMOGs like World of Warcraft, EVE Online, EverQuest, and Second Life as  examples. This doesn't really sound like a chance for a start-up to land a big contract, but established companies could gain marketshare promoting their existing products through the game targeted at "students (13 and older) from the middle school level through college."

In addition to the above benefits, NASA's Learning Technologies will "coordinate the engagement of educational design and evaluation experts and NASA subject matter experts (SME) to support design and assessment of the MMO."

Accordingly, ideas for the educational virtual world should be pretty strong as "Consideration will be given only to those offers that are commensurate with the value of the above."

All proposals must be submitted by June 18.

[RFP [PDF] via Second Life Herald]

Comments

[Grace]

I was wondering what happened with this- I went to the NASA website a few weeks ago and it said that they put the project aside.

But product placement?