Rapid Spacecraft Acquisition IV (RAPID IV)
Ended Master IDIQ Awarded
- Federal agency
-
Goddard Space Center
- Awardees
- 14
- Task orders
- 25
- Obligated
- $167,781,176
Vehicle facts
- Opportunity
-
- Draft Request for Proposal - Rapid Spacecraft Acquisition IV Pre-Solicitation · 80GSFC19R0016 · Posted Mar 15, 2019
- 80GSFC19R0016REV4 Solicitation number
- Agency
-
- Goddard Space Center National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Combined task order value
-
- $251,481,648 Current, with exercised options
- $299,442,112 Potential, with all options
- Last date to order 100% complete
- Shared ceiling 3% used
- $6,000,000,000.00
- Predecessor
- RAPID III Spacecraft Acquisition (RAPID III)
IDV award and task order details come from SAM.gov/FPDS.
About this vehicle
NASA Goddard Space Center established this multiple-award Master IDIQ on September 1, 2020, to acquire spacecraft and related components, equipment, and services for NASA and other federal agencies. Ordering closed on August 31, 2025—the vehicle is no longer active and new orders cannot be placed. The shared ceiling is $6 billion over the ten-year ordering period.
The vehicle succeeded Rapid III and inherited the "On Ramp" feature, which allows periodic re-opening of the solicitation to admit new vendors with flight-proven spacecraft designs and to permit incumbent awardees to propose additional or updated designs. Technical acceptability standards include primary responsibility on a minimum of two successful spacecraft developments and spacecraft designs capable of carrying minimum payloads of 7 kilograms and 20 watts of power, accommodating cubesats through geosynchronous platforms. All awards are unrestricted—no set-aside designations apply.
Twenty-five task orders have been awarded across 14 distinct prime contractors, with combined potential value of $296.1 million and $157.7 million obligated (53%). Ordering peaked in 2023 with ten orders; subsequent years saw declining volume (four orders in 2024, one in 2025). BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems Inc. dominates by potential value, holding six orders worth $235.9 million combined (80% of portfolio value). Southwest Research Institute follows with two orders totaling $53.1 million. Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, Thales Alenia Space Italia S.P.A., and a long tail of smaller primes round out the awardee base. All 25 orders fund NASA Goddard Space Center.
Task orders range from low-value catalog and data-sheet work (multiple $500 orders) to major spacecraft development efforts. The largest is delivery order 80GSFC20D0017-80GSFC25F7007, awarded February 24, 2025, for Space Weather Next Lagrange series spacecraft with a $230.6 million ceiling and $103.4 million obligated, running through February 2035. Others include QuickSounder spacecraft development ($53.1 million ceiling) and multiple atmospheric-observing-system and Landsat spacecraft accommodation studies. Firm fixed-price pricing is standard.
Since the ordering period has ended, pursuit requires identifying new vehicles or relying on existing delivery order modifications and extensions on contracts already in place.
Description
Rapid and flexible means for the Government to acquire spacecraft and related components, equipment and services in support of NASA missions and/or other Federal Government agencies. Under the IDIQ, Rapid IV contractors offer spacecraft and related services to be purchased via Government placed Delivery Orders (DO). The spacecraft designs, related items and services may be tailored, as needed, to meet the unique needs of each mission.
IDV awards
Show all 14
Latest task orders
Show all 25
Top awardees by obligations
| Rank | Awardee | Obligated | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems Inc. | $118,013,780 | 70% |
| 2 | Southwest Research Institute | $42,712,396 | 25% |
| 3 | Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation | $5,250,500 | 3% |
| 4 | Thales Alenia Space Italia S.P.A. | $1,800,500 | 1% |
| 5 | The Governing Council Of The University Of Toronto | $500 | <1% |
| 6 | Blue Canyon Technologies LLC | $500 | <1% |
| 7 | Redwire Space | $500 | <1% |
| 8 | General Atomics | $500 | <1% |
| 9 | Lockheed Martin Corp | $500 | <1% |
| 10 | Thales Alenia Space France | $500 | <1% |
Top funding agencies by obligations
| Rank | Funding agency | Obligated | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Aeronautics and Space Administration | $167,781,176 | 100% |
Obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Obligated |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $55,319,988 |
| FY2025 | $57,766,389 |
| FY2024 | $45,342,176 |
| FY2023 | $9,775,000 |
| FY2022 | $1,500 |
| FY2021 | $1,000 |
| FY2020 | $2,500 |
Quick answers
What is the RAPID IV contract vehicle?
Rapid Spacecraft Acquisition IV (RAPID IV) is an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract vehicle run by Goddard Space Center (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), awarded on September 1, 2020.
Which companies hold RAPID IV?
14 companies hold RAPID IV's IDV awards, one each. The latest went to Kongsberg Nanoavionics US LLC on June 3, 2024. The awardees whose task orders obligated the most are BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems Inc., Southwest Research Institute and Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation.
How much has been spent through RAPID IV?
25 task orders have been placed under RAPID IV, obligating $167,781,176. Their combined current value, with exercised options, is $251,481,648.
What is the shared ceiling of RAPID IV?
RAPID IV's shared ceiling is $6,000,000,000; its task orders have used 3% of it.
Which agencies use RAPID IV the most?
The departments whose task orders under RAPID IV obligated the most are National Aeronautics and Space Administration ($167,781,176).
How much was obligated through RAPID IV in fiscal year 2025?
Task orders under RAPID IV obligated $57,766,389 in fiscal year 2025.
What came before and after RAPID IV?
RAPID IV succeeded RAPID III Spacecraft Acquisition (RAPID III).
On GovTribe
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