SPARC Draft Request For Proposal (DRFP) Cover Letter.pdf

Reply to Attn of: Office of Procurement, Exploration Systems Division (GRC-PE00)

TO: All Potential Offerors

SUBJECT: Draft Request for Proposal (DRFP), Solicitation No. 80GRC026R0009, for Space Power and Reactor Capabilities

You are invited to review and comment on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Glenn Research Center’s Space Power and Reactor Capabilities (SPARC) draft solicitation. The principal purpose of this requirement is to establish a Multiple-Award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (MAIDIQ) contract which includes the following scope: design, development, analysis, fabrication, assembly, verification, validation, test, evaluation, certification, delivery (ground and/or space), and sustaining maintenance and operations of space nuclear systems, subsystems, hardware, materials, and software.

Potential offerors are encouraged to comment on all aspects of the draft solicitation, including the requirements, schedules, proposal instructions, and evaluation approaches, any perceived safety, occupational health, security (including information technology security), environmental, export control, and/or other programmatic risk issues associated with performance of the work. Potential offerors should identify any unnecessary or inefficient requirements and are also encouraged to comment on the DRFP CLIN structure, any unique terms and conditions, the clarity of the requirements related to the Awardable Sample Task Order (ASTO), proposal submission requirements detailed in Section L, and proposal evaluation criteria detailed in Section M Evaluation Criteria. NASA points to the following specific solicitation areas to note items are likely to change or for which it is requesting specific industry feedback:

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

John H. Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH 44135-3191

Location Topic Potential Changes / Questions for Industry

Draft Solicitation - Section B

Contract Line Item Numbers

NASA is still working to establish the CLIN structure for SPARC contracts. Changes should be expected prior to the Final RFP including potentially adding more CLINs for other contract types and a CLIN for capital assets. Language may also be added reserving the Government’s right to move IDIQ ceiling between CLINs via unilateral contract modification.

Draft Solicitation - Section H

NASA Reservation of Right to Modify Contract Terms to Facilitate Solicitation and Award Task Order for Lunar Reactor Flight System

Within Section H, NASA has reserved the right to modify SPARC contract terms in order to solicit and award a Task Order for a Lunar Reactor Flight System. NASA requests that industry review the language and provide questions or comments.

Draft Solicitation - Section H

Onboarding of Vendors under the

SPARC MAIDIQ

Language will be included in the Final RFP establishing a process to onboard additional vendors at NASA’s discretion. This language is still being drafted.

Draft Solicitation – Section L

Page Counts NASA requests that industry review the page counts listed detailed in provision 1852.215-81 and provide feedback with regard to sufficiency

Draft Solicitation – Section L

Major Subcontractors

NASA has provided a definition for Major Subcontractors under INSTRUCTIONS FOR VOLUME I: MISSION SUITABILITY Section 3.1.1 and under INSTRUCTIONS FOR VOLUME II:

Relevant Experience and Past Performance 1.

PAST PERFORMANCE NARRATIVE (PPN)

NASA invites industry to comment on whether or not the definition is appropriate for the ASTO.

NASA does not intend to evaluate Major Subcontractors at the SPARC-level. NASA invites industry to comment on whether or not this is appropriate

Draft Solicitation – Section L

Performance and Delivery Incentives

NASA plans to require at least one performance and at least one delivery incentive to be proposed and evaluated at the ASTO-level. NASA is seeking feedback regarding reasonable performance and delivery incentives.

Attachments J.2-4, J.2-7, J.2-8, and J.2-10

Draft Attachments These attachments have yet to be drafted. If possible, draft versions will be posted prior to September 25, 2026, in order to provide industry with an opportunity to review and submit questions.

NASA plans to conduct this acquisition as a full and open competition. This decision is subject to approval by the Small Business Administration. This competitive acquisition is intended to result in the award of multiple IDIQ contracts (thus establishing a pool of MAIDIQ contractors to compete for future task orders) and the award of multiple Firm- Fixed-Price task order awards (see the Lunar Reactor – 1 (LR-1) Phase 1 ASTO).

The contract will have an effective ordering period expected to start on April 15, 2027, and end on December 31, 2031.

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 541715 – Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology and the small business size standard is 1,000 employees.

Potential offerors should ensure their company is listed in the online database(s) for the following:

(1) System for award management: https://www.sam.gov/SAM/

(2) U.S. Department of Labor Veterans’ Employment and Training Service, VETS-4212

Reports: https://vets4212.dol.gov/vets4212/

(3) US Government’s unique entity identifier (UEI): https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/federal-acquisition-service/technology-transformation-services/integrated-award-environment-iae/iae-systems-information-kit/unique-entity-identifier-update

The current planned release date for the Final Request for Proposal (RFP) is on or about November 15, 2026, with proposals being due approximately 30 calendar days later.

The anticipated contract award date is April 15, 2026, with the contract effective date being the same. NASA expects that the work associated with most task orders will be performed primarily offsite at the Contractor’s facility. Offerors may propose to utilize NASA facilities in accordance with the Government Task Agreements Clause (Section H) and Attachment J.1-5 - Government Task Agreements – Instructions and Template.

An Industry Day is planned at the NASA Glenn Research Center on or around September 14, 2026. Industry Day details will be finalized soon, and an amendment to the SPARC Draft RFP will be posted on www.SAM.gov.

To control and protect sensitive data owned by the Government and its Contractors, NASA policy requires all acquisition-related documents be released in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) whenever possible.

Documents related to this acquisition, including this letter, the solicitation, attachments, exhibits, any amendments, and links to online reference/technical/bidders’ library will be attainable electronically through the Government-wide point of entry website at www.SAM.gov. Potential offerors are requested to periodically monitor the websites for updates.

NFS 1852.215-84, OMBUDSMAN, is applicable. The Ombudsman for this acquisition is Mr. Marvin Horne. Please send ombudsman-related communications to nhq-dl-op-comp-advocate-vendor-engagement@mail.nasa.gov.

This DRFP is not a solicitation, and NASA is not requesting proposals. This DRFP does not commit NASA Glenn Research Center to pay any proposal preparation costs, nor does it obligate NASA Glenn Research Center to procure or contract for this requirement. This request is not an authorization to proceed and does not authorize payment for any charges incurred by the offeror for performing any of the work called for in this solicitation.

Any comments regarding the DRFP should be submitted via email, to Noah Garrison, Contracting Officer, at noah.s.garrison@nasa.gov no later than September 25, 2026.

If a respondent believes their comments contain confidential, proprietary, competition sensitive, or business information, those questions/comments must be marked appropriately.

However, questions that are marked as containing confidential, proprietary, competition sensitive or business information will not be provided with a Government response.

The Government will consider all comments received in preparation for the Final RFP. To the extent a comment leads the Government to revise the acquisition approach or requirements, the change will be reflected in the Final RFP. Some DRFP questions and comments may receive a posted response to the GPE if the Contracting Officer determines that a response would facilitate additional understanding of the solicitation. The Government may also respond via the GPE to comments and/or questions received following the issuance of the Final Request for Proposal (RFP).

Noah Garrison Contracting Officer