ESBD_553268_1787596489592_TSC Request For Information 358-26-004 (Propulsion).pdf

TEXAS SPACE COMMISSION | RFI #358-26-004 | Propulsion Facility

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TEXAS SPACE COMMISSION

Request for Information Shared-User Space Propulsion Test and Evaluation Facility

Number: 358-26-004

BOARD-AUTHORIZED SCOPE:

• Identify existing (in Texas) or conceptual models for a shared-user propulsion facility to conduct research, development, testing, and evaluation (RDT&E).

o This request for information (RFI) seeks to obtain examples of facilities with proper capability and capacity that support an important step in the spaceflight process, or conceptual models for establishing this capability and capacity in Texas.

• This is not:

o a general aerospace infrastructure exercise or a greenfield construction interest o a general commercial testing-service or real-estate development response o a university research-only oriented objective or generic laboratory modernization task

• This is intentionally narrow for respondents that can clearly demonstrate:

o The capability and technical maturity needed to identify space propulsion technologies that can specifically support RDT&E.

o The experience and expert controls needed to identify, acquire, and deploy space propulsion technologies that can support

NASA-class mission requirements.

• Interest is respondents that have successfully performed previous work with NASA, or on a NASA program or NASA-approved/accepted test campaign, involving one or more of the following:

o Test campaigns for NASA spacecraft, payloads, subsystems, instruments, components, or ground support equipment.

o NASA mission assurance, environmental test readiness review, verification compliance, or technical authority support directly related to propulsion testing.

o NASA payload test requirements, including qualification, acceptance, prototype/flight, environmental exposure, or functional demonstration testing.

o NASA-class test support, test facility modification, or test-data acceptance.

o Propulsion hardware design, upgrade, commissioning, operation, qualification, calibration, or test-readiness support.

• Understand locations of existing facilities in Texas, including the availability and technical characteristics of special test equipment by distinguishing:

o Capabilities available within specific periods of time o Capabilities requiring expansion or enhancement through minimal new construction o Capabilities requiring upgrades o Currently operational capabilities

• Market research and structured information gathering to improve the State’s understanding of:

o Anticipated cost, demand, schedule, and shared-user operations o Barriers to meeting contemplated requirements o Current and proposed performance o Developmental systems o Existing assets o Industry capability o Risks, safety/security, and standards o Technical readiness; workforce forecasts

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Public Notice / Document Control Summary:

Item Provision

Issuing Entity Texas Space Commission (TSC)

Document Type Request for Information (RFI) – nonbinding; solely for market research and information gathering notice; this is NOT a current or pre-determined funding opportunity.

Draft RFI Number 358-26-004

Subject Shared-User Space Propulsion Test and Evaluation Facility

Board Direction Open-session, public meeting adoption on 30 June 2026.

Submission Deadline 14 September 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Central Time

Submission Method Email to TSCRFI@space.texas.gov

Primary Posting Location Electronic State Business Daily (ESBD)

Single Point of Contact TSCRFI@space.texas.gov; no telephone inquiries.

Future Award Status NO award, grant, contract, lease, site selection, or funding commitment is made through this RFI.

A response does NOT constitute an offer, and the State is not obligated to issue a future procurement or grant.

NASA Experience Requirement Respondents must provide documentary evidence of successful prior NASA environmental verification or test-infrastructure work.

Accordingly, a respondent that cannot clearly demonstrate such experience is not eligible for their submission to be reviewed, regardless of its general involvement in the aerospace, aeronautics, research, construction, real estate, laboratory, or economic-development sectors.

TSC will not evaluate general commercial aerospace experience as a substitute for NASA-relevant environmental verification experience. Prior work must be directly relevant to the identified upgrade of an existing Texas facility for NASA-class environmental testing.

Respondents must report Respondents must clearly identify:

1. Ambient and altitude-simulation capability

2. Blast and acoustic zones

3. Component, subsystem, engine and stage testing

4. Cryogenic systems

5. Engine classes and thrust range

6. Environmental permitting

7. Emergency response

8. Facility operations; federal range or restricted-airspace access

9. Hazardous operations; arcs and compatible land-use controls

10. Instrumentation control and high-speed data systems

11. Maintenance and configuration control

12. Post-test inspection

13. Propellant types and handling

14. Safety and emergency response

15. Scheduling and customer support; rate structure and shared-user governance

16. Test-cell geometry, engineering

17. Test-article integration; expansion capacity and test cadence

18. Toxic, hypergolic or energetic materials

19. Water, power and commodity needs

The information received must include propulsion-test expertise, laboratory testing of spaceflight materials, micrometer testing, and related test-and-evaluation support.

mailto:TSCRFI@space.texas.gov

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A. Summary.

1. Type of Document. Request for Information (RFI).

2. Deadline for Responding. 14 September 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Central Time.

a) Respondents are solely responsible for ensuring receipt at the designated address.

b) TSC may disregard late, corrupted, inaccessible, or incomplete transmissions.

3. Texas Space Commission (TSC) Point of Contact (POC). TSCRFI@space.texas.gov.

a) TSC may designate additional contact by addendum.

4. Method of Submission. Material must be submitted electronically in accordance with Section I.

a) Do not submit classified or unapproved controlled information through ordinary email.

5. Addenda and Updates. TSC may post written amendments on the Electronic State Business Daily (ESBD) and the TSC website, as applicable.

a) Respondents are individually responsible for monitoring the posting locations.

6. Clarifications, Presentations, and Site Visits. TSC may request written clarification, invite a presentation or technical exchange, conduct a public workshop, or conduct a voluntary site visit.

a) These activities are fact-finding only and do not create a preference or selection.

Schedule of Events:

Date / Time Event

August 24, 2026 Issuance of RFI

September 14, 2026 / 2:00 p.m. CT Deadline for submission of Responses; late submissions may be disregarded

14-21 September 2026 TSC completeness review and written clarification period, if used

SCHEDULE CONTROL:

• Texas Space Commission (TSC) may revise this schedule by written addendum.

• Respondents are responsible for monitoring the Electronic State Business Daily (ESBD) and the official TSC website for updates.

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B. Background and Board Direction.

Texas Space Commission (TSC). Established under Chapter 482, Texas Government Code, to strengthen Texas leadership in civil, commercial, and military space activity and to promote innovation, commercial space opportunities, research, workforce development, and integration of the space and aeronautics industries into the Texas economy.

This Request for Information (RFI) is an information-gathering activity and not an exercise of grant-award or procurement authority.

30 June 2026 action. At a public meeting, the appointed TSC board of directors approved an information-gathering action intended to collect relevant input. The Board-authorized scope for this RFI is stated on the cover page and below.

BOARD-AUTHORIZED SCOPE:

• Identify existing (in Texas) or conceptual models for a shared-user propulsion facility to conduct research, development, testing, and evaluation (RDT&E).

o This request for information (RFI) seeks to obtain examples of facilities with proper capability and capacity that support an important step in the spaceflight process, or conceptual models for establishing this capability and capacity in Texas.

• This is not:

o a general aerospace infrastructure exercise or a greenfield construction interest o a general commercial testing-service or real-estate development response o a university research-only oriented objective or generic laboratory modernization task

• This is intentionally narrow for respondents that can clearly demonstrate:

o The capability and technical maturity needed to identify space propulsion technologies that can specifically support RDT&E.

o The experience and expert controls needed to identify, acquire, and deploy space propulsion technologies that can support

NASA-class mission requirements.

• Interest is respondents that have successfully performed previous work with NASA, or on a NASA program or NASA-approved/accepted test campaign, involving one or more of the following:

o Test campaigns for NASA spacecraft, payloads, subsystems, instruments, components, or ground support equipment.

o NASA mission assurance, environmental test readiness review, verification compliance, or technical authority support directly related to propulsion testing.

o NASA payload test requirements, including qualification, acceptance, prototype/flight, environmental exposure, or functional demonstration testing.

o NASA-class test support, test facility modification, or test-data acceptance.

o Propulsion hardware design, upgrade, commissioning, operation, qualification, calibration, or test-readiness support.

• Understand locations of existing facilities in Texas, including the availability and technical characteristics of special test equipment by distinguishing:

o Capabilities available within specific periods of time o Capabilities requiring expansion or enhancement through minimal new construction o Capabilities requiring upgrades o Currently operational capabilities

• Market research and structured information gathering to improve the State’s understanding of:

o Anticipated cost, demand, schedule, and shared-user operations o Barriers to meeting contemplated requirements o Current and proposed performance o Developmental systems o Existing assets o Industry capability o Risks, safety/security, and standards

• Technical readiness; workforce forecasts

Coordinated architecture. TSC uses definitions, administrative provisions, facility data sheet, demand questions, cost and schedule fields, shared-user operating-model questions, risk register, and follow-through framework. This RFI has a discipline-specific technical annex.

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C. Purpose and Scope.

Texas Space Commission (TSC) seeks information concerning existing or proposed Texas propulsion test assets;

demand by propellant class, thrust class, article type, environment, and duty cycle; minimum viable and phased capabilities; hazardous-material and range-safety requirements; shared-user operations; support facilities; permitting;

utilities; cost; schedule; workforce; financing; and complementarity with NASA, U.S. Department of Defense/War, university, and commercial ranges.

Responses may address a single site, distributed network, expansion of an existing facility, or a mobile/modular capability.

TSC is interested in credible Texas-based research, development, testing, and evaluation (RDT&E) shared-user propulsion facilities.

• Compare shared-user ownership, governance, access, scheduling, rate, security, and sustainability models.

• Distinguish verified current capability, upgradeable capability, and conceptual or greenfield capability.

• Document present and future demand by user sector, hardware class, mission type, test campaign, duration, and timing.

• Identify cost ranges, schedule, permitting, utilities, workforce, standards, safety, security, and material risks.

• Identify federal, state, local, academic, nonprofit, and private contributions or partnership opportunities without creating a commitment.

• Identify the smallest credible initial capability and practical phases for expansion.

• Map existing Texas and relevant out-of-state capabilities, while clearly identifying the Texas nexus and the location of each asset.

• Support a later TSC synthesis report and Board consideration of separately authorized future actions.

NOT TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION:

• Performance values, standards, and test methods referenced in this RFI and its annex are information requests and planning examples.

• They are not final specifications, acceptance criteria, grant eligibility conditions, procurement requirements, or representations that TSC or another governmental entity will use or approve a particular standard.

Statutory and Program Alignment. TSC may solicit information regarding:

• Development of emerging technologies required for spaceflight or space exploration activities.

• Economic development through commercial space companies.

• Infrastructure useful or necessary for spaceports in Texas and commercial space activities.

• Research involving spaceflight, space exploration, or aeronautics.

• Workforce training regarding spaceflight or space exploration, including verification and engineering and operations or calibration and mission assurance as well as hardware development.

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D. Common Definitions.

The following definitions are identical for this Request for Information (RFI) from Texas Space Commission (TSC).

Technical terms not defined here have their ordinary industry meaning in context. A respondent should define any specialized term or acronym used in its response.

Defined Term Meaning for This RFI

Academic User An accredited institution of higher education in Texas, including public or private research university, university-affiliated research entity, community college, technical college, or other educational organization using a facility for research, education, workforce development, or sponsored test activity.

Acceptable Evidence Includes:

• Evidence of facility commissioning, calibration, validation, or mission-assurance acceptance for NASA test use

• NASA contract, subcontract, task order, grant, cooperative agreement, Space Act

Agreement, purchase order, or equivalent award documentation

• NASA facility-upgrade, test-support, or test-readiness deliverables

• NASA program or prime-contractor confirmation of the respondent’s role

• NASA technical acceptance, final report acceptance, closeout documentation, contractor performance assessment reporting system (CPARS) rating, past-performance questionnaire, or reference letter

• Other documentation TSC determines sufficient as acceptable evidence

• Redacted statements of work showing TVAC, acoustic/vibroacoustic, payload test, EMI/EMC, chamber, instrumentation, calibration, facility, or environmental verification scope

• Test readiness review, pre-test review, post-test review, verification compliance, or final test report documentation

Addendum A written change, clarification, correction, or supplement issued by TSC for this RFI. Only a written addendum may modify the RFI.

Advanced Technology Hardware Spaceflight, spacecraft, payload, launch, in-space, surface, habitation, propulsion, power, avionics, communications, sensing, life-support, or related hardware, components, subsystems, systems, support equipment, and integrated test articles requiring research, development, characterization, qualification, acceptance, verification, validation, or troubleshooting.

Candidate Facility, Site, or System An existing or planned fixed facility, mobile test capability, distributed network, equipment system, or combination of assets described by a respondent for possible inclusion in TSC planning.

Commission or TSC The Texas Space Commission, per Texas Government Code (Chapter 482).

Committed Demand A prospective use supported by an executed agreement, funded work order, awarded contract or grant, approved program plan, customer authorization, or other documentary basis that makes the use reasonably certain.

Commercial or Industry User A for-profit or nonprofit entity engaged in space, aerospace, defense, advanced manufacturing, research, engineering, testing, or related commercial activity.

Current Capability A capability that is installed, commissioned, safely operable, and available as of the response deadline, with any qualifications or limitations clearly disclosed.

Demand Category Committed, forecast, or speculative demand. Respondents must not combine these categories without identifying assumptions.

ECLSS Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS), including atmosphere, water, waste, thermal, pressure, fire-safety, monitoring, and related functions used to sustain humans or biological payloads.

EMI/EMC Electromagnetic interference (EMI) and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), including conducted and radiated emissions and susceptibility, grounding, bonding, electrostatic discharge, shielding effectiveness, and related test practices.

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Facility A building, site, range, chamber, laboratory, test stand, support area, mobile platform, distributed test capability, or associated utilities and equipment used to perform test, evaluation, research, development, integration, or verification.

Forecast Demand Prospective use is supported by a customer forecast, budget request, documented product roadmap, proposal, nonbinding letter of interest, or other identifiable planning basis, but not yet committed.

Government User A federal, state, local, tribal, or foreign governmental entity, including a governmental laboratory or federally funded research and development center, subject to applicable law and access controls.

GSFC-STD-7000 General Environmental Verification Standard.

GSFC-STD-7001 Payload Vibroacoustic Test Criteria, or successor NASA vibroacoustic/acoustic standards.

GSFC-STD-7002 Payload Test Requirements, or successor NASA payload test standards.

MIL-STD-461 Equivalent requirements were incorporated into NASA, launch-provider, spacecraft, or customer test plan.

MIL-STD-464 DOD interface standard defining system-level electromagnetic environmental effects (E3) interface requirements and verification criteria for airborne, sea, space, and ground systems -- including associated ordnance.

Minimum Viable Capability The smallest technically credible and safely operable initial capability that addresses a documented gap, can open on a realistic schedule, preserves shared access, and can be expanded without stranding the initial investment.

Mission-Applicable or NASA-Class Alignment with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), U.S. Department of Defense/War, launch-provider, spacecraft-customer, consensus, or equivalent mission-assurance requirements for the specific test campaign. Use of this term does not mean that TSC confers NASA or federal approval, certification, endorsement, or acceptance.

Mobile Capability Test equipment and support systems are designed to be transported, installed, calibrated, operated, and removed at a host site.

NASA-approved or NASA-accepted Accepted, required, approved, endorsed, incorporated, or relied upon by NASA, a NASA center, a NASA program, a NASA prime contractor, a delegated NASA technical authority, or a NASA-approved test plan, verification plan, contract, cooperative agreement, grant, Space Act Agreement, purchase order, or subcontractor.

NASA-class environmental verification

Test infrastructure, test procedures, verification documentation, facility controls, calibration, instrumentation, safety, configuration control, and data products sufficient to support NASA, NASA-center, NASA-contractor, launch-provider, or equivalent mission-assurance requirements for spaceflight hardware.

NASA GEVS General Environmental Verification Standard

NASA-STD-7001 Payload Vibroacoustic Test Criteria, or successor NASA vibroacoustic/acoustic standards.

NASA-STD-7002 Payload Test Requirements, or successor NASA payload test standards.

Order-of-Magnitude or ROM A planned-level estimate based on stated assumptions and a documented basis of estimate. A rough order-of magnitude (ROM) is not a bid, offer, quote, or binding price.

Prospective or Speculative Demand A potential use that is not yet supported by a funded program, agreement, customer forecast, or documented roadmap. Respondents must clearly label speculative demand.

Proprietary Information Information for which a respondent asserts a lawful basis for protection from public disclosure, including trade-secret, commercial, financial, technical, security-sensitive, or export-controlled information.

Marking information does not determine whether the information is protected under law.

Qualified User A user that satisfies an operator’s lawful technical, safety, security, insurance, export-control, scheduling, and financial requirements, applied on fair and nondiscriminatory terms to similarly situated users.

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Respondent A person or entity that submits information in response to this RFI, including a team or consortium acting through an identified lead respondent.

Response All information submitted to TSC in response to this RFI, including appendices, attachments, supplemental information, and clarifications.

RTCA DO-160 Environmental Conditions and Test Procedures for Airborne Equipment

Shared-User or Common-Use A facility or capability made available to more than one unaffiliated user and structured to serve government, academic, nonprofit, and commercial users through documented intake, scheduling, safety, security, data-protection, and pricing or cost-allocation procedures.

Site Control Ownership, leasehold, operating agreement, interlocal agreement, license, easement, memorandum of agreement, or other documented authority sufficient to use and, where proposed, modify a site or facility.

Successful Previous Work with

NASA

Completed or substantially completed work, performed as a prime contractor, subcontractor, cooperative-agreement recipient, grant recipient, Space Act Agreement partner, university-affiliated performer, federally funded research participant, or documented team member, where the respondent’s role involved NASA environmental verification, test-facility infrastructure, test operations, test planning, mission assurance, or qualification support.

To qualify, respondents must demonstrate past work was materially accepted, completed without uncured default, and relevant to the project purpose.

Technical Annex The discipline-specific addendum that a respondent must complete for each facility, system, mobile capability, demand-only submission, or development concept included in its response.

Test Article Hardware, software-enabled hardware, subsystem, payload, spacecraft, engine, thruster, habitation element, component, fixture, simulator, or other item subjected to a test campaign.

Test Campaign The complete sequence of planning, readiness review, article receipt, preparation, installation, instrumentation, test execution, anomaly response, removal, data reduction, reporting, and closeout.

TVAC Thermal vacuum (TVAC) testing or a thermal vacuum chamber used to expose a test article to controlled vacuum and thermal conditions, including powered operation, thermal cycling, steady-state operation, or related environmental verification.

For the purposes of this RFI, the TVAC facility identified by a respondent must be capable of an upgrade or expansion for spacecraft, payload, subsystem, instrument, or component testing. The facility must be capable of supporting NASSA-class environmental verification/testing, including:

• Contamination control

• Data acquisition

• Powered functional testing

• Safety controls

• Temperature plateau testing

• Test article health monitoring

• Test reporting

• Thermal cycling

• Vacuum operations

All facilities should be located within one-half mile to minimize transportation and integration into common facilities is encouraged.

Upgrade or Development Concept A nonbinding planning concept for modifying, expanding, integrating, relocating, constructing, commissioning, or operating a facility or capability.

Vibroacoustic Environment Evaluation

Vibration, acoustic, shock, modal, sine, random, transient, direct-field acoustic, reverberant acoustic, or related dynamic-environment testing and evaluation, including associated fixtures, instrumentation, controls, and data analysis.

Voluntary Site Visit A fact-finding visit conducted under uniform written procedures that do not create a preference, prequalification, selection, commitment, or entitlement.

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E. Who May Respond and Participation Eligibility.

Texas Space Commission (TSC) seeks broad, cross-sector information received only from respondents that demonstrate successful previous work with NASA, per definitions provided in this Request for Information (RFI), including acceptable evidence.

Only acceptable evidence, per definition provided in this RFI, will be accepted from respondents categorized below intended to describe who may respond to this RFI; they are not eligibility criteria for a future grant, procurement, lease, partnership, or other opportunity.

• Businesses, including startups, small businesses, prime contractors, subcontractors, original equipment manufacturers, facility operators, test-service providers, systems integrators, engineering firms, and infrastructure developers.

• Consortia, public-private partnerships, joint teams, distributed networks, or informal respondent teams, provided that one lead respondent is identified, and each member’s role is stated.

• Federal, state, local, tribal, and other governmental entities, subject to their authority to respond and applicable restrictions.

• Nonprofit entities, research institutes, industry associations, economic-development organizations, standards bodies, and workforce organizations.

• Owners, lessees, authorized operators, or sponsors of existing facilities or mobile systems; equipment manufacturers and technical service providers with relevant information; and prospective users submitting demand-only information.

• Public or private institutions of higher education, university-affiliated research entities, public laboratories, community colleges, and technical colleges.

• Texas and non-Texas entities: a non-Texas respondent should clearly describe the Texas relevance, prospective Texas location, Texas partners, reciprocal access, or national capability gap that makes its information useful to

TSC.

E.1. Team and Authority to Respond:

• A demand-only respondent need not own a facility but must identify the type of capability needed and the basis for the demand.

• A manufacturer or consultant may describe technology and cost information without site control but must clearly label the response as technology-only or advisory.

• Do not represent that a partner, customer, governmental agency, NASA, a military service, or another third party supports the response unless authorized.

• Identify facility owners, operators, landlords, equipment owners, and parties with site control or modification authority.

• Identify the lead respondent and the person authorized to submit the response.

E.2. Participation Does Not Establish Future Eligibility:

TSC has not determined the form, funding source, eligibility rules, evaluation criteria, Texas-presence requirements, matching requirements, access period, contracting method, or other terms of any future action. Any future competitive grant opportunity (CGO) will state its own requirements. TSC may use this RFI to help develop those requirements, subject to Board action and applicable law.

E.3. Ineligible Respondents:

1. Entities unable to demonstrate successful prior NASA-test infrastructure, NASA-launch systems, or NASA-payload test work.

2. Entities proposing exclusive-use or captive-use infrastructure.

3. Entities acting only as brokers, pass-through administrators, landlords, grant writers, or financial sponsors without direct technical responsibility.

4. Entities barred, suspended, debarred, delinquent, or otherwise ineligible to receive state funds.

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F. Administrative Process and Communications.

1. Single Point of Contact. All communications concerning this Request for Information (RFI) must be directed to

TSCRFI@space.texas.gov unless Texas Space Commission (TSC) identifies another contact by addendum.

a) Respondents should not seek nonpublic guidance from TSC Board members, Texas Aerospace Research &

Space Economy Consortium (TARSEC) executive committee members or liaisons/participants, or other TSC personnel.

2. Proprietary Clarification. A respondent seeking to discuss information it believes requires special handling must first submit a nonproprietary written request describing the topic and legal or security concern to TSCRFI@space.texas.gov unless TSC identifies another contact by addendum.

a) Respondents should not seek nonpublic guidance from TSC Board members, TARSEC executive committee members or liaisons/participants, or other TSC personnel.

b) TSC chief compliance officer will determine whether and how a clarification may occur.

3. Addenda. Only a written addendum issued by TSC may change the RFI, schedule, submission method, forms, or instructions.

a) Respondents should acknowledge each addendum on Appendix A.

4. Verification. TSC may verify information through public sources, references, authorized governmental contacts, facility records, certifications, photographs, site visits, demonstrations, or other lawful methods.

5. Records and Retention. TSC will maintain RFI records in accordance with applicable records-retention requirements.

a) Respondents should retain the materials supporting material claims and be prepared to provide clarification if requested.

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G. Non-Binding Status, No Compensation, and Reservation of Rights.

Request for Information (RFI) Purpose and Notice Status. This RFI is issued solely for market research, planning, and information gathering. It is not a request for proposals, invitation for bids, offer, grant application, notice of funding opportunity, competitive grant opportunity lease opportunity, site-selection process, or commitment to procure, fund, construct, upgrade, operate, reserve, or use any facility, system, site, or service.

No Contract or Grant. No contract, grant, intergovernmental agreement, partnership agreement, lease, purchase order, cooperative agreement, or other binding instrument may result solely from a response to this RFI. Any later action must be separately authorized and conducted under the legal pathway applicable to that action.

No Compensation or Cost Recovery. TSC will not reimburse any cost incurred to prepare or submit a response, answer questions, attend a webinar or workshop, host or participate in a site visit, provide a demonstration, or furnish supplemental information.

Voluntary Participation. Participation is strictly voluntary. Responding does not prequalify a respondent, establish eligibility for a future opportunity, create a preference, or confer any benefit. Choosing not to respond will not, in itself, disadvantage a person in a future opportunity.

No Reliance or Commitment. Respondents must not rely on this RFI as a representation that funds, authority, a program, a project, an acquisition, or a grant will be available. TSC makes no representation regarding future appropriations, Board action, federal participation, demand, permitting, financing, or site selection.

Potential Future Actions. Information may inform a public workshop, clarification process, site visit, statewide asset map, demand study, feasibility study, professional-services procurement, design engagement, request for proposals, request for qualifications, competitive grant opportunity, intergovernmental or partnership arrangement, legislative or budget request, or no further action.

Reservation of Rights. TSC may amend, cancel, suspend, reissue, narrow, expand, or take no action on this RFI; accept or disregard any response or portion; request clarification; verify information; consult authorized reviewers; conduct workshops or visits; combine information; and use information for governmental planning, subject to applicable law.

No Ranking or Award. TSC does not intend to publicly rank respondents or select an awardee through this RFI. TSC may use an internal analytic framework to organize information and identify gaps, but that framework is not an evaluation or award criterion for any future opportunity.

No Debrief or Protest Right. Because this RFI is not an award process, TSC does not anticipate providing scores, rankings, debriefings, protests, or appeals. This clause does not limit any right expressly created by controlling law.

Independent Responsibility. Respondents remain solely responsible for the accuracy, completeness, lawfulness, and authorized disclosure of information submitted, and for protecting their own intellectual property, export-controlled information, customer information, and security-sensitive information.

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H. Public Information, Proprietary Material, Export Controls, and Intellectual Property.

Texas Public Information Act. Responses and records relating to this Request for Information (RFI) may constitute public information under Chapter 552, Texas Government Code. Texas Space Commission (TSC) cannot guarantee that information will be withheld. TSC will handle requests for records in accordance with applicable law, including any confidentiality provision, exception, third-party notice procedure, Texas Office of the Attorney General (OAG) ruling procedure, or court order.

Marking and Segregation. A respondent claiming that information may be protected should clearly identify and segregate the specific information, identify the asserted legal basis, and submit: (1) a complete unredacted copy; and, (2) a public copy with proposed redactions and a redaction index. Blanket markings are discouraged. A respondent’s marking is not determinative and does not bind TSC, the Texas Office of the Attorney General (OAG), or a court.

No Classified or Unapproved Controlled Information. Do not submit classified information. Do not submit controlled unclassified information, export-controlled technical data, cybersecurity-sensitive information, security-sensitive facility details, human-subject records, protected health information, or other controlled information through ordinary email unless TSC provides written secure-submission instructions and the respondent is authorized to disclose the material.

Authorized Review. TSC may share responses with authorized TSC staff, counsel, records personnel, technical reviewers, consultants, governmental subject-matter experts, or other authorized persons for official review, subject to applicable conflicts, ethics, records, confidentiality, export-control, cybersecurity, and nondisclosure requirements.

Copyright and Intellectual Property. Submission does not transfer ownership of pre-existing intellectual property. The respondent grants TSC a nonexclusive, royalty-free license to receive, reproduce, internally distribute, analyze, summarize, and use the response for governmental planning and records purposes, subject to applicable law and any lawful protection from disclosure.

Third-Party Information. A respondent must have authority to submit information owned by or relating to another person.

The respondent should identify third-party information and provide the appropriate contact for any notice required by law.

SUBMISSION SECURITY WARNING:

• Ordinary email is not an approved channel for classified information or for controlled technical information requiring a secure environment.

• A respondent should provide a nonproprietary capability summary and request written secure-submission instructions before transmitting controlled material.

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I. Response Preparation and Submission Instructions.

Requirement Draft Instruction

Due Date and Time September 14, 2026, 2:00 p.m. Central Time

Submission Address TSCRFI@space.texas.gov

Email Subject 358-26-004 – Propulsion RFI, Response - Respondent Name

Primary File Format One searchable, bookmarked PDF containing Volumes 1-5, plus native editable tables or spreadsheets if used.

Public Copy Provide a separate proposed public/redacted PDF and redaction index when protection from disclosure is asserted.

File Naming 358-26-004_Respondent Name_Propulsion_2026MMDD.docx / .pdf

Narrative Page Limit Forty pages for the common narrative and discipline-specific narrative combined, excluding cover sheet, structured appendices, source documents, public copy, and redaction index.

Minimum Font • Ten-point for narrative; tables may use eight-point if readable.

• Drawings may use smaller labels if legible when printed.

File Size / Secure Transfer • Must be formatted as file size that can be successfully sent as a single document, via one email, to submission address.

• Contact the point of contact before the deadline if an approved secure transfer is required.

Authorized Signature Appendix A must be signed electronically or manually by an authorized representative.

I.1. Organization and Cross-References:

• A respondent may submit a demand-only response or a technology-only response.

• Complete only the applicable forms and explain omitted sections.

• Answer each common question or identify the exact appendix, page, and source document where the answer appears.

• Clearly identify assumptions, exclusions, contingencies, escalation dates, and the class or maturity of each cost estimate.

• Use “not applicable,” “unknown,” “not currently available,” or “proprietary - secure clarification requested” rather than leaving a material field blank.

• Use consistent units and identify conversions.

• Separate measured, certified, modeled, vendor-rated, and conceptual performance.

• Use the volume and appendix sequence in Section L.

• A respondent may submit one response covering multiple assets but must complete a separate Facility/Site/System Data Sheet and Technical Annex for each materially distinct asset.

I.2. Transmission and Receipt:

A response is received when it is accessible to TSC at the designated submission channel. TSC is not responsible for transmission delays, rejected messages, link expiration, access permissions, corrupted files, encryption keys, malware, or other delivery failures. Respondents should submit early enough to confirm receipt and accessibility before the deadline.

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J. Common Information Requests.

Respondents may cross-reference the structured forms in Appendices B-L:

1. Executive Summary. Provide a concise description of the respondent, the asset or concept, the information being offered, the principal Texas benefit, and the most important decision Texas Space Commission (TSC) should consider.

2. Respondent and Team. Identify the lead respondent, legal entity type, principal contact, team members, affiliates, facility owners, operators, equipment providers, academic partners, governmental partners, prospective users, and each participant’s proposed role. Identify which commitments are binding, nonbinding, or conceptual.

3. Existing Asset or Site. For each asset, provide location, ownership and site-control status, current use, year placed in service, condition, configuration, dimensions, access, utility capacity, certifications, staffing, current users, utilization, backlog, planned outages, and supporting photographs or diagrams that may lawfully be shared.

4. Current Capability and Condition. Separate verified current capability from post-upgrade or conceptual capability.

Identify performance ranges, limitations, equipment condition, maintenance history, calibration status, known deficiencies, replacement needs, and the source documents supporting each material claim.

5. Current Users and Utilization. Identify the user sectors served during the previous three years, campaigns performed, average and peak utilization, backlog, lead time, cancellations, downtime, maintenance windows, and restrictions affecting access. Do not disclose customer-protected information without authorization.

6. Demand and Use Cases. Identify hardware classes, mission types, customer sectors, representative campaigns, test duration, annual volume, scheduling constraints, and evidence of unmet demand. Separate committed, forecast, and speculative demand and provide the basis for each category.

7. Upgrade or Development Concept. Describe the base-case concept, minimum viable capability, lower-cost alternative, preferred option, and expansion option. Identify required design, construction, equipment, utilities, tie-ins, shutdown impacts, acceptance criteria, dependencies, and which elements are mandatory versus desirable.

8. Phasing and Schedule. Provide a planning-level schedule showing due diligence, design, permits, long-lead procurement, construction or installation, commissioning, initial operations, and later expansion. Identify the critical path, decision gates, expansion triggers, and schedule assumptions.

9. Rough order-of-magnitude (ROM) Cost and Funding. Provide ROM capital cost, annual operating cost, lifecycle maintenance, renewal reserves, major cost drivers, contingency, escalation assumptions, basis of estimate, potential federal/private/local contributions, and the amount and timing of any potential request to the State of Texas. No amount is a bid or commitment.

10. Operating Model. Describe alternative ownership and operating models; governance; customer intake; scheduling and priority rules; conflict resolution; staffing; hours of operation; maintenance windows; surge support; service-level targets;

and procedures for government, academic, nonprofit, and commercial users.

11. Rate Card and Sustainability. Describe a potential fee-for-use or cost-allocation methodology, user classes, for example fee units, differential-rate concepts, minimum annual utilization, revenue assumptions, operating subsidy needs, maintenance reserves, and measures that would preserve affordable access for smaller companies and research institutions.

12. Safety, Environmental Review, and Permits. Identify applicable safety standards; hazardous materials and operations; exclusion zones; fire and emergency-response needs; environmental reviews and permits; community impacts; responsible approving authorities; current approvals; gaps; and expected approval schedules.

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13. Security, Export Control, and Data. Describe anticipated physical security, cybersecurity, controlled unclassified or classified work, foreign-person access, export-control obligations, data segregation, intellectual property, proprietary information, records, customer data, remote access, and incident response. Do not submit controlled or classified material through ordinary email.

14. Standards, Accreditation, and Acceptance. Identify applicable NASA, U.S. Department of Defense/War, Federal

Aviation Administration (FAA), consensus, laboratory, quality, calibration, safety, and customer standards; current certifications and accreditations; gaps; and proposed commissioning, validation, and acceptance tests.

15. Workforce and Education. Identify operator positions, staffing levels, specialized certifications, workforce gaps, training time, academic or apprenticeship partners, internship opportunities, recurring competency requirements, and opportunities for Texas institutions and historically underutilized businesses.

16. Complementarity and Nonduplication. Identify the nearest comparable NASA, U.S. Department of Defense/War, federal laboratory, university, state, and commercial capabilities; explain the Texas concept’s differentiators; and describe referral, reciprocal-access, distributed-network, or partnership opportunities that would avoid unnecessary duplication.

17. Risks and Dependencies. Provide the ten most significant technical, schedule, regulatory, site, supply-chain, workforce, security, environmental, financial, and operating risks; likelihood and consequence; mitigation; responsible party; trigger; dependency; and decision date.

18. Follow-Up Engagement. State whether the respondent would participate in a public technical workshop, written clarification, technical exchange, or voluntary site visit. Identify nonproprietary information suitable for public discussion and information that would require a lawfully approved secure process.

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K. Follow-Up Engagement.

K.1. Written Clarifications:

TSC may request a written clarification to understand an omission, reconcile conflicting data, confirm a source, or distinguish current from proposed capability. Clarification is not an opportunity to convert the Request for Information (RFI) into an offer, negotiate an award, or provide a respondent with a preference.

K.2. Voluntary Site Visits:

TSC may conduct voluntary site visits after applying uniform information needs. A visit will be documented as fact-finding only and will not constitute inspection approval, technical acceptance, prequalification, selection, or a commitment to funds. Hosts are responsible for visitor safety instructions and for obtaining authorization before disclosing third-party information.

L. Required Response Package.

Volume Required Content

Volume 1 – Cover Sheet and Executive Summary

Complete Appendix A and provide a narrative executive summary of no more than five pages.

Volume 2 – Response Narrative

• Address the information requests in Section J.

• A respondent may cross-reference appendices rather than duplicate detailed data.

Volume 3 – Response Workbook

Complete Appendices B through L for each applicable asset, system, mobile capability, demand-only submission, or concept.

Volume 4 – Discipline-Specific Technical Annex

Complete Appendix M for each applicable facility, system, mobile capability, or development concept.

Volume 5 – Supporting Documents

Provide nonproprietary or appropriately segregated drawings, photographs, source documents, demand evidence, letters of interest, standards, accreditations, and other support.

Volume 6 – Public Copy and Redaction Index

When protection from disclosure is asserted, provide a proposed public copy and an index identifying each proposed redaction and asserted legal basis.

COMPLETENESS CHECK

• Before submission, confirm that:

o Appendix A is signed;

o all applicable Appendices B-L are complete;

o one discipline-specific Appendix M is complete for each asset or concept;

o current and proposed capabilities are separated;

o demand categories are labeled;

o ROM assumptions are stated; and, o any claimed protected information is segregated with a proposed public copy.

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Appendix A – Response, Cover Sheet and Certification.

Complete one cover sheet for the full response.

Attach additional team-member pages if needed. This appendix is not counted against the narrative page limit.

Field Respondent Entry

RFI Number 358-26-004

RFI Subject Shared-User Space Propulsion Test and Evaluation

Lead Respondent Legal Name

Assumed / Trade Name

Entity Type and State of Formation

Texas Secretary of State / Taxpayer Number, if applicable

Principal Business Address

Texas Facility or Office Address, if applicable

Authorized Representative / Title

Primary Technical Contact / Title

Email / Telephone

Website

Addenda Acknowledged [ ] None issued [ ] Addendum No(s). __________________

Response Classification [ ] Facility owner/operator [ ] Technology/equipment provider [ ] User/demand-only [ ] Consortium/team [ ] Other

Texas Nexus

A.1. Team Member and Role Matrix:

Organization Entity Type Texas Location Role Binding Responsibility /

Agreement Status

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A.2. Authorized Representative Certification:

[ ] The response is submitted voluntarily for information-gathering purposes and is not an offer, bid, grant application, or request for an award.

[ ] To the best of the signer’s knowledge, material factual statements are accurate as of the date submitted, and current, proposed, modeled, and speculative information are identified separately.

[ ] The respondent has authority to submit the response and has obtained any authorization necessary to disclose information owned by a third party.

[ ] The respondent understands that Texas Space Commission (TSC) cannot guarantee confidentiality and that markings are not determinative under the Texas Public Information Act.

[ ] The ordinary-email submission does not contain classified information or controlled information requiring a secure channel, unless

TSC provided and the respondent used written approved instructions.

[ ] The respondent authorizes TSC to…