Chamber Services for decompression sickness testing of exercise countermeasures.

NASA's Shared Services Center has issued a Request for Quotation (RFQ 80NSSC25914320Q) for chamber services to support decompression sickness testing of exercise countermeasures, specifically to develop the AETHER decompression sickness risk estimation tool for NASA Johnson Space Center. The procurement requires specialized hypobaric chamber facilities capable of conducting single-day chamber-based tests with at least 3 subjects per test day, including 2 females, performing controlled exercise conditions at varying workloads (25-80% peak oxygen capacity) in simulated extravehicular activity environments. Facilities must provide comprehensive medical monitoring, ultrasound imaging, patent foramen ovale assessment, and data collection including subject metadata, chamber environmental conditions, medical logs, and ultrasound recordings. The evaluation will use a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) method, where offerors must demonstrate they can satisfactorily meet all technical requirements. The original quote submission deadline was September 4, 2025 at 1 p.m. CT, with contractual and technical questions due by September 3, 2025, though the solicitation notice indicates quotes are now due September 23, 2025.

This procurement is designated as a small business set-aside under NAICS code 339112 (Medical Laboratories), with no incumbent contractor identified in the available documentation. While specific contract values are not disclosed, the procurement will be awarded on a firm fixed price basis for chamber services that must accommodate specialized testing protocols and equipment that NASA may loan to successful contractors, including ultrasound/doppler equipment, breathing masks, and metabolic analyzers. The testing requires facilities proficient in EVA task simulation, workload calibration, equipment operation, and venous gas emboli grading, with contractors expected to deliver electronic test records within 14 days of test completion. The place of performance is Houston, Texas 77058, which aligns with the NASA Johnson Space Center location where the AETHER decompression sickness risk estimation tool will ultimately be utilized for future space missions and exploration planning. Quotes must be submitted to Cara Craft via email and will remain valid for 30 days after submission.