Injection Molded Pressure Bubbles for Spacesuit Helmets

NASA's Shared Services Center is seeking small business contractors to design and develop injection molded pressure bubbles for spacesuit helmets used in the Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU). The procurement specifically requires vendors with experience in injection molding optically clear polycarbonate domes larger than 10 inches to develop a feasible injection mold design that meets precise technical specifications. The pressure bubble must be a hemi-ellipsoid helmet with innermost dimensions of 10" x 13" and a minimum wall thickness of 0.075 inches, incorporating specific optical and structural requirements. The government will evaluate proposals based on three primary factors: technical capability, experience with injection molding large polycarbonate prototypes, and price, awarding to the responsible offeror providing the best value. Quotes are due by July 28, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. CT and must be submitted electronically to NASA's contracting officer Cara Craft.

This solicitation is set aside exclusively for small businesses and requires vendors to be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) with NAICS code 339113 to be eligible for award consideration. The contract will be structured as a firm fixed price mechanism, though the total contract price remains to be determined. Key deliverables include monthly status meetings, a mold design presentation, sample polycarbonate material plaques, and development of injection mold design with gating strategies and mold flow analysis over a three-month performance period. The contractor may be required to recommend design changes to improve manufacturability as part of the technical solution. All products and services must be delivered to NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, which serves as the place of performance for this contract.