Space weather Observations at L1 to Advance Readiness (SOLAR) Series X-ray Irradiance Sensor (XRIS)

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is soliciting for the design, analysis, development, and fabrication of two flight X-Ray Irradiance Sensors (XRIS) under the Space Weather Observations at L1 to Advance Readiness (SOLAR) program. The sensors will monitor solar X-ray flares and their effects on Earth's ionosphere, serving as a high-availability product for the National Weather Service's space weather observations. Key contract requirements include achieving measurement accuracy of 20% across two wavelength bands, maintaining a 3-second or shorter refresh rate for data acquisition, delivering two flight models (FM-1 by November 2029 and FM-2 by May 2030), and complying with rigorous environmental, contamination control, and radiation hardness assurance specifications. Evaluation will be based on Mission Suitability (numerically scored as the most important factor), Cost (significantly less important), and Past Performance, with offerors required to demonstrate ISO 9001 and AS 9001 compliance. Comments and questions on the Draft RFP must be submitted electronically to Daniel Han at Daniel.S.Han@nasa.gov no later than February 18, 2026, at 5:00 PM Eastern Time, with responses referencing XRIS-DRFP-80GSFC26R7004; this is not a request for proposals, and no proposals should be submitted at this time.

This procurement includes no set-aside designations and does not identify any incumbent contractors. The contract is structured as a hybrid Firm Fixed Price and Time & Materials arrangement with three Contract Line Items spanning an eight-year performance period from award through January 2034, with final RFP release anticipated in the second quarter of 2026 and contract award expected in the fourth quarter of 2026. The small business subcontracting goal is 2.0% of total contract value, with specific goals for small disadvantaged businesses (0.1%), women-owned small businesses (0.2%), and other small business categories. Key deliverables include two flight models, one Engineering Development Unit, ground support equipment, test equipment, four XRIS Emulators, and comprehensive documentation across systems engineering, software, integration and test, and calibration domains. Offerors must be registered in SAM.gov and the VETS-4212 database, possess adequate financial capability and accounting systems, and demonstrate capability to perform offsite at contractor facilities, with Government-Furnished Property available for offsite use as needed for mission success.