This RFI/Sources Sought Notice supersedes the previously issued RFI/Sources Sought Notice for Space Exploration Network Operations Maintenance and Sustainment entitled, “NASA Goddard Space Flight Center – Space Exploration Network Service and Evolution (SENSE) Follow-On Decoupling,” Notice ID 80GSFC24SENSE_DECOUP_RFI_SSN, which was accessible via SAM.gov at https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/a6a0972f620f4ee6bc1c2e8b794dac7f/view. The Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program is responsible for and manages NASA’s communications and navigation capabilities to enable scientific discovery and space exploration. Currently these capabilities are provided through the Near Space Network (NSN) project managed by the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and the Deep Space Network (DSN) project managed by the Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL). SCaN is evolving its management and operational structure to form an integrated network operations team. Together as a cohesive team, the Program Office and the NSN and DSN projects will provide reliable, efficient, and innovative communication and navigation network services that connect the mission operations team to their spacecraft, a vital link that enables mission success. Missions supported include NASA human spaceflight and scientific programs, non-NASA Government agencies, commercial companies, and international partner missions. The SCaN network will continue to evolve from Government owned commercial operated assets to commercial services in the Earth, lunar, and Mars domains as NASA owned infrastructure is sunset. SCaN is seeking contract support to provide operations, maintain and sustain the current networks as they evolve, and integrate changes to continue the evolution to a more reliable, efficient, and innovative network. As a single combined end-to-end network, the NSN provides communication and navigation services for missions in the near-space region (defined as zero to two million kilometers above the Earth’s surface) and the DSN provides communication and navigation services for the deep space region (beyond two million kilometers) through a combination of commercial and Government space communication infrastructure around the globe and on orbit. The NSN leverages broad capabilities on behalf of its customer missions to offer cost-effective, proficient, and secure services. The NSN and DSN operates these networks continuously, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, providing Telemetry, Tracking, and Commanding (TT&C), high-rate data downlink, and radiometric tracking services through a constellation of Space Relay (SR) and Direct-to-Earth (DTE) communications via a global network of NASA and commercial ground stations. NASA is hereby soliciting responses from potential sources for capabilities, ideas, solutions, and information that will be used for network operations, maintenance, and sustainment for the NSN and the DSN. NASA is seeking capability statements from all interested parties for the purposes of determining the appropriate level of competition and/or small business subcontracting goals for Unified Network and Navigation Operations. The Government reserves the right to consider a Small, 8(a), Women-Owned (WOSB), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned (SDVOSB), Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB), or HUBZone business set-aside based on responses received. Interested firms having the required capabilities necessary to meet the above requirement described herein should submit a capability statement of no more than 15 pages (single-spaced, 12-point font, Times New Roman) indicating the ability to perform all aspects of the effort in preferred Microsoft Word file format. The following file naming convention should be used: Unified Network and Navigation Operations (UN2O) RFI/SSN (company name).doc. Additional information requested is as follows: Section 1 : Provide the following information regarding your firm: (a) CAGE Code, name and address of responding company, respondent points of contact (including phone number and email), size of the business, average annual revenue for past three (3) years and average number of employees for last three (3) years; (b) type of business and number of years in business: indicate large, small, small disadvantaged, 8(a), women-owned, veteran-owned, service-disabled-veteran owned, and HUBZone small businesses; (c) Affiliate information: parent company, joint venture partners, potential teaming partners, Prime Contractor (if potential Subcontractor) or Subcontractors (if potential Prime Contractor); (d) Indicate if your interest is as a potential Prime Contractor or Subcontractor and; (e) provide information regarding the companies facility security clearance status. Section 2 : Detail your firm’s: (a) ability to perform some or all of the high-level requirements in the Draft UN2O Statement of Work. In the response, indicate which requirements are applicable to the respondent’s areas of expertise and past performance; (b) list of customers covering worked performed within the past five (5) years (if applicable, please list at least three (3) customers) highlighting relevant work performed, technical description, contract number, contract type, dollar value of each procurement, NAICS code, and procurement and technical points of contact (email address and phone number). If a small business concern is interested to participate at the Prime Contractor level, provide specific details reflecting your capabilities to perform the broad requirements and note the requirement to comply with FAR 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting, regarding similarly situated firms. The scope of work includes enhancements and sustainment of new and existing systems that support current and future architectures. This may include the identification and evaluation of technologies, standards, and concepts which may be incorporated into the network systems to enhance network performance. Section 3 : Please advise if the requirement is considered a commercial or commercial-type product/service. A commercial product and commercial service is defined in FAR 2.101, Definitions. If a solicitation is issued for UN2O, the Government envisions potentially the award of a Firm-Fixed-Price, Indefinite-Delivery Indefinite-Quantity. Provide thoughts regarding this acquisition approach, including risks, challenges, benefits and concerns with this contract type, feedback on evaluation criteria/parameters to assess performance and motivate excellence in performance, and input regarding the performance period. What suggestions do you have to structure the contract for its betterment? As SCaN is evolving its management and operational structure to form an integrated network operations team, what contract structure type or structure would be suited for this effort? Are there marketplace examples that this effort can be structured towards a fixed-price commercial contract or this a non-commercial requirement. The SENSE contract was an Indefinite-Delivery Indefinite-Quantify, Cost-Plus-Award-Fee contract that allowed NASA to focus emphasis on high risk, high value, and complex tasks and motivate the Contractor to concentrate its resources in critical areas critical to enable mission success, will that be a better contract type for UN2O? Any information submitted in response to this RFI that is marked as “Confidential Commercial or Financial Information” will be considered as voluntarily submitted in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act. All responses will be treated as sensitive and competitive information. Respondents should appropriately mark any proprietary data. All information requested shall be UNCLASSIFIED. All responses shall be submitted electronically via email to the Contracting Officer Ian P. Sherry at
[email protected], and “cc” Angela L. Meza at
[email protected] no later than January 19, 2026 5:00PM EST. Please reference Unified Network and Navigation Operations (UN2O) in any response. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government pay for information solicited. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation. No solicitation exists, therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on SAM.gov. Interested firms are responsible for monitoring this website for the release of any solicitation or synopsis. NASA intends to publicize a listing of respondents to facilitate teaming arrangements. Should your firm desire not to be included in this listing, clearly indicate this desire in your response.