SAM #80GRC027R0003

NASA LEGS lunar communications ground-station network partnership

NASA Glenn Research Center seeks a commercial partner to deploy and operate the Lunar Exploration Ground Sites (LEGS) communications network for lunar and cislunar missions. - Government buyer: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Research and Technology Mission Directorate (RTMD), Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN), through John H. Glenn Research Center. - Named vendor and procurement approach: NASA intends to pursue a sole-source award to KSAT Inc. through a public-private partnership; capability information may be considered in assessing whether the effort should be competed. - Requested network and services: Develop, integrate, verify, operate, and maintain a global lunar direct-to-Earth ground-station subnet for Artemis, Moonbase, and other suitable missions. The network is planned for six geographically distributed, 20-meter-class X/Ka-band stations, with planned growth to nine antennas. - Coverage is intended for spacecraft operating from 36,000 kilometers to 2 million kilometers from Earth. - Scope includes site infrastructure, ground-station electronics, signal processing, monitoring and control, network interfaces, integration with NASA’s SCaN Program Operations Cloud (SPOC), testing, operations, and maintenance. - NASA is to receive highest-priority, unlimited, uninterrupted use of available stations at a negotiated rate. - Government-furnished equipment: Two dual-band X/Ka-band antennas are furnished by NASA for integration; four Fiber Optic Transmission System (FOTS) panels are also identified as government-furnished equipment. No manufacturer or part numbers are specified. - Deployment milestones: The documents describe a phased buildout from three operational sites to six antennas, with planned later expansion to nine antennas. Operations and maintenance follow successful operational readiness and achievement of global lunar direct-to-Earth coverage. - Pricing and term: No contract value, overall period of performance, option structure, or annual subscription is specified.

Description

NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) has a requirement for Lunar Exploration Ground Sites (LEGS) Public Private Partnership (PPP).

NASA GRC intends to award a sole source contract to KSAT Inc. under the authority of FAR 6.103-1 Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements to develop a global network of Lunar Exploration Ground Sites (LEGS) under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. LEGS will provide high-availability, direct-to-Earth communications coverage for spacecraft operating between 36,000 kilometers and 2 million kilometers from Earth, increasing NASA’s capacity to send and receive lunar data.

The Government intends to acquire a commercial product or service using FAR Part 12.

Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort electronically via email to Ian Park, Contracting Officer at HQ-SCaN-LEGS@mail.nasa.gov no later than 3:00PM ET on 30OCT26. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct this acquisition on a competitive basis. A decision by the Government not to compete this acquisition on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government.

NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. The Center Ombudsman for this acquisition can be found at : https://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/regs/Procurement-Ombuds-Comp-Advocate-Listing.pdf

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