Sources Sought: Lunar Exploration Ground Sites (LEGS) Public Private Partnership
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) is conducting market research for the Lunar Exploration Ground Sites (LEGS) Public Private Partnership (3Ps) initiative. This Sources Sought notice seeks information from commercial entities capable of providing communications and navigation services for lunar and cislunar missions. Responses will help NASA refine its acquisition strategy and assess commercial capabilities. Capability statements are due June 9, 2026, at 5:00 PM EDT.
Scope of Work
NASA aims to augment existing Near Space Network (NSN) capabilities with high-availability direct-to-Earth (DTE) communications coverage for missions from GEO to 2 million km, supporting Artemis, NASA's Moon Base, and Moon-to-Mars objectives. Desired deployment objectives include:
- Phase 1: Three (3) lunar DTE ground stations operational by July 2027.
- Phase 2: Six (6) globally distributed stations by July 2028.
- Phase 3: Up to nine (9) stations by July 2029.
Preliminary technical characteristics include X-band and Ka-band capabilities, continuous coverage, integration into an operational service architecture, high-availability support, and scalable network operations.
Partnership Structure
NASA is exploring a 3Ps model where commercial partners provide operational services, leveraging both Government-furnished property (GFP) and commercially developed infrastructure. NASA anticipates providing one LEGS antenna subsystem at White Sands Complex and manufacturing a second. The partnership is expected to be a Firm-Fixed-Price contract for end-to-end services, with a period of performance of no less than five (5) years. Partners would have the ability to commercially utilize excess network capacity for non-NASA customers. Contractors will be responsible for integration of NASA assets, installation of the second antenna, supporting infrastructure, operations, maintenance, and deployment of additional required ground stations.
Capability Statement Instructions
Interested parties should submit capability statements of no more than ten (10) pages via email. Submissions should include:
- Company overview, organizational capabilities, and relevant experience.
- Assessment of the proposed partnership viability, technical approaches, and business arrangements.
- Evaluation of realistic deployment schedules, risks, and mitigation strategies.
- Description of the commercial nature of proposed services/infrastructure.
Acquisition Considerations
This market research is to determine the appropriate level of competition and/or small business subcontracting goals. NASA is seeking responses from all socioeconomic categories of Small Businesses, including 8(a), WOSB, SD-VOSB, EDWOSB, and HUBZone, to consider potential set-asides.
Contract & Timeline
- Type: Sources Sought / Market Research
- Set-Aside: None specified (for market research to determine future set-asides)
- Response Due: June 9, 2026, 5:00 PM EDT
- Published: May 26, 2026
Additional Notes
This is for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation or commitment. No reimbursement for response preparation. Submit responses electronically to Ian Park (ian.park@nasa.gov) and Claude David (claude.e.david@nasa.gov), referencing 80GRC026RFI0001.