Sources Sought
Chemical and Electric Propulsion Systems (Pre-RFI Market Research)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration · Sol. SBPO-2610-01092026
Due in 21 days
AI summary Beta
Some details are in the notice's attachments, which this summary didn't read. Check the attachments on SAM.gov.
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), in Pasadena, CA, is running market research to find small businesses, small business joint ventures or small-business-led teams with experience in spacecraft chemical and electric propulsion. This is a pre-RFI information request, not a bid. Responses go by email to JPL's Small Business Programs Office by October 30, 2026.
Watch out for
- Highly specialized spaceflight work. Only firms with hands-on spacecraft propulsion experience are likely to be considered, so general engineering firms may not fit.
- Market research only. Responding does not lead to an award by itself; a later RFI or solicitation would follow.
- Subcontract through an FFRDC. JPL is run by Caltech for NASA, so any work would likely be a subcontract under the lab's own rules.
JPL is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) managed by Caltech University
Read from the notice text only.
Full brief
What they want
- Show demonstrated experience supporting spacecraft chemical and electric propulsion systems across design, development, integration, test, qualification and flight readiness
- Propulsion system architecture, requirements and subsystem engineering
- Thruster and feed-system design, power processing and propellant systems
- Hardware fabrication and assembly support, plus environmental and performance testing
- Failure analysis and verification
- Electric propulsion experience (Hall thrusters, plasma diagnostics, vacuum facilities, spacecraft-plume interaction testing) is particularly relevant
- Place of performance
- Pasadena, CA
- Offers due
- 2026-10-30 3:00 PM PT
- How to submit
- Email the completed attachment documents to smallbusiness.programsoffice@jpl.nasa.gov
What to include when you submit
- Download and complete the attachment documents
- Send them to the JPL Small Business Programs Office (SBPO)
- The three Q&A webinars (September 14, 15 and 17, 2026) have already passed
You must have
- Small business, small business joint venture, or team led by a small business, with relevant propulsion experience
Small Businesses and/or Small Business Joint Ventures or Teams led by a Small Businesses
Not in the notice text
- Contract type, size, value and length
- Content of the attachment forms to complete
- Whether and when a solicitation will follow
- Detailed scope of tasks beyond the listed capabilities
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Key facts
- Response due
- Oct 30, 2026, 10:00 PM UTC
- Posted
- Oct 6, 2026
- Notice type
- Sources Sought
- Solicitation
- SBPO-2610-01092026
- Agency
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Office
- NASA Management Office -- JPL
- Set-aside
- No Set aside used
- NAICS
- 336414
- Business type
- Aircraft, ship & vehicle parts
- Place of performance
- Pasadena, CA, 91101
- Contracting contact
- JPL Small Business Programs Officesmallbusiness.programsoffice@jpl.nasa.gov
- Versions
- 2 (amended since first posted)
Full notice text from SAM.gov
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is reviewing options to find Small Businesses and/or Small Business Joint Ventures or Teams led by a Small Businesses with experience performing the below scope tasks. JPL is seeking information from qualified small businesses with demonstrated experience supporting spacecraft chemical and electric propulsion systems throughout the design, development, integration, test, qualification, and flight-readiness lifecycle. Relevant capabilities may include propulsion system architecture and requirements, thruster and feed-system design, propulsion subsystem engineering, modeling and simulation, power processing and propellant systems, hardware fabrication and assembly support, environmental and performance testing, failure analysis, and verification. Experience with electric propulsion technologies such as Hall thrusters, plasma diagnostics, vacuum facilities, and spacecraft–plume interaction testing is particularly relevant. If interested in this opportunity, please download and complete the attachment documents and submit to the JPL Small Business Programs Office (SBPO) at smallbusiness.programsoffice@jpl.nasa.gov. Also, JPL will host three webinars on the dates listed below to address questions live. Contract Technical Managers, the Subcontracts Manager, and representatives from the JPL Small Business Programs Office may be in attendance. Webinar registration links are in the “Attachments/Links” section of the SAM.gov posting. Monday, September 14, 2026, 10:00 - 11:00 AM PT Tuesday, September 15, 2026, 10:00 - 11:00 AM PT Thursday, September 17, 2026, 10:00 - 11:00 AM PT JPL is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) managed by Caltech University in support of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
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