Presolicitation
Space Power and Reactor Capabilities (SPARC) - Presolicitation Synopsis
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
AI summaryPresolicitation: NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, OH, expects to post the Final Request for Proposals (RFP) for Space Power and Reactor Capabilities (SPARC) on or around November 20, 2026. SPARC will be a multiple-award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (MAIDIQ: several winners, orders placed as needed) contract for space nuclear systems. The first task order, LR-1 Phase 1, will be competed with it to design and test the Lunar Reactor-1. More in the summary
Advance notice of a coming solicitation, not a bid yet. If it asks for capability statements, sending one is free and puts you on National Aeronautics and Space Administration's list before the solicitation is posted. See the contact
AI summary Beta
Presolicitation: NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, OH, expects to post the Final Request for Proposals (RFP) for Space Power and Reactor Capabilities (SPARC) on or around November 20, 2026. SPARC will be a multiple-award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (MAIDIQ: several winners, orders placed as needed) contract for space nuclear systems. The first task order, LR-1 Phase 1, will be competed with it to design and test the Lunar Reactor-1.
Things to watch
From the version posted Oct 28, 2026.
- Serious: Highly specialized nuclear work. Designing and testing a lunar fission reactor needs nuclear engineering capability few small businesses have; teaming as a subcontractor may be more realistic.
- Minor: Final RFP may have a new Notice ID. NASA says the Final RFP's Notice ID will likely change for fiscal year 2027, so search by the SPARC name.
- Minor: No set-aside. Small businesses compete with large firms.
Read from the notice text only.
Full summary
What they want
- Design, development, analysis, fabrication, test, certification, delivery and sustaining operations of space nuclear systems, subsystems, hardware, materials and software
- LR-1 Phase 1 Objective 1: a Preliminary Design Review (PDR) level design for the Lunar Reactor-1
- LR-1 Phase 1 Objective 2: an electrically-heated integrated system test of an engineering test unit (ETU) in a relevant environment
- LR-1 Phase 1 Objective 3: component-level radiation exposure testing for reactor and lunar surface radiation environments
- Contract type
- Multiple-Award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (MAIDIQ) contract, with the LR-1 Phase 1 task order competed at the same time
- Place of performance
- Cleveland, OH, USA
- Estimated value
- Not stated
What to include when you submit
- Nothing to send yet; watch SAM.gov for the Final RFP, expected on or around November 20, 2026
- Review the Draft RFP posting (Notice ID 80GRC026R0009), including the Industry Day presentation and Questions and Answers
Current contractor
No incumbent is named. A Sources Sought Notice (80GRC026SPARC) was posted on August 3, 2026 and a Draft RFP (80GRC026R0009) on August 30, 2026.
Not in the notice text
- The contract value, ordering period and number of awards are not stated.
- Evaluation factors and submission instructions will be in the Final RFP.
- SAM.gov's November 20, 2026 response date matches the expected Final RFP release; no response is requested by this notice.
Eligibility and how to respond
- No set-aside: any business, large or small, can bid unless the notice says otherwise.
- How and where to submit is in the notice text and its attachments on SAM.gov.
Notice details
- Posted
- Oct 28, 2026
- Notice type
- Presolicitation
- Office
- NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OH
- Product/service code
- AR15 · Space R&D SVCS; Space Flight, Research & Supporting Activities; R&D Facilities & Maj Equip
- Business type
- Engineering, architecture & research (FedReady's grouping, from NAICS 541715)
- Versions
2 versions have been posted, newest first.
- Oct 28, 2026 · Amendment 0001 (this version)Due Nov 20, 2026
- Oct 27, 2026 · PresolicitationDue Nov 20, 2026
- Attachments
Past awards and competition
Who has won work like this before, the likely incumbent, and what similar contracts paid, from USAspending.gov.
Before you respond
Terms on this notice: Solicitation
Full notice text from SAM.gov
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