FFRDC Request for Information-SSN

Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) Competitive Procurement Request for Information (RFI) and Sources Sought Notice (SSN)

FFRDC-26-RFI-SSN

August 3, 2026
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is hereby soliciting information regarding potential sources for a new competitive procurement for the management and operation of NASA’s Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. NASA is also seeking input regarding potential procurement strategies.
I.

Background

NASA will compete the contract for the management and operation of the NASA’s only FFRDC at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (“Laboratory”). NASA announced its decision to compete this contract on May 22, 2026 (https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-to-compete-contract-for-jet-propulsion-laboratory-management/) based in part on the significant interest received in response to a previous RFI issued July 2025 (https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/9efc387491e24c7ebaaed647d5b8bd9d/view). This combined RFI/SSN is being issued in response to the decision to compete this contract to ensure all interested entities have an opportunity to provide capability statements and other information to support overall procurement strategy development.
The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) has managed the Laboratory since its inception in the 1930s, and previous NASA contracts for its management and operations have been awarded sole source to Caltech since the facility was transferred from the U.S. Army to NASA in 1958. The competitive procurement process envisions a new contract award in time to allow a sufficient transition before the current, 10-year contract (80NM0018D0004) expires on September 30, 2028.
The Laboratory is a Government-owned facility, supporting NASA and other Government Agencies (with NASA approval), that spans approximately 177 acres at the Main Campus in Pasadena, California; the Laboratory also encompasses additional facilities such as those at the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex in Fort Irwin, California, and the Table Mountain Observatory in Wrightwood, California. The Laboratory consists of approximately 140 buildings, encompassing approximately 6,783,000 square feet of office space and 906,000 square feet of non-office space. These facilities are integral to advancing NASA’s science and exploration objectives and enabling the development and execution of complex space missions. Certain staff positions require