Notice of Intent to Award a Sole Source Contract HelioSwarm Medium-Class Explorers Mission

NASA/Ames Research Center (ARC) has a requirement for the HelioSwarm (HS) Medium-Class Explorers (MIDEX) Mission Bridge Phase and its subsequent phases. HS is a transformative mission designed to explore the three-dimensional, dynamic mechanisms controlling the physics of plasma turbulence, a ubiquitous process occurring throughout the heliosphere and the broader plasma universe at large.

NASA/ARC intends to issue a sole source contract to acquire items and services from Southwest Research Institute using other than full and open competition as implemented by Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) 6.103-1, Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial product or commercial service using RFO Part 12. Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort electronically via email to Sophia Mo at sophia.mo@nasa.gov no later than 4:00PM Pacific Standard Time (PST) on February 18, 2026. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct this acquisition on a competitive basis.

A determination 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