# Mars Telecommunications Orbiter Canonical: https://abierto.us/opportunities/80gsfc26mto01 - Solicitation number: 80GSFC26MTO01 - Notice type: Special notice - Status: Closed. Deadline was February 5, 2026 at 2:00 PM EST - Department: National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Contracting office: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (80GSFC) - NAICS: 517410 Satellite Telecommunications - Product or service code: DG10 Network services delivered as a service, by subscription, or service contract. Physical and wireless networks managed as a service connected to and from core data centers, work areas, and offices connecting end users to the organization's broader networks. Network services delivered in connection with other IaaS and PaaS services. Cloud based network management services and Software Defined Networks (SDN) accessed by service contract or subscriptions. - Place of performance: Greenbelt, Maryland - County: Prince George's County (FIPS 24033). https://abierto.us/counties/prince-george-s-county-md-24033 - City: Greenbelt. https://abierto.us/cities/greenbelt-md-2434775 - First posted: January 21, 2026 - Last posted: January 22, 2026 - SAM.gov: https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/076e22e16fa34845980cd06953618f59/view ## Description National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center has a requirement for a high-performing Mars Telecommunications Orbiter (MTO). This requirement is for the full-scale development, integration, launch and on-orbit operations of an MTO, which can provide robust, continuous communications for a Mars Sample Return (MSR), future Mars surface, orbital and human explorations missions. It will support autonomous operations, onboard processing, and extended mission duration capabilities. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), officially Public Law 119-21, was signed into law by President Trump on July 4, 2025. The bill mandates NASA use a competitive process, and award a firm fixed-price contract with a U.S. commercial provider. Additionally, the OBBBA restricted the eligibility to U.S. companies that participated in NASA-funded Mars Sample Return (MSR) design studies in FY2024 or FY2025. As a result, the companies identified below are eligible to compete for the MTO requirement: Blue Origin L3Harris Lockheed Martin Northrop Grumman Rocket Lab SpaceX, Quantum Space Whittinghill Aerospace In compliance with the OBBBA, NASA/GSFC will only conduct a competition among vendors that satisfy the statutory qualifications. The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(1) as implemented by FAR 6.302- 1(a)(2) “ . . .For DoD, NASA, and the Coast Guard, this authority extends to situations where only a limited number of responsible sources can satisfy agency requirements”. Furthermore, Congress explicitly identified this specific pool of “original sources” in 51 U.S.C. 20306 (a)(1)(iii)(I). By limiting competition to this pool, NASA is fulfilling the legislative mandate while utilizing the established authority under FAR Part 6. Other firms would not comply with the specific statutory requirement imposed by the OBBBA requirements. As a result, NASA/GSFC will not consider any capability statements from other interested organizations not included in the OBBBA, nor will a capability statement be required from the statutorily identified OBBBA vendors. Oral communications will not be accepted in response to this notice. NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. The Center Ombudsman for this acquisition can be found a https://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/regs/Procurement-Ombuds-Comp-Advocate-Listing.pdf. ## Publications - January 21, 2026: Special notice, due February 5, 2025 at 2:00 PM EST. Notice 14dcf73de15f49e080033b0385cfc7a2. https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/14dcf73de15f49e080033b0385cfc7a2/view - January 22, 2026: Special notice, due February 5, 2026 at 2:00 PM EST. Notice 076e22e16fa34845980cd06953618f59. https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/076e22e16fa34845980cd06953618f59/view ## Points of contact - Alisha Mercadante, alisha.m.mercadante@nasa.gov --- Source: SAM.gov Contract Opportunities bulk extract. Confirm deadlines on SAM.gov before responding. Cite https://abierto.us/opportunities/80gsfc26mto01.