# CAPACITY ON A UHF-CAPABLE ON-ORBIT MEO SATELLITE

Canonical: https://abierto.us/opportunities/rfirjzx2026rapid

- Solicitation number: RFI-RJZX-2026-RAPID
- Notice type: Sources sought
- Status: Closed. Deadline was August 10, 2026 at 4:00 PM EDT
- Department: Department of the Air Force
- Agency: Department of the Air Force
- Contracting office: FA9453 AFRL RVK (FA9453)
- NAICS: 517410 Satellite Telecommunications
- Product or service code: DG11 Telecom access and other usage billing services. Includes satellite communications access, internet, cellular services, landline and telephone services. Transport services for data and voice network circuits and associated access facilities and services; includes dedicated and virtual data networks.
- Place of performance: Albuquerque, New Mexico
- First posted: July 10, 2026
- Last posted: August 5, 2026
- SAM.gov: https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/07c3d8466d714adf8b4512e356773526/view

## Description

This Request for Information (RFI) is focused on obtaining access to bandwidth carried by a commercially owned, commercially operated UHF-capable on-orbit MEO satellite for use in a near-term experimental campaign to:

Characterize spectrum, waveform, and user equipment operation with a MEO UHF system Demonstrate interoperability between a potential future MEO UHF system and the existing GEO constellation Inform a time-sequenced pathway to augment or replace the GEO UHF system with a MEO capability The offeror should consider technology solutions that prioritize existing space vehicle, payload and communications link capabilities to provide on-orbit service immediately or as soon as possible.

An Initial Launch Capability (ILC) by 2030 is potentially useful, but innovative approaches leading to earlier on-orbit capability are strongly desired. The Government recognizes that this initial prototype may not be fully representative of a final, future architecture, but rather represents an initial step to explore providing UHF services from MEO.

AMENDMENT 1 (23 Jul 2026) The following changes are hereby made to the above announcement: Corrects the uplink and downlink frequency bands in Section 4.0.a.i The attachment entitled "pMEO Demo Request for Information_FINAL 10 Jul 26" is removed in its entirety and replaced with "pMEO Demo Request for Information_AMEND1 23 Jul 26". All other RFI content and due dates remain unchanged. Refer to the attachment entitled "pMEO Demo Request for Information_AMEND1 23 Jul 26" for full details.

## Publications

- July 10, 2026: Sources sought, due August 10, 2026 at 4:00 PM EDT. Notice 0ed938495ecd44419498f8f8f82a546b. https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/0ed938495ecd44419498f8f8f82a546b/view
- July 24, 2026: Sources sought, due August 10, 2026 at 4:00 PM EDT. Notice 551c63dd2d334cbea66d8028f30ca737. https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/551c63dd2d334cbea66d8028f30ca737/view
- July 28, 2026: Sources sought, due August 10, 2026 at 4:00 PM EDT. Notice e6c278e1e5db47f8968178cf4d52164a. https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/e6c278e1e5db47f8968178cf4d52164a/view
- August 5, 2026: Sources sought, due August 10, 2026 at 4:00 PM EDT. Notice 07c3d8466d714adf8b4512e356773526. https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/07c3d8466d714adf8b4512e356773526/view

## Points of contact

- Paola Sanchez-Medina, paola.sanchez-medina@spaceforce.mil
- DeAnna R. Salazar, deanna.salazar@us.af.mil

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Source: SAM.gov Contract Opportunities bulk extract. Confirm deadlines on SAM.gov before responding. Cite https://abierto.us/opportunities/rfirjzx2026rapid.