Network Extension for User Continuity and Sustainability (NEXUS) Ka-Band Backward-Compatible Relay Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) NextSTEP-3 Appendix E

Amendment 1 posted on 3/25/26

NASA intends to release a BAA under Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships (NextSTEP-3), Appendix E, for Project NEXUS, Ka-band Backward- Compatible Relay. As the aging Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRS) declines, NASA’s objective is to acquire an end-to-end Ka-band relay service, including space, ground, launch, integration, and operations elements, that is backward compatible with legacy TDRS users for a minimum of fifteen years. This capability is needed to support select on-orbit missions that cannot feasibly modify flight hardware or transition to non-compatible commercial services. To reduce growing continuity risk in the 2029- 2031 timeframe, industry is asked to develop and demonstrate this end-to-end capability. The BAA will be a phased competitive Research and Development (R&D) acquisition. NASA anticipates multiple initial Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) awards with progressive downselects based on demonstrated performance, technical credibility, and commercial viability. NASA does not anticipate being the sole commercial customer and anticipates proposed solutions to be supported by a broader commercial business case beyond NASA. NAICS: Phases 1–3: 541715.

NASA seeks to accelerate maturation of commercially viable capabilities through competitive research demonstrations to support transition to future operational services, while preserving full and open competition for those services. All proposed satellite orbit solutions are acceptable notwithstanding that the proposed solutions will be expected to include all elements necessary for industry to develop, deliver and sustain the end-to-end relay service capability, including, but not limited to: Space segment, associated launch services, as applicable, ground and network infrastructure, and service operations and maintenance. Accordingly, NASA may use knowledge gained through this BAA, including demonstration results, technical data, and operational insight, to inform future acquisition strategies for operational services.

Participation in this BAA does not guarantee eligibility for or award of any future procurement. NASA may also issue R&D phase-out and service transition contracts to one or more BAA participants (Phase 4) while pursuing broader competition for long-term operational services (Phase 5). Participation in this BAA does not otherwise limit eligibility for future service acquisitions. This effort is intended to support NASA’s transition to commercially provided, backward-compatible Ka-band relay services for a minimum 15-year service period. NAICS: Phases 4 & 5: 517810 (All Other Telecommunications) and/or 517410 (Satellite Communication).

BAA Synopsis:

Phase 1 (~6 months) mature proposed concepts and development plans. Multiple FFP awards are anticipated no later than September 2026.

Phase 2 (~15 months) develop capability and integrate ground and space segments. NASA anticipates option exercise for downselected contractors around February 2027.

Phase 3 (~6 months) on-orbit flight demonstration and end-to-end verification. NASA anticipates option exercise for downselected contractors around May 2028 to support a flight demonstration NLT June 2028 and verification through September 2028.

Note: NASA anticipates acquiring R&D phase-out and services transition as a Phase 4, which is a separate commercial services acquisition under FAR Parts 12 and 15. NASA anticipates theone-year ~October 2028, plus a one- year priced option to extend.

Project NEXUS BAA Acquisition Schedule:

Interested vendors may request NASA to perform vendor site visits from date of this notification, until five business days before release of the final solicitation. Vendor site visit requests are due by March 30, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. CT. No vendor site visit requests will be accepted after this date. Please submit requests electronically to: Jennifer.George@nasa.gov.

The draft solicitation release is anticipated to occur on April 10, 2026; a draft solicitation industry day is anticipated to occur on April 14, 2026, at Catalyst Campus for Technology and Innovation (Catalyst) in Colorado Springs, CO. Following the industry day presentation(s) NASA will offer private, one-on-one meetings in person at Catalyst with interested industry participants on April 14-15, 2026. Requests to meet with NASA in a one-on-one setting at Catalyst are due by March 30, 2026, at 4:00 pm CT. No requests will be accepted after this date. Please submit requests electronically to: Jennifer.George@nasa.gov.

Participation in a site visit or a one-on-one is voluntary. NASA extends this offer to all interested parties to further its market research and collaborative partnerships in advance of finalizing the solicitation.

A final BAA solicitation release is anticipated to occur on May 11, 2026. The proposal due date is anticipated to be June 2, 2026, but specific instructions will be identified in the full BAA. Set aside: None; full and open competition. No foreign offerors permitted.

This solicitation will include a Service Requirements Document (SRD) which contain ITAR-controlled technical data. The clause at NFS 1852.225-70 (Export Licenses) will be incorporated. Therefore, access to these materials is restricted to contractors with valid ITAR export clearance per NASA export-control procedures; such data will not be publicly posted on SAM.gov at any point. Interested parties wanting early access to a draft copy of this data may submit their Defense Trade Control Compliance (DTCC) letter to brooke.thornton@nasa.gov. If a contractor does not have a DTCC letter, contact brooke.thornton@nasa.gov for further guidance. Once NASA confirms clearance, access to the data will be provided..

This notification is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government pay for information solicited. This notice is not a request for proposals. Potential offerors are responsible for monitoring SAM.gov for the solicitation, amendments, and updates and for downloading all documents. NASA reserves the right to share information received in response to this notification, as necessary, and to use information submitted in NASA's formulation of a solicitation seeking competitive proposals related to initiatives described herein. NASA is not requesting competition sensitive or export-controlled data that requires protection. If it is necessary to submit competition sensitive data, that data should be clearly segregated and marked as sensitive. NASA will protect such data from public disclosure to the extent permitted under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and other laws and regulations. Additionally, any International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or Export Administration Regulations (EAR) restricted information should be appropriately labeled. Although information contained herein represents current program content and acquisition planning, it is subject to change.

NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, applies. Current Ombudsman information is available at https://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/regs/Procurement-Ombuds- Comp-Advocate-Listing.pdf.

Attachment: NEXUS_SRD_3262026_CUI-ITAR-Preview.pdf

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NASA intends to release a BAA under Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships (NextSTEP-3), Appendix E, for Project NEXUS, Ka-band Backward- Compatible Relay. As the aging Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) declines, NASA’s objective is to acquire an end-to-end Ka-band relay service, including space, ground, launch, integration, and operations elements, that is backward compatible with legacy TDRSS users for a minimum of fifteen years. This capability is needed to support select on-orbit missions that cannot feasibly modify flight hardware or transition to non-compatible commercial services. To reduce growing continuity risk in the 2029- 2031 timeframe, industry is asked to develop and demonstrate this end-to-end capability. The BAA will be a phased competitive Research and Development (R&D) acquisition. NASA anticipates multiple initial Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) awards with progressive downselects based on demonstrated performance, technical credibility, and commercial viability. NASA does not anticipate being the sole commercial customer and anticipates proposed solutions to be supported by a broader commercial business case beyond NASA. NAICS: Phases 1–3: 541715.

NASA seeks to accelerate maturation of commercially viable capabilities through competitive research demonstrations to support transition to future operational services, while preserving full and open competition for those services. All proposed satellite orbit solutions are acceptable notwithstanding that the proposed solutions will be expected to include all elements necessary for industry to develop, deliver and sustain the end-to-end relay service capability, including, but not limited to: Space segment, associated launch services, as applicable, ground and network infrastructure, and service operations and maintenance. Accordingly, NASA may use knowledge gained through this BAA, including demonstration results, technical data, and operational insight, to inform future acquisition strategies for operational services.

Participation in this BAA does not guarantee eligibility for or award of any future procurement. NASA may also issue R&D phase-out and service transition contracts to one or more BAA participants (Phase 4) while pursuing broader competition for long-term operational services (Phase 5). Participation in this BAA does not otherwise limit eligibility for future service acquisitions. This effort is intended to support NASA’s transition to commercially provided, backward-compatible Ka-band relay services for a minimum 15-year service period. NAICS: Phases 4 & 5: 517810 (All Other Telecommunications) and/or 517410 (Satellite Communication).

BAA Synopsis:

Phase 1 (~6 months) mature proposed concepts and development plans. Multiple FFP awards are anticipated no later than September 2026.

Phase 2 (~15 months) develop capability and integrate ground and space segments. NASA anticipates option exercise for downselected contractors around February 2027.

Phase 3 (~6 months) on-orbit flight demonstration and end-to-end verification. NASA anticipates option exercise for downselected contractors around May 2028 to support a flight demonstration NLT June 2028 and verification through September 2028.

Note: NASA anticipates acquiring R&D phase-out and services transition as a Phase 4, which is a separate commercial services acquisition under FAR Parts 12 and 15. NASA anticipates theone-year ~October 2028, plus a one- year priced option to extend.

Project NEXUS BAA Acquisition Schedule:

NASA site visits may occur from date of this notification, until five business days before release of the final solicitation. Site visit requests are due by March 30, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. CT. No site visit requests will be accepted after this date. Please submit requests electronically to: Jennifer.George@nasa.gov.

The draft solicitation release is anticipated to occur on April 10, 2026; a draft solicitation industry day is anticipated to occur on April 14, 2026, at Catalyst Campus for Technology and Innovation (Catalyst) in Colorado Springs, CO. Following the industry day presentation(s) NASA will offer private, one-on-one meetings in person at Catalyst with interested industry participants on April 14-15, 2026. Requests to meet with NASA in a one-on-one setting at Catalyst are due by March 30, 2026, at 4:00 pm CT. No requests will be accepted after this date. Please submit requests electronically to: Jennifer.George@nasa.gov.

Participation in a site visit or a one-on-one is voluntary. NASA extends this offer to all interested parties to further its market research and collaborative partnerships in advance of finalizing the solicitation.

A final BAA solicitation release is anticipated to occur on May 11, 2026. The proposal due date is anticipated to be June 2, 2026, but specific instructions will be identified in the full BAA. Set aside: None; full and open competition. No foreign offerors permitted.

This solicitation will include a Service Requirements Document (SRD) which contain ITAR-controlled technical data. The clause at NFS 1852.225-70 (Export Licenses) will be incorporated. Therefore, access to these materials is restricted to contractors with valid ITAR export clearance per NASA export-control procedures; such data will not be publicly posted on SAM.gov at any point. Interested parties wanting early access to a draft copy of this data may contact Jennifer.George@nasa.gov and brooke.thornton@nasa.gov. Once NASA confirms clearance, controlled access to the data will be provided via a secure system.

This notification is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government pay for information solicited. This notice is not a request for proposals. Potential offerors are responsible for monitoring SAM.gov for the solicitation, amendments, and updates and for downloading all documents. NASA reserves the right to share information received in response to this notification, as necessary, and to use information submitted in NASA's formulation of a solicitation seeking competitive proposals related to initiatives described herein. NASA is not requesting competition sensitive or export-controlled data that requires protection. If it is necessary to submit competition sensitive data, that data should be clearly segregated and marked as sensitive. NASA will protect such data from public disclosure to the extent permitted under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and other laws and regulations. Additionally, any International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or Export Administration Regulations (EAR) restricted information should be appropriately labeled. Although information contained herein represents current program content and acquisition planning, it is subject to change.

NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, applies. Current Ombudsman information is available at https://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/regs/Procurement-Ombuds- Comp-Advocate-Listing.pdf.