HADES (Hybrid Architecture and Development for Experimental Systems)

Set aside status and Schedule Update - 21 November 2025

This acquisition will be a Full and Open competition

Based on the Government shutdown, the schedule for this acquisition will be delayed. As of now, we are working towards a Draft RFP release before end of December 2025 pending other approvals and actions necessary to have a draft ready for release and industry comment. With the delay of the draft RFP, our final RFP will also be delayed. We anticipate the earliest timeframe for the final RFP will be end of February 2026. This updated schedule is notional and is subject to change. Please continue to check this Sam.Gov page for further updates.

Industry Day slides posted. 28 August 2025

Industry Day Update:

The Space Systems Command (SSC) Innovation and Prototyping Delta (SZI), Prototype Ground Development and Sustainment Branch (SZIG) at Kirtland Air Force Base, NM is holding an Industry Day to discuss plans for the Hybrid Architecture and Development for Experimental Systems (HADES) follow-on contract. 

The HADES Industry Day objective is to provide information on the acquisition/contract strategy, allow for general questions, conduct one-on-one (breakout) sessions, and provide a tour of the Research, Development Test and Evaluation Support Complex (RSC), as requested.

The Industry Day will be held on Tuesday August 19th and Wednesday August 20th 2025.  A general session will be held on August 19th from 0830hrs to 1200hrs to present overview information about the program.  Contractors may request an optional half-hour breakout session between contractor and government representatives for this effort as well as their preference for a tour of the RSC. The breakout sessions, as well as the RSC will be scheduled from 1330hrs to 1600hrs on August 19th and between 0800hrs to 1600hrs on August 20th.

The location for Industry Day is:

Building 414, Conference Room 3

3548 Aberdeen Ave SE

Kirtland AFB, NM 87117

USA (See Attached Map)

Submit all inquiries and responses to the POCs listed above.

RSVPs are due No Later Than (NLT) 1600 MDT 5 August 2025 and should include: name, nationality, security clearance and title of all attendees, contact info for the POC, your preference for the RSC tour, and whether attendees wish to schedule an individual breakout session between their company and the government. Thirty-minute time slots for interested attendees will be scheduled as indicated above, so RSVPs should also mention any time constraints.  During the one-on-ones, the Government would like prospective offerors to discuss their capabilities in meeting the HADES program requirements, any teaming arrangements being considered, and how strongly they are considering submitting a proposal in response to the future posting of the HADES RFP. 

We must ask that you limit your party’s attendance to no more than 3 people per company due to the conference room size and occupancy restrictions. 

Slides will be available after Industry Day upon request.

Base Access:

Attending industry day does require base access. If your representatives do not have base access, they will need to obtain a short-term pass by filling out the form here: https://www.kirtland.af.mil/Portals/52/VisitorForm.pdf which needs to be submitted to the Visitor Center at the Truman Gate by a sponsor not earlier than three days prior to the visit date. We can sponsor attendees, if no one else within the company has base access and the ability to sponsor, but they must coordinate with us by 8/13/2025 to arrange a time to get your short-term pass before 8/19/2025. We will be unable to sponsor attendees on the day of the industry day. For more information on short-term passes see https://www.kirtland.af.mil/Units/377th-Air-Base-Wing/377th-SFG/ .

Please see the attached “Contents of a Visit Request” and “DISS Visit Request Form” as each attendee will have to submit this form in order to attend the Industry Day.

The information contained herein is based on the best information available at the time of publication, is subject to revision, and is not binding on the Government. The Government will not recognize any costs associated with submission of information in response to this notice. NAICS 541715, size standard 1,000 employees applies for this proposed acquisition.

Original Sources Sought:

The Space Systems Command (SSC) Innovation and Prototyping Delta (SZI), Prototype Ground Development and Sustainment Branch (SZIG) at Kirtland Air Force Base, NM, supports the United States Space Force’s (USSF) Research and Development Space and Missile Operations (RDSMO) program requirements. SSC/SZI’s mission statement is to operate and sustain an affordable Ground System Enterprise (GSE) for Research & Development and demonstration missions; develop innovative solutions to reduce ground system costs; build and support ground system instantiations; develop, operate, and maintain multiple security classification levels and external interfaces with multiple instantiations to support the operational environment; perform Cyber Defense across multiple missions, security levels and baselines; support different types of operations ranging from R&D efforts and prototypes to operational efforts. 

RDSMO program develops, acquires, delivers, integrates, tests, sustains, and operates tactical space Command and Control (C2) architectures from several ground stations (including government, commercial, and a local Kirtland station) through various networks connected within the RSC. The Rendezvous and Proximity (REPR) Operations Floor is one of the multi-mission operations environments capable of supporting space programs at various classification levels. SZIG’s current operational capabilities include: Common User Equipment (CUE&COMM), the Research, Development, Test & Evaluation Support Complex (RSC), and Jaguar. 

The main objectives for the contemplated HADES contract is to provide a seamless continuation of the support provided through the EDIS 2020 contract and to support current and future operations.  

The contemplated HADES Contract provides ground operations (systems engineering, integration and sustainment) and development support and services in support of SSC/SZIG’s mission directives.  The current EDIS 2020 contract is with (SAIC).  The last ordering period of this IDIQ contract ends 09 February 2027.  SSC/SZI intends to solicit for a 5 year follow-on contract for a continuation of the type of support provided through the EDIS 2020 contract.  The follow-on contract will include a transition period.  Note, the resultant HADES contract may contain an organizational conflict of interest clause and an associate contractor clause.   

The Government believes to minimize the most critical performance risks on the HADES contract, the selected contractor must provide the following: 

1)  Sufficient resources to seamlessly transition from the EDIS 2020 contract to the HADES contract.   

2)  High level qualifications, experience, and abilities to continue the development and sustainment of the GSE, which includes, but is not limited to, CUE&COMM, the RSC, and Jaguar. 

3)  Sufficient staffing, program management, and resources to support all requirements under the contract, to include the ability to maintain efficiencies while adjusting to changes in missions.    

The HADES Program Objectives are posted with this Sources Sought (SS) in the attached Statement of Objectives (SOO).  This additional information should be helpful in better understanding the requirements of the HADES program and in responding to this SS. 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION: 

SSC/SZI requests interested sources who can meet the HADES program requirements respond to this synopsis by providing a written Statement of Capability (SOC) that follows the outline of information requested below. Responses to this SS must be received via email to the primary and secondary contacts listed in this posting by the response date. Please limit your SOC to 10 pages and provide digital copy (in PDF) written in MS Word format, with font size no less than 11pt, and margins no less than 1 inch. 

All potential offerors shall include company size status under North American Industry Classification System NAICS 541715 – Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology).

Please describe the following in the SOC:  

Executive Summary 

1. Company’s capabilities that apply to this SS. 

2. Work performed under contracts with requirements similar to the HADES program. 

3. Your capability to transition this type of work from an incumbent, preferably using current or recent contracts as examples. 

4. Experience as a Prime contractor on a similar contract. 

5. Interest in prime or sub opportunities. 

6. The primary risks and cost drivers associated with this effort and why? 

Engineering 

1. Your experience and roles played in engineering of space vehicle or satellite ground systems functions.  

2. Types of open service-oriented, cloud architectures used, and level of experience. 

3. Types and complexity of engineering solutions using Commerical Off The Shelve (COTS) components. 

Development 

1. Your experience and roles played in development of ground systems functions. 

2. Software development and system integration processes used and how applied.  

3. Types and complexity of engineering solutions using developed components. 

4. Types and complexity of integrated capability.  

Sustainment 

1. Your experience and roles played in the sustainment of ground systems functions.  

Management 

1. Your experience and roles played in the management of activities supporting ground systems functions. 

2. Ability to manage resources (personnel and material) in response to frequent changes in cost and schedule.

3. Ability to work in a classified environment and obtain security clearances at various levels. 

4. Ability to recruit, hire, train, and retain personnel in the Albuquerque, NM area. 

Submit only unclassified information.  All information should be non-proprietary information if possible.  If proprietary information is deemed essential, all proprietary information should be clearly marked and associated restrictions on Government use identified.   

Again, this synopsis is not a formal solicitation.  The Government will not award a contract on the basis of this synopsis, or to otherwise pay for the information solicited herein. 

Note:  Both Government and contractor personnel will be used for SOC evaluation.  If proprietary information is deemed essential, Non-Disclosure Agreements will be executed.   

SMALL BUSINESS CONSIDERATION 

1. The pertinent NAICS code for this announcement is 541715 
2. Any business, regardless of size, in this area of expertise is encouraged to provide a response to this sources sought.  Responses from small and small disadvantaged businesses are highly encouraged and the Government encourages teaming/partnering. 
3. This requirement involves data that are subject to export control requirements under the Arms Export Control Act (Department of State) or the Export Administration Regulations (Department of Commerce). Interested parties desiring to do business with the Space Force shall be registered in the DoD Central Contractor Registry with a CAGE code. 

ENSURING COMMERCIAL, COST-EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS IN FEDERAL CONTRACTS

Government agencies shall procure commercially available products and services, including those that can be modified to fill agencies’ needs, to the maximum extent practicable, including pursuant to the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-355, as amended) (FASA). The Government requests that you indicate on yoru submission if you provide same or similiar services on the commercial market and would deem your services commercial.