NASA Launch Services (NLS III) Contract

The NASA Launch Services (NLS III) Contract is a multiple-award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) agreement designed to secure launch services for NASA's high-value uncrewed spacecraft, including scientific and exploration missions. This contract is structured as a total small business set-aside under the Small Business Administration guidelines, ensuring that all awardees are small businesses as defined by the SBA, with the NAICS code 336414 indicating the industry focus on spacecraft manufacturing and launch services. The contract is administered by the Kennedy Space Center under the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and is intended to support the timely and cost-effective delivery of launch capabilities for critical missions that require specialized vehicles and precise orbital insertion. The contract supports missions throughout NASA’s science and exploration portfolio, with launch services to be provided from various ranges and locations, with the primary place of performance left undetermined (TBD) to accommodate mission-specific requirements. The procurement is managed through a point of contact at the Kennedy Space Center, with Robert A. Stute serving as the primary liaison and Natalie B. Colvin designated as the Small Business Specialist to assist small business participants. Although solicitation details are not yet available, the forecast posting on April 1, 2028, signals the agency’s intent to issue the solicitation in the near future, providing interested small businesses with an opportunity to compete for a share of this long-term, high-priority launch services program.