Safety and Mission Assurance Upgrades for the production of MERINO TPS

NASA Shared Services Center, under the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, is seeking capability statements for Safety and Mission Assurance Upgrades to the MERINO TPS processing facility, with the goal of elevating operations to AS9011/Aerospace standards for the production of MERINO batting. This is a sources-sought notice under solicitation number 80NSSC934785Q, posted on June 1, 2026, with a response deadline of June 3, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. Central Standard Time. The effort is structured as a Total Small Business Set-Aside under FAR 19.5 and classified under NAICS Code 313230. All responses must reference the solicitation number in the subject line and be submitted in writing to the designated point of contact, Lindsey McLellan, at NASA Ames Research Center; oral communications are not permitted. The procurement is not a request for quote and no pricing information will be accepted at this stage. The government intends to award a sole source contract to American Felt and Filter Co. (AFFCO) under FAR 12.102(a), contingent upon the vendor meeting minimum technical gates: prior experience in fabricating flight-quality TPS and certification to ISO 9001 or better. The scope includes four deliverables—Quality and Mission Assurance Facility Improvements, Inspection System and Cutting Table Improvements, Safety and Security Improvements, and Technological Modernization & Upgrades—all scheduled for completion between June and September 2026 at the NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California. The NASA FAR Supplement Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, applies to this acquisition. Performance must align with AS9011 aerospace standards and ISO 9001 certification, and the effort will be considered complete upon successful fulfillment of all Contract Line Item Numbers outlined in the Statement of Work.