Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) Frequency Reference System (FRS) Flight

NASA/GSFC has a requirement for the design, fabrication, qualification, and delivery of flight Frequency Reference System (FRS) hardware for NASA's Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission, consisting of three Flight Models and one Flight Spare. Each FRS unit comprises two tightly coupled subsystems, the FRS optical reference cavity (FRS-O) and the FRS frequency-locking electronics (FRS-E), which together stabilize the laser frequency using a Pound-Drever-Hall lock to meet LISA's picometer-scale measurement needs, with deliveries required on an aggressive schedule between February 2029 and May 2030. Minimal post-delivery support is included.

NASA/GSFC intends to issue a sole source contract to BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems Inc. (BAE SMS) under the authority of FAR 6.103-1, to acquire the LISA FRS flight hardware. Based on a publicly issued Sources Sought Notice, only BAE SMS is capable of meeting the full FRS-O and FRS-E requirements within the fixed delivery schedule. BAE SMS possesses directly relevant flight heritage across both the FRS-O and FRS-E subsystems, including the GRACE Follow-On and GRACE-C optical cavities that are heritage to the LISA FRS-O, and it is already under contract with NASA GSFC developing mature, pre-flight LISA FRS hardware through a full Technology Readiness Level and Engineering Test Unit phase. This existing hardware baseline, combined with BAE's established relationships with the specialized suppliers of the custom, long-lead FRS components, positions BAE SMS to meet the aggressive delivery dates required for NASA system-level integration and subsequent delivery to ESA under the NASA-ESA Memorandum of Understanding. No other source possesses the hardware maturity, technical heritage, or supplier relationships to successfully meet NASA requirements. Accordingly, only one responsible source can satisfy the Government's requirements, and no other supplies or services will meet the agency's need.

The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial product or commercial service using FAR Part 12.

Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort electronically via email to stefan.d.flessa@nasa.gov not later than 4:30 PM Eastern Time on September 19, 2026. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct this acquisition on a competitive basis. A decision by the Government not to compete this acquisition on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government.

NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. The Center Ombudsman for this acquisition can be found at : https://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/regs/Procurement-Ombuds-Comp-Advocate-Listing.pdf