Hypoxia Chamber Services
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Johnson Space Center is issuing a Request for Information (RFI) for Hypoxia Chamber Services. This RFI seeks capabilities to investigate the physiological, cognitive, and clinical effects of mild hypobaric hypoxia to inform vehicle atmospheric conditions for NASA's Artemis Program and contribute data to the Aerospace Estimation Tool for Hypobaric Exposure Risk (AETHER). Responses are due by June 30, 2026.
Purpose & Scope
The primary objective is to characterize acute responses and the time course of acclimation in participants housed continuously for 7 days in a hypobaric chamber. The contractor will provide the necessary infrastructure, personnel, training, materials, foods, supplies, and operational support. Key activities include:
- Conducting two 7-day test protocols with continuous habitation in a hypobaric chamber.
- Each protocol involves 2 days of baseline testing followed by 5 days at either 7000 ft or 9500 ft.
- Recruiting and screening 6 subjects (approx. 50% female, age 30-60, good health, VO2pk >27.5 ml/kg/min).
- Performing daily data collection, including questionnaires, computer-based tasks, actigraphy, visual tests, cardiopulmonary function, ultrasound, food records, blood/urine collection, and blood volume measurements.
- Providing medical support (pre-chamber, during-test, post-chamber monitoring).
- Ensuring continuous habitation with food, water, hygiene, sleeping stations, and waste management.
Key Requirements
Responders should detail capabilities to perform blood/saliva analysis. If processing cannot be done at the chamber facility, include costs for shipping samples to JSC. The budget is firm fixed price, and quotes can include payments for interim milestone completion, with dates set by the supplier. NASA will provide Phantom plus masks; the facility must provide all other equipment. The schedule must be completed within 5 months of IRB approval. Optional work may include additional data analysis and testing for more subjects.
Contract & Timeline
- Type: Sources Sought / Request for Information (RFI)
- Set-Aside: None specified (market research)
- Response Due: June 30, 2026, 6:00 PM ET
- Published: June 18, 2026
- Place of Performance: Contractor's hypobaric chamber facility, Houston, TX
Additional Notes
This is strictly a request for information, and the Government has no obligation for award. Interested parties should provide a capabilities statement. One representative is expected to attend the Human Research Program's Investigators Workshop annually starting in 2027.