NASA Headquarters Earth Independent Operations (EIO) Partnerships in Anomaly - Request for Information (RFI)
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
NASA Headquarters (HQ) is conducting a Request for Information (RFI) for Earth Independent Operations (EIO) Partnerships in Anomaly. This RFI seeks information from domestic organizations on technologies, facilities, and workforce capabilities related to AI/ML methods for crew-led diagnostics and response plans during Mars missions with communication delays. A Q&A session is scheduled for February 6, 2026, at 12:00 PM EST. Responses are due by February 18, 2026, at 11:59 PM EST.
Purpose
The objective of this RFI is to gather community responses on the availability and scope of existing technologies, laboratory capabilities, and organizations with proven track records relevant to the "Anomaly Response" portfolio. NASA's Mars Campaign Office (MCO) aims to revolutionize human spaceflight operations by enabling crews to operate independently of Earth-based ground support during critical anomalies, particularly those involving significant communication delays or outages.
Scope of Work
The "Anomaly Response" portfolio focuses on advancing a cohesive set of on-board capabilities combining physics-based reasoning, knowledge-driven methods, and data-driven AI/ML. This includes:
- System Diagnostics: Anomaly detection, fault isolation, and ranking.
- Fault Hypothesis Generation: Unknown fault isolation and inference.
- Procedure Synthesis: Generating novel procedures for diagnosis, mitigation, and resolution.
- Procedure Validation: Ensuring safety and effectiveness of new procedures.
- Crew Decision Support: Providing diagnostic information and situational awareness. Technologies should be robust to limited compute, intermittent data, and complex systems, providing human-understandable rationale. NASA is interested in technologies with potential dual-use applications (e.g., aviation, energy, manufacturing).
Requested Information & Response Format
NASA is requesting capability statements addressing aspects such as:
- Title and Technical Description of the capability.
- Identification of Response Type (technology, facility, workforce, or combination).
- Relevant Anomaly Response Objectives addressed.
- Current Maturity and Existing Commercial Use Cases.
- Results from Prior Use or Testing.
- Collaboration Opportunities. Responses are limited to 10 pages, 12-point Times New Roman font, single-spaced, and must be submitted in Adobe PDF format (max 10MB). Proprietary information should be clearly marked.
Contract & Timeline
- Type: Request for Information (RFI) / Special Notice
- Set-Aside: None specified (market research stage to determine appropriate competition levels, including potential small business set-asides).
- Published: January 27, 2026
- Q&A Session: February 6, 2026, 12:00 PM EST (Microsoft Teams/Phone)
- Response Due: February 18, 2026, 11:59 PM EST
Additional Notes
This RFI is for planning purposes only and does not constitute a commitment or solicitation. It is open to US domestic entities only. Responses will be kept confidential and will not be returned. NASA will not pay for information submitted.