Space Power and Reactor Capabilities (SPARC) - Draft Request for Proposals (DRFP)
NASA Glenn is soliciting industry feedback on a draft procurement for space power and reactor capabilities; this is not a university grant competition and funds are expected to support contract performance, not academic research awards.
⚑ Federal contract presolicitation / draft RFP, not a grant or cooperative agreement · Applicant restrictions apply under federal contract rules; no set-aside indicated · Potential offerors should review attached draft RFP and Industry Day information · Opportunity is targeted to industry performance for SPARC space power/reactor capabilities
Unit fits — one characterization, each unit's own rules
| Tom Love Innovation Hub | 30 weak | prototyping/demonstration stage; deep-tech content |
| IPPRA | 15 none | university cannot apply directly (ineligible) |
| Physical Sciences & Engineering (demo) | 15 none | university cannot apply directly (ineligible) |
Description
Amendment 1: September 1, 2026 The Space Power and Reactor Capabilities (SPARC) Draft Request for Proposals (DRFP) is hereby amended to update the SPARC DRFP Cover Letter and add the SPARC Industry Day Information attachment. Original: August 30, 2026 The Space Power and Reactor Capabilities (SPARC) Draft Request for Proposals (DRFP) is hereby issued. Potential offerors are encouraged to review all attached documents beginning with the attachment titled SPARC Draft Request For Proposal (DRFP) Cover Letter which provides summary information regarding this posting.
Eligibility
Applicant restrictions (federal contract). Set-aside: No Set aside used. Notice type: Presolicitation. Organization: NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION / NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION / NASA GLENN RESEARCH CENTER.
Apply
Proposal brief SEE AN EXAMPLE →
A one-page internal memo: fit assessment, submission requirements, document scaffold, and next steps dated back from the deadline — tailored to your project idea if you add one.
Proposal shell · Federal (generic) conventions SEE A FEDERAL EXAMPLE →
Funder-faithful document skeletons — Federal (generic)'s document set with section headings, page limits, reviewer guidance, and writing prompts; add a project idea to get [DRAFT] starter bullets. Download as .md for Word or Overleaf.