National Aeronautics and Space Administration Government Contracts — Contractor Guide
Researched by the BidStride Research Team
NASA is one of the most technically demanding federal buyers, contracting for spacecraft, launch vehicles, scientific instruments, IT systems, and research services. NASA's major centers include Johnson Space Center (human spaceflight), Kennedy Space Center (launch), Goddard Space Flight Center (scientific missions), Jet Propulsion Laboratory (planetary science), and Glenn Research Center (propulsion and power). NASA has strong small business programs including SBIR and a robust prime contractor ecosystem.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration awards approximately $20B+ in contracts annually with a 23% small business contracting goal. Typical contract types used include CPFF, IDIQ, FFP, SBIR/STTR, OTA. All NASA solicitations above the simplified acquisition threshold are posted on SAM.gov.
$20B+
23%
of prime contract dollars
Key Procurement Offices
National Aeronautics and Space Administration contracting is distributed across these offices and commands. Target your business development toward the offices most aligned with your capabilities, and build relationships before solicitations are released.
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
- NASA Johnson Space Center
- NASA Kennedy Space Center
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
- Glenn Research Center
Top NAICS Codes — NASA Contracting
These NAICS codes appear most frequently in National Aeronautics and Space Administration solicitations. Ensure your SAM.gov registration includes the codes matching your services.
Small Business Goals — NASA
National Aeronautics and Space Administration has a statutory small business prime contracting goal of 23% of annual contract dollars. This applies across all socioeconomic categories including 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, and SDVOSB.
Ensure your certifications are current on SAM.gov to qualify for set-aside competitions. Contracting officers are required by law to first consider whether requirements can be met by small businesses before opening competition to all offerors.
Key Regulations — NASA Contracts
Contractors bidding on National Aeronautics and Space Administration contracts should understand these regulations and clauses. Review them before submitting any proposal.
Always verify applicable clauses in the actual solicitation. Clause applicability depends on contract type, value, and specific program requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions — NASA Contracting
NASA's SBIR/STTR program is the primary entry point for small innovative companies. Phase I awards up to $150K allow companies to validate concepts aligned with NASA technology needs. Phase II awards up to $3M fund prototype development. Beyond SBIR, small businesses can subcontract with NASA prime contractors. NASA also uses the SEWP, 8(a) STARS, and CIO-SP3 contract vehicles for IT needs.
NASA Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) is a government-wide acquisition contract (GWAC) managed by NASA for IT products and services. SEWP is used by hundreds of federal agencies — not just NASA — and represents billions in annual IT spend. Getting on SEWP gives you access to customers across the entire federal government, not just NASA.
Beyond spacecraft and launch services, NASA contracts heavily for IT modernization, data analytics (NASA generates enormous scientific datasets), ground system operations, facility management at its centers, workforce training, and administrative services. Johnson Space Center alone has hundreds of millions in service contracts annually for mission support.
NASA publishes an annual acquisition forecast on its procurement website showing upcoming contracts by center, estimated value, and anticipated NAICS codes. This forecast is updated throughout the year and is essential for advance business development planning. Reaching out to NASA small business specialists six to twelve months before a solicitation is released significantly increases your chances of being on their radar.
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