10 MR556A4 rifles as scoped and designed for the GRC Office of Protective Services

This Request for Quotation (RFQ 80NSSC26938178Q), issued by the NASA Shared Services Center on behalf of the Glenn Research Center (GRC) Office of Protective Services, seeks competitive quotes for ten brand-name MR556A4 rifles, scoped and designed to specific operational requirements. This procurement is designated as a 100% small business set-aside under NAICS code 332994. To be considered for an award, offerors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM), provide proof of manufacturer pricing, and confirm authorization to resell the specified items. Delivery terms are FOB Destination. Quotes and any technical or contractual questions must be submitted electronically to Sara Jusino-Terry at SARA.A.JUSINO-TERRY@NASA.GOV. Clarifying questions are due by July 24, 2026, and final quotes must be received by July 28, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. CT. Quotes must remain valid for at least 30 days. The contract will be awarded on a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) basis to a responsible offeror whose submission conforms to all solicitation requirements. The resulting contract will be a firm-fixed-price order subject to standard commercial terms, export control laws (ITAR/EAR), and federal representation and certification clauses.

This NASA Shared Services Center document is a Brand Name Justification recommending the procurement of ten Heckler & Koch MR556A1 (referred to as MR556A4/MRA4) rifles from PAI Defense for the Glenn Research Center (GRC) Office of Protective Services (OPS). The total estimated cost for this acquisition is $41,827.60, with a delivery deadline of September 30, 2026. Following a comprehensive six-month evaluation, NASA GRC OPS and NASA Headquarters determined that the HK MR556A1 platform is the only rifle that fully satisfies the agency's operational, safety, and standardization requirements. Key technical justifications include the rifle's proven reliability under extreme conditions, compatibility with existing NASA armorer tools, maintenance protocols, and training curricula, and its superior performance compared to alternatives like the Colt M5. Additionally, the rifle features a lifetime barrel warranty. PAI Defense is the recommended vendor due to its specialized expertise with NASA OPS requirements, established logistics infrastructure, and successful history of supplying this platform to multiple NASA centers. Procuring a different brand or utilizing another vendor would jeopardize the project's tight funding timeline, risk the forfeiture of allocated funds, and require restarting the extensive six-month evaluation and approval process.