The Rapid Spacecraft Development Office (RSDO) is responsible for the management and direction of a dynamic and versatile program directing the definition, competition, and acquisition of multiple Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts. These contracts offer NASA and any other United States Government Agency extremely fast procurement of spacecraft and payload space for future missions. The RSDO staff will guide you through the process of meeting your mission objectives with our contracts.

The philosophy of RSDO is to encourage missions to define the Payload/Instrument(s) to the maximum extent prior to the selection of the spacecraft. The short acquisition time (30 to 90 days) allows more time for instrument development and requirement maturation. Since mission "requirements creep" is based on requirements uncertainty, and is often a reason for cost overruns, the RSDO approach allows for mitigation of the cost risk.

By utilizing previously developed spacecraft (with modifications), the RSDO approach allows for mitigation of technical risk and allows concentration of technical assets on the areas of the mission unique modifications. All vendors have demonstrated success in building spacecraft and have controlled processes (ISO-9001). The government retains access to all project documentation and has full insight into the product being delivered, and the buyers are encouraged to "team" with the spacecraft provider.

The RSDO acquisition process (solicitation to award) nominally takes 30 to 90 days. In certain circumstances, this process can be performed in one month. A typical, traditional spacecraft acquisition is a 1 to 1½ year process. Furthermore, since Rapid spacecraft involve less development, the contract period of performance averages 24-30 months and culminates in delivery in orbit. In two instances, contract period has been less than one year. Even today, traditional procurements have a period of performance of 3-5 years.

The RSDO can competitively award a spacecraft bus from among the Rapid II vendors within 30 to 90 days. Standard services in the Rapid II contract include: spacecraft build and test, integration and test of the payload(s), support to launch site operations, support to early orbit operations, and on-orbit acceptance. Standard terms of the contract can be modified on individual delivery orders under some circumstances, please check with the RSDO. The RSDO can also offer initial assessments of expected price range and arrange for other spacecraft related services and deliverables; such as accommodation assessment reports and in special circumstances mission critical parts. The RSDO charges a small fee for spacecraft delivery orders, to recover cost of operations.