CLEVELAND - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Glenn Research Center in Cleveland is seeking industry input for studies on ceramic matrix composite manufacturing and open-fan propulsion flight demonstrations intended to support development of next-generation subsonic aircraft technologies.
Officials with NASA in Washington issued a sources-sought notice requesting capability statements for the potential Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) Manufacturing Study and Open Fan Flight Demonstration Study. Responses will help determine the level of competition and potential small-business set-asides for future procurements.
Both studies would support a newly established effort called the Subsonic Vehicles Technologies and Tools (SVTT) Project, part of NASA’s Advanced Air Vehicles Program. The SVTT initiative consolidates technology development elements from three earlier NASA efforts: Revolutionary Vertical Lift Technology Project, Advanced Air Transport Technology Project, and Hybrid Thermally Efficient Core Project. The program is intended to accelerate the introduction of advanced aircraft and propulsion technologies across multiple classes of subsonic vehicles.
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The CMC manufacturing study would examine methods for rapid and affordable production of high-temperature ceramic matrix composites with environmental barrier coatings. These materials are increasingly used in aircraft engine hot-section components because they can withstand higher temperatures and weigh less than conventional metal alloys. NASA says the study will define manufacturing requirements, risks, and a technology roadmap for scalable production of advanced CMC components.
The second effort would analyze requirements for a potential open-fan propulsion flight demonstration. Open-fan engine concepts promise significant reductions in fuel consumption for single-aisle commercial aircraft, but NASA says integrated aerodynamic, acoustic, and structural effects remain difficult to model using ground and wind-tunnel testing alone. The study would evaluate the feasibility, scope, and certification considerations for a flight test intended to validate performance, noise, and operational characteristics.
NASA is requesting capability statements from interested organizations to help determine acquisition strategy and potential small-business participation. Possible set-aside categories under consideration include small business, 8(a), women-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, economically disadvantaged women-owned small business, and HUBZone firms.
Companies interested in responding should submit capability statements referencing notice 80GRC026R0002 by email to Claude David of NASA no later than 20 March 2026 at 5 p.m. Eastern. They can be reached via email at [email protected]. More information is available at https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/c89b42a7d82a4d80a12085673bc073bc/view.
