NASA opens bidding for $1.8B engineering support contract

NASA has released the final solicitation for the second iteration of a potential $1.9 billion engineering and scientific support services contract vehicle.

The Engineering Services and Science Capability Augmentation II contract is a vehicle designed to give NASA the flexibility to bring on more technical capabilities as needed. The Marshall Space Flight Center runs the procurement, but it is not tied to one specific mission.

NASA uses the vehicle quickly bring on engineering support without going through a lengthy procurement process.

Amentum inherited the contract through its 2023 acquisition of parts of Jacobs, which won the current iteration in 2017.

The incumbent contract expires in 2027 and NASA has awarded $1.8 billion in task order volume to-date, according to Deltek data.

Solicitation documents released Monday outline how the contract supports a variety of missions such as space launch systems, the Artemis program, sustainment of the International Space Station, human landing systems and future deep space mission,

The contract requires the prime maintain technical skills in 12 major areas such as flight mechanics, trajectory design, avionics, flight software, materials, optics and propulsion systems.

Bidders will need to include in their proposals details on the management plan, small business plan, organizational conflict-of-interest plan, technology and process improvement plan, and IT security capabilities.

Mission suitability is the most important factor in picking a winner, followed by past performance. Cost is the least important factor, meaning that a higher price could win if its technical scores are high enough.

Under mission suitability, NASA will look at the technical management approach. That is worth up to 450 points, Workforce compensation is next at 400 points, then small business at 150 points.

Proposals are due March 11 and NASA expects to make an award later this year.