Battelle challenges KBR’s $8B Antarctica contract win
The Camara Research Base on Half Moon Island in Antarctica. Gettyimages.com/Nigel Killeen
By
Nick Wakeman
The protester claims the National Science Foundation did not account for the potential impacts of KBR’s planned spinoff of its government business.
Battelle is challenging an $8 billion award that KBR won to manage the National Science Foundation’s Antarctic research operations.
The 20-year contract covers the operations of three year-round stations, two research vessels and several other research camps at the bottom of the planet.
The NSF picked KBR in a competition with three other bidders. KBR will take over the contract from Leidos, which decided not to compete for the contract again.
Battelle was one of three companies that competed with KBR for the contract. In its protest, the company argues that NSF did not take into consideration KBR’s plan to spin off its government business into a new entity.
Battelle claims NSF's evaluation of the KBR bid apparently did not weigh the impact of the spinoff on the company’s ability to manage the massive contract. Battelle is also arguing NSF made errors in how it evaluated proposals.
The Antarctic Science and Engineering Support Contract is massive and includes running the stations and research facilities. NSF also uses the contract to ensure the health, safety and security of researchers, workers and visitors to Antarctica.
The NSF-led U.S. Antarctic Program has been active since 1959 in operating three year-round stations, two research vessels and several other research camps across the region.
GAO is expected to rule on the protest by Sept. 21.
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