NASA has selected the Physical Science Laboratory (PSL) at New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, for the award of a contract for the operation and maintenance of scientific balloon facilities and engineering support for the NASA Scientific Balloon Program. The contract has a potential value of $238.7 million.
The new follow-on contract is for services currently being provided by contractor support at the National Scientific Balloon Facility, Palestine, Texas, and Fort Sumner, N.M., and the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Va.
The contract is for four years with two three-year options. It has a baseline value of $39.8 million and a potential value of $238.7 million. The contract is a cost-plus award fee, with indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity provisions.
PSL is to provide technical and operational services to meet the requirements of balloon flights in support of NASA’s scientific programs and reimbursable projects. This includes operational flight support for launching, tracking and recovery of scientific balloons and their payloads.
The contractor also will operate and maintain scientific balloon launching facilities. Additionally, PSL will provide engineering services to maintain and enhance technical and operational capability, and provide development and analysis support for advanced projects in the NASA Balloon Research and Development Program.
For more information on NASA’s Balloon Program see:
http://www.wff.nasa.gov/balloons