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
