SAM #63625319bb414149990c5bcd80267e50

Sole Source Extension for NASA Kennedy EGS Program Support Services to ARES Technical Services

NASA Kennedy Space Center is issuing a sole source contract extension to ARES Technical Services for continued support of the Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) Program under the KLXS III contract. - Services required include: - Ground and launch systems integration - Systems engineering and requirements management - Verification, ground operations planning and execution for launch and recovery - Configuration management - Schedule, budget, and risk analysis - Program and mission integration - Technical, programmatic, and strategic communications - The extension is justified by the need for mission continuity during Artemis lunar missions, requiring personnel with active certifications and EGS-specific expertise - NASA will consider capability statements from other organizations to determine if a competitive acquisition is possible - No commercial products are being procured; this is for specialized support services - The period of performance is up to one year - Only ARES Technical Services is named as the vendor - Estimated contract value is not specified, but likely in the multi-million dollar range given scope and prior contract history

Description

NASA/KSC has a requirement to extend specialized expertise services in support of the Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) Program. These services support human-rated launch, recovery, and post-flight integration operations and are mission-embedded within EGS activities. The scope of required services includes, but is not limited to:

 Ground systems and launch systems integration support  Systems engineering, requirements management, and verification support  Ground operations planning and execution support for launch and recovery campaigns  Configuration management and change control  Schedule, budget, and risk analysis  Program and mission integration across EGS functional areas  Technical, programmatic, and strategic communications in support of the EGS Program Office

NASA intends to issue a modification to extend the current Kennedy Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) Program (LX) Support Services Contract - Three (KLXS III) to ARES Technical Services for a period up to one year under the authority of FAR 6.302.  This extension will enable the Government to comply with Executive Order 14369, Ensuring American Space Superiority, directive to return humans to the lunar surface no later than 2028. It also supports national priorities to ensure American leadership in space exploration by returning humans to the lunar surface before our international competitors. The interim requirement coincides with active and upcoming Artemis human spaceflight campaigns, during which Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) are characterized by elevated mission complexity, evolving processing flows, and increased integration demands. During this period, mission-embedded support is important to enable immediate support for launch, recovery, and post-flight integration activities without extended phase in periods or parallel “shadow” operations. Performance of the required services relies on personnel who possess active certifications, and indepth understanding of EGS-specific governance, safety, and operational decision-making processes, expertise developed only through direct participation in human spaceflight ground systems operations. Integration of new personnel into launch control, vehicle processing and ground operations requires significant learning, qualification and reintegration period, during which operational efficiency, schedule adherence, and risk posture may be adversely affected. Transitioning to a different contractor during active Artemis mission phases would increase operational risks and introduce potential delays at a time when mission-embedded continuity is essential to sustaining safe and timely ground systems execution.

The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial product or commercial service using FAR Part 12.

Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort electronically via email to Tara "Chele" Francisco at tara.francisco@nasa.gov no later than 4:00 PM ET on Friday August 28, 2026. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct this acquisition on competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to compete this acquisition on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government. NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. The Center Ombudsman for this acquisition can be found at https://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/regs/Procurement-Ombuds- Comp-Advocate-Listing.pdf

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