Engineering and Science Services and Skills Augmentation (ESSCA)

NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has a continuing requirement to support the engineering, scientific, and technician skills necessary to support the Engineering Directorate, Space Launch System Office, Human Exploration Development and Operations Office, Science and Technology Office, Human Landing System Program Office, and the Office of Center Operations. These activities involve supporting NASA activities and other reimbursable work for which MSFC has responsibility including Space Launch System (SLS), Human Lander System (HLS), International Space Station (ISS), Commercial Crew Program (CCP), and in support of DoD, other Governmental agencies, commercial or educational activities. NASA/MSFC intends to issue a new work modification for requirements of highly specialized services and related support to contract number 80MSFC18C0011 with Jacobs Technology Incorporated for scope increase to support Engineering Services and Science Capability Augmentation (ESSCA) Contract. NASA intends to execute a Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition increasing the contract value ceiling. This contract is a follow-on to the previous Engineering and Science Services and Skills Augmentation (ESSSA) contract and is MSFC's primary vehicle to augment the civil servant Engineering and Scientific workforce. It is a Cost-Plus Award Fee (CPAF) Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract with a four-year base period, and two, two-year options, for a total of eight years. When the requirements for the re-compete were prepared, it was projected the need for this support would steadily decline over the eight-year contract period. Additionally, support provided by this contract would allow uninterrupted engineering support for MSFC ISS continued payload flight operations and the SLS program for missions EM-1 (2018), EM-2 (2021), EM-3 (2022), and EM-4 (2023). Since the contract award, the SLS requirements have evolved and expanded, the HLS Program has emerged, and some ISS payload support was absorbed from an expiring contract. Growth in these and other Programs/Projects, along with a decline in the civil servant workforce at the Marshall Space Flight Center has resulted in a steady increase in the skills and services required from the ESSCA contract. At current projections, the $1.121B contract ceiling will be exceeded after 5 years and 6 months instead of the planned eight-year contract period. It is anticipated that this will occur approximately in April of 2023. With the Presidential directive to land American astronauts on the Moon by 2024, there are several critical milestones upcoming in the SLS and HLS Programs. The ESSCA contract provides unique and highly specialized skills and services in many areas and ESSCA personnel have developed the historical knowledge and familiarity of the SLS and HLS systems that is critical to the success of these Programs. Losing even a small portion of these specialized skills or historical knowledge due toa contract turnover prior to the completion of EM-3 (now referred to as Artemis III and scheduled for late 2024) would result in Program delays, increased Program Risk, and excessive cost to the Government due to the learning curve and knowledge capture required by new employees. With the dynamic nature and ever changing culture in the exploration of space, it is critical that the Contractor provide maximum flexibility to meet Agency and Center programmatic goals and objectives. The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12. Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort electronically via email to Andrea Tobias at andrea.b.tobias@nasa.gov not later than 2:00 p.m. CST on October 8, 2021. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this acquisition on a 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 http://prod.nais.gov/pub/pub_library/Omb.html