NEXT GENERATION SCALABLE DATA ENGINEERING, OPERATIONS, AND INFORMATICS SUPPORT FOR OPEN SCIENCE (NEXT GEN)

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center has awarded Development Seed, a small business based in Washington, a performance-based, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract titled NEXT GENERATION SCALABLE DATA ENGINEERING, OPERATIONS, AND INFORMATICS SUPPORT FOR OPEN SCIENCE (NEXT GEN) with a maximum potential value of $76 million. The contract, issued under solicitation number 80MSFC26D0003, is a total small business set-aside under FAR 19.5 and was selected through a best-value trade-off process that prioritized mission suitability over price. Performance is scheduled to begin with a 45-day phase-in period starting May 15, 2026, followed by a two-year base period and three one-year option periods, with a potential six-month extension under FAR 52.217-8, extending services through June 2031. Development Seed will provide scientific research and development support to the Office of Data Science and Informatics, delivering expertise in system architecture, operations and maintenance of data platforms, data curation and stewardship, and the development and deployment of artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions to enhance NASA’s science data systems. The contract employs a firm-fixed-price structure for task orders, with pricing evaluated using an Excel Pricing Model and based on a total proposed value of $54.1 million, deemed fair and reasonable. Work will be performed primarily at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, with oversight conducted by the contracting office and evaluation performed using adjectival ratings for technical approach, management, and past performance. No specific contracting officer, representative, or technical representative is named, and while the acquisition follows FAR Part 15 and NFS Part 1815, no detailed clause text, packaging requirements, invoicing systems, or accounting data are specified in the provided materials.