R--Information Technology (IT) Security Support Services (ITSSS)

This contract is a sole-source, firm-fixed-price bridge agreement under GSAR 538.7104-3(b)(iii) to ensure uninterrupted IT Systems Security Support Services for the National Human Genome Research Institute at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. The award is made to Richard S. Carson & Associates, Inc. as the incumbent contractor, leveraging its established institutional knowledge and prior performance under the expiring contract GS-35F-274DA to prevent mission-critical service gaps during NIH’s ongoing IT consolidation. The performance period spans twelve months, from April 13, 2026, to April 12, 2027, with no options for extension, and all work is to be conducted on-site at the NIH/NHGRI facility. The scope includes continuous support for Security Assessment and Authorization, Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation, incident response, compliance with FISMA 2014, and alignment with NIH’s Information Security Program, including configuration and patch management and Identity, Credential, and Access Management modernization. The justification emphasizes that any interruption in services could result in an estimated $2.6 million risk exposure from potential security breaches, making continuity imperative. Although the contract follows the GSA Multiple Award Schedule structure, no line-item pricing, CLINs, or detailed cost breakdowns are disclosed. The acquisition does not include evaluation factors, competitive procedures, or formal inclusion of FAR clause language. Personnel are expected to hold at least Public Trust clearance due to access requirements. The contract explicitly terminates on April 12, 2027, and future requirements will be competed after NIH finalizes its IT strategy, anticipated by summer 2026, with a mandatory two-month transition window for knowledge transfer. No socioeconomic certifications, unique entity identifiers, or formal representations from the contractor are provided. Payment details, contracting officer or COTR information, and invoicing systems are unspecified, though the work is administered by the NIH Office of Acquisitions through the HHS Department.