NASA opens bidding on expanded billion-dollar enterprise IT contract

NASA issued a request for proposals Friday for the next generation of its enterprise IT contract, which could be worth more than $1.5 billion.

Called Advanced Enterprise Global IT Solutions (AEGIS), the 10-year contract comes “during a period of significant transformation for NASA” and will evolve the scope of its predecessor — the NASA Integrated Communications Services (NICS) contract — to add new areas like zero trust security, data center services and cloud computing, according to the RFP.

Here’s NASA’s objective for the contract, per the RFP:

“AEGIS will continue operations and maintenance of NASA’s Communications Infrastructure through Information Technology products and services that provide assets vital to its continuing success as the world leader in aeronautics, space exploration, and scientific research; and to advance NASA’s mission to the moon, Mars, and beyond. AEGIS will include end-to-end seamless communications network and infrastructure that encompasses WAN, Center LAN, Telecommunications, Cybersecurity support, on-premises and Managed Cloud Data Center Resources, online Collaboration tools, Cable Plant, Emergency and Early Warning and Notification Systems, Telephony, and Radio systems that will maximize the use of Fixed Price Services in coordination with and approval of NASA.”

On top of this, NASA’s Office of the CIO is hoping to use the contract to move closer to modern identity and access management, particularly by increasing “the use of network automation to improve operational/change management efficiency and Cybersecurity, through Intent Based Networking (IBN) and Zero Trust Architecture.”

Details on the total value of the single-award contract aren’t crystal-clear just yet, though some analysts estimate it will be worth more than $1.5 billion based on what NASA spent under NICS. The overall deal is a hybrid of three different contract types: firm fixed price, cost plus award fee, and indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity. The IDIQ portion has a ceiling of $688 million, but the other portions will depend on the winning bid and the costs incurred during the life of the deal.

Science Applications International Corp., better known as SAIC, is the incumbent on the NICS contract. According to Bloomberg, the company has earned about $1.3 billion under NICS, which expires next May.

Bids for AEGIS are due Oct. 7. NASA will host a virtual pre-proposal conference Sept. 29 to answer questions on the RFP.