Posted: Thu, Nov 6, 2003, 7:55 PM ET (0055 GMT)
NASA awarded a pair of International Space Station integration contracts Wednesday as part of a restructuring effort. NASA awarded a contract for ISS Cargo Mission services to a team led by Lockheed Martin, and a separate ISS Mission Integration Contract (MIC) to a group led by Barrios Technology, Inc. of Houston. The Cargo contract, valued at $108.5 million over its four-year, nine-month base period and $165.8 million with two one-year options, provides stowage and packaging services for NASA cargo destined to the station on the shuttle as well as European and Japanese cargo spacecraft. The MIC, values at $99.9 million over the same base period and $145.1 million with two one-year options, covers mission planning and operations for the station. The contracts are the first in a series of new contracts designed to consolidate ISS support services into a smaller number of contracts to increase efficiency and accountability. A third such contract, covering Program Integration and Control, is expected to be awarded within the next few days.
