Definitive Contract HSCG2306CMMS065

The U.S. Coast Guard awarded a definitive firm fixed-price contract to the Smithsonian Institution's Office of Sponsored Projects for the operation of the National Ballast Water Information Clearinghouse. The contract, valued at $11.8M, was awarded on September 8, 2006, with an ultimate completion date of September 30, 2011. Work was performed in Edgewater, Maryland. This contract represents the Smithsonian's role in supporting federal environmental and maritime regulatory objectives through scientific data management and information services, leveraging the institution's extensive research and technical capabilities.

The contract carried no set-aside designation, reflecting the Smithsonian Institution's unique and specialized qualifications to operate the clearinghouse. As the world's largest museum, research, and education complex, the Smithsonian demonstrated the necessary expertise to manage comprehensive ballast water information systems—critical to the Coast Guard's regulatory oversight of vessel ballast water management practices, which are essential for preventing the spread of invasive aquatic species across U.S. waterways. The National Ballast Water Information Clearinghouse serves as a centralized repository for ballast water data and compliance information supporting maritime environmental protection initiatives.