Almanac Support Services

The Department of the Navy Naval Supply Systems Command is seeking technical support services for the U.S. Naval Observatory's Nautical Almanac Office through a firm fixed-price purchase order. The solicitation (RFQ N0018925Q0266) requires specialized support for maintaining and updating almanac products, with a specific focus on technical expertise in astronomical information systems. The government intends to award the contract exclusively to Dr. George H. Kaplan, who is considered the sole source due to his unique qualifications in legacy algorithms and astronomical software development. Potential offerors must submit their responses via SAM.gov by 2:00 PM EST on May 12, 2025, with any questions due by 2:00 PM EST on May 8, 2025. The primary evaluation criteria appear to center on the contractor's ability to provide highly specialized technical support, knowledge transfer, and subject matter expertise in nautical almanac production.

The contract is not set aside for any specific business category and is classified under NAICS code 541990 for Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, with a business size standard of $19.5 million. The period of performance spans 12 months, with a base year from May 22, 2025, to May 21, 2026, and an option year from May 22, 2026, to May 21, 2027. The place of performance is located in Washington, DC 20392. While specific award values are not explicitly detailed, the contract will require the selected contractor to perform tasks including staff training, knowledge process documentation, knowledge transfer sessions, and providing technical reports related to astronomical information products. Dr. George Kaplan is anticipated to be the sole contractor, leveraging his proprietary knowledge of USNO processes and extensive experience with critical software libraries like NOVAS and STELLA.