Venue rentals for Fermi Summer School

NASA's National Aeronautics and Space Administration Shared Services Center is seeking venue rental services for the 2026 Fermi Summer School, a scientific workshop designed to guide early-career researchers in gamma-ray astrophysics and Fermi data utilization techniques. The agency intends to issue a sole source contract under FAR 12.102(a), determining that the University of Delaware is the sole provider capable of meeting the requirement. Key contract requirements include providing facility space from May 25 to June 5, 2026, with classroom-style meeting rooms accommodating up to 35 participants, breakout spaces, wireless internet, power connections, audio/visual presentation equipment, and critically, relatively open dark spaces for portable optical and muon telescope demonstrations. Interested organizations may submit capabilities and qualifications in writing to the identified point of contact by 2:30 p.m. Central Standard Time on April 17, 2026. Submissions will be evaluated solely to determine whether the government should conduct the procurement on a competitive basis, with the final decision at the government's sole discretion.

This procurement carries no set-aside designations and is currently proposed as a sole source contract to the University of Delaware, located at 550 South College Avenue in Newark, Delaware. The contract will be classified under NAICS code 611310 (Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools) and PSC category U099 (Education/Training—Other), with performance taking place at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in support of the Fermi Summer School workshop. No specific contract value or budget range has been disclosed in the solicitation notice. The two-week venue rental period from May 25 to June 5, 2026, represents the primary service delivery timeline, with the contractor responsible for selecting and managing the facility location. Primary contact for inquiries is Cody Guidry, Procurement Specialist, with Kimberlynn Lancaster, Contracting Officer, serving as the secondary point of contact.