RS Information Systems, Inc. (RSIS) has a major role on a team chosen by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) to perform a broad range of information technology, science and engineering management services.
Ron Trowbridge, RSIS Executive Vice President, said the contract calls for more than 300 scientists, engineers and administrative staff to support virtually all aspects of GSFC’s Science and Exploration Directorate. It includes areas as diverse as atmospheric modeling, developing new technologies for scientific instrumentation, developing software applications, computer systems management, and educational outreach.
More than 100 of the positions will be filled by RSIS staff, Trowbridge said.
“Our commitment to GSFC includes structured processes, state-of-the-art management tools and an emphasis on innovation that results in savings,” Trowbridge said.
The contract, named Sciences and Exploration Data Analysis II (SESDA II), runs for five years and is valued at $221 million. The prime contractor is ADNET Systems, Inc. a small business based in Rockville, Md. RSIS and Honeywell Technology Solutions, Inc. (HTSI) are major subcontractors.
Rodney P. Hunt, RSIS President and CEO, noted that RSIS brings large-scale business capabilities and resources to support SESDA II. With nearly 1,800 staff professionals and revenues exceeding $360 million in 2005, RSIS is the 35th largest federal technology services contractor. It has provided substantial science and engineering support to Glenn Research Center in Cleveland and NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., in addition to Goddard, in Greenbelt, Md.
“The three companies form a strong team equipped with the resources and assets to accommodate all levels of support, from assisting users for individually managed machines to more robust and integrated systems management techniques for complex computing environments,” Hunt said.
Goddard Space Flight Center is home to the nation’s largest organization of combined scientists and engineers dedicated to learning and sharing their knowledge of the Earth, solar system, and Universe.
The mission of the Goddard Space Flight Center is to expand knowledge of the Earth and its environment, the solar system and the universe through observations from space. To assure that the United States maintains leadership in this field, GSFC is committed to excellence in scientific investigation, the development and operation of space systems and the advancement of essential technologies.
In pursuit of this challenge, the Center conducts a preeminent program of research in the space and Earth science disciplines using measurements from space complemented by suborbital, ground-based and laboratory measurements and by theoretical investigations.
"We're excited about the innovative approaches the team is bringing to the SESDA contract," said Dr. Richard August, Vice President, RSIS Science and Engineering Division. "All three teammates have worked together in the past, and bring technical expertise and experience in science-driven IT applications, earth science, and space systems engineering. The SESDA contract greatly expands RSIS' core competencies in earth science and complements our other Goddard and NOAA contracts."
Dr. Terry Tarbell, the RSIS Business Development Vice President whose marketing focus is NASA and NOAA, said proven, structured processes are a significant part of the RSIS contribution to TEAM ADNET. “ISO 9001:2000 certified practices, a corporate Quality Improvement Office and an established Web-accessible ‘Birds of a Feather’ knowledge-sharing process have all been made available to Goddard Space Flight Center from day one of our contract and at no direct cost,” Tarbell said.
