KBR Mission Technology Solutions has won an $8 billion, 20-year Indefinite-Delivery/Indefinite-Quantity contract from the National Science Foundation to provide science and engineering support for the U.S. Antarctic Program — one of the largest single federal contract awards of June 2026.

The contract covers operations, maintenance, logistics, and science support at all three U.S. year-round Antarctic stations: McMurdo Station on the Ross Ice Shelf, Palmer Station on the Antarctic Peninsula, and Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. KBR will also provide support at U.S. field sites across the continent and aboard vessels in the Southern Ocean.

The scope includes full-scale information technology, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity support — a significant expansion from prior contract iterations. The $8 billion ceiling reflects the 20-year period of performance beginning June 2, 2026.

The award follows a full and open competition that NSF launched in 2025. KBR displaces Leidos' Antarctic Support Contract, which had backed USAP operations since 2012. The recompete is a reminder that even well-entrenched incumbents on specialized, long-duration contracts face genuine competitive risk when programs are rebid.

For the federal services market, the win reinforces KBR's Mission Technology Solutions division as a serious player in large-scale logistics and science support — a category distinct from the IT-heavy work that dominates most GWAC discussions.

Source: KBR Press Release via GlobeNewswire