Jacobs JV fights for lost Arctic research contract

A joint venture led by Jacobs has lost a $260.7 million contract it held through several previous cycles to support the National Science Foundation's arctic research support efforts and is pushing back against the award to Battelle.

Jacobs Polar Services has filed a protest with the Government Accountability Office objecting to how the evaluation was conducted. 

Jacobs acquired CH2M Hill in 2017 and that deal included the joint venture, which has held the Artic Research Support and Logistics Services contract through three award cycles including the last recompete won in 2011 for an an eight-year, $325 million ceiling.

Other members of the joint venture include Polar Field Services Inc., SRI International and UMIAQ. The joint venture provides logistics, operational and other support activities for NSF research projects and facilities in Alaska, Greenland, Canada, Russia, Fennoscandia and the Arctic Ocean. Fennoscandia is the region that includes Finland, Norway, Sweden and part of Russia.

Research work falls into eight major categories – atmospheric science, oceanography, biology, earth science, glaciology, social sciences, engineering and science education.

Jacobs did not respond to a request for comment on the contract. The protest was filed Dec. 31 and a GAO decision is expected by April 9.