KBR (NYSE:KBR) announced today its Mission Technology Solutions business has been awarded an $8 billion ceiling Antarctic Science and Engineering Support Contract (ASESC) by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). This single award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) task order hybrid contract will have a 20-year period of performance beginning in June 2026. The NSF-led U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP) operates three year-round stations and numerous research camps in Antarctica — Earth's highest, driest, coldest, windiest and most remote continent.

The NSF plays a critical role in national security by funding foundational research in critical technologies, securing digital infrastructure and protecting the U.S. research ecosystem from foreign interference. By operating three year-round stations (including Amundsen-Scott at the South Pole and McMurdo on the coast), USAP maintains a visible U.S. foothold, preventing the region from being exploited for military or economic dominance by adversaries. 

Under the terms of this contract, KBR will provide full-scale operations, maintenance, logistics and science support in Antarctica and aboard ships in the Southern Ocean. The contract includes the following types of support:

  • The KBR Antarctica team will support all scientific missions and experiments at the three U.S. stations on the continent (McMurdo, Palmer and South Pole) as well as at all U.S. field sites across the continent.
  • KBR will provide global logistical operations across USAP's gateways and port locations, including cold chain handling of scientific samples from Antarctica back to key U.S. laboratories.
  • KBR will deliver full-scale information technology, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity support for USAP locations in the U.S. and all three stations in Antarctica.