Astrophysical Research Consortium Pre-Award FY27

This solicitation is a sole‑source pre‑award for FY27 to fund the annual membership fee that New Mexico State University’s Department of Astronomy will pay to the Astrophysical Research Consortium (ARC) for continued access to the 3.5‑m telescope at Apache Point Observatory. No product or service line items are detailed; the only requirement is that the university pays the agreed fee to ARC. The award amount totals $357,401.41, split between operations and capital support. Because it is a sole‑source award, only challenges that can demonstrate equal or greater capability may be submitted, and the university retains final judgment on any such challenge. • Funding covers FY27 (July 1 2026 – June 30 2027) for telescope access – a service‑type contract, not a product purchase. • Total contract value is $357,401.41, with $299,876.68 allocated to operations and $57,524.73 to capital. • No competitive bidding is required unless a challenger submits a justification; the deadline for challenges is 15 days after posting (by 21 July 2026). • The sole vendor is ARC; the university will pay the membership fee directly to ARC. • Primary procurement contact is Cole Collins ([email protected], (575) 914‑3744).