QGIS IMPROVEMENTS
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), under the Department of the Interior, is soliciting quotes for QGIS Improvements, specifically "Planetary Updates for QGIS." This Request for Quotation (RFQ) seeks to enhance the open-source desktop GIS application QGIS to improve its planetary support and address projection-related bugs. The opportunity is issued as RFQ 140G0326Q0054. Responses are due by March 12, 2026, at 1500 PST.
Scope of Work
The contractor will deliver code improvements to QGIS, focusing on:
- Eliminating EPSG:4326-related warnings for planetary datasets.
- Correctly setting base projection based on the first loaded planetary dataset.
- Resolving geodesic measurement tool bugs for planetary radius calculations.
- Correcting scale bar generation to reflect appropriate planetary radius.
- Enabling proper handling of planetary projection codes (+proj=IAU_2015) for WMS/WFS layers.
- Implementing support for geocentric X,Y,Z map projection (+proj=cart) in the 2D QGIS viewer (optional task).
Deliverables must be committed to the QGIS GitHub repository, compatible with current QGIS builds, developed in C/C++ or Python, and accompanied by passing unit tests.
Contract & Timeline
- Contract Type: Request for Quotation (RFQ)
- NAICS Code: 541690 (Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services) with a $16.5 Million size standard.
- Period of Performance: Estimated from award date (approx. March 23, 2026) through September 30, 2026.
- Place of Performance: Vendor's facility (remote work).
- Set-Aside: The solicitation document (SF 18 form) indicates this is NOT a Small Business Set-Aside, despite other metadata.
- Published Date: March 3, 2026.
Submission & Evaluation
Offerors must submit:
- A signed SF 18 form with firm information, line-item prices, and FAR 52.204-24/52.204-26 checkmarks/signatures.
- A technical submission detailing qualifications, experience, work plan, resumes, and published works.
- Listings of prior relevant contracts with project descriptions and two professional references.
- A firm, fixed-price quote.
- System for Award Management (SAM) UEI.
Award will be based on a tradeoff method, requiring sufficient documentation for the USGS to determine technical acceptability. Submissions must be electronic; hardcopy quotations will not be accepted.
Key Dates
- Questions Due: March 6, 2026, 1500 PST, to yangzhideng@usgs.gov.
- Responses Due: March 12, 2026, 1500 PST, to yangzhideng@usgs.gov.
Additional Notes
Incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2025-06 dated October 1, 2025. Attached documents include a Statement of Work, 889 Certification Document, and Clauses and Provisions.