IGF::OT::IGF THE NASA SPACE COMMUNICATIONS AND NAVIGATION (SCAN) PROGRAM IS DEVELOPING THE NEXT GENERATION OPEN ARCHITECTURE FOR CIVILIAN SPACE COMMUNICATIONS AND NAVIGATION. THE FUTURE ARCHITECTURE AND SYSTEM COMPONENTS MUST BE FLEXIBLE TO MEET DYNAMICALLY CHANGING NEEDS BETWEEN INVESTMENTS IN OPERATIONS (E.G., TO LOWER COST) AND DEVELOPMENT (.E., TO INFUSE NEW AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES). THE RESULTANT ARCHITECTURE MUST BE AFFORDABLE AS WELL AS SUSTAINABLE WITHIN A FLAT OR DECREASING BUDGET ENVIRONMENT. SCAN'S ARCHITECTURE-THE ORGANIZATION OF ITS SYSTEMS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS TO ONE ANOTHER-IS IN THE MIDST OF AN EXCITING TRANSFORMATION THAT WILL ENABLE ITS SYSTEMS TO MEET THE DATA-INTENSIVE REQUIREMENTS OF THE EVER-INCREASING POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES' SPACE-BOUND MISSIONS. LEVERAGING NASA'S PRIOR INVESTMENTS IN SCAN'S INFRASTRUCTURE, THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE SCAN PROGRAM ARE EVOLVING TO BECOME MORE FLEXIBLE AND EASIER TO SCALE TO MEET MISSION USER DEMAND. THE ARCHITECTURE IS DESIGNED TO ACCEPT THE RAPID INFUSION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND TO CAPITALIZE ON THE EFFICIENCY AND CAPABILITY OF THE UNITED STATES'COMMERCIAL SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS (COMSATCOM) INDUSTRY TO PROVIDE THE OPTIMAL SERVICES TO NASA MISSIONS. SCAN MUST NOW BEGIN TO DEVELOP THE IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY TO BEGIN ACHIEVING INSTANTIATION OF THE ARCHITECTURAL VISION. THIS TASK REQUIRES THE CONTRACTOR TO HAVE EXTENSIVE PROGRAMMATIC AND STRAGIC EXPERIENCE INVOLVING NASA'S SPACE NETWORK.