Summary | five-minute read | Nelson Engineering was founded shortly after NASA launched the 55th Space Shuttle mission. The Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series that year and gas cost just $1.16 per gallon. May of 1993 doesn’t seem that long ago, but in the world of engineering consulting services, it can be a lifetime. Nelson has come a long way from where we started, but there’s so much that has stayed the same.
Customers expectations then and now
Whether 1993 or 2022, customers have always expected quality work at a fair price. What this means may look a little different—from toting floppy disks to job sites in Nelson’s first years to real-time cloud-based collaboration on designs today—but Nelson’s results have been consistent. We exceed expectations by delivering engineering solutions designed for service and maintenance. Our out-of-the-box thinking accelerates delivery, lowers costs, and otherwise improves outcomes, and that is what we do. Creativity is our secret sauce.
Our passion drives us, our core values guide us, and you, our valued clients and partners, inspire us. Thank you for believing in us when we were a young start-up. Thank you for mentoring us as we grew. And thank you for continuing on this journey with us.
NELSON ENGINEERING CO.
Our Journey
1993
Nelson Engineering incorporated
Incorporated in Titusville, FL on May 17, 1993, Nelson Engineering spent most of the 1990s performing environmental and safety consulting for commercial aerospace companies. Our solid waste compliance services began with a change in Florida law.
2000
Nelson Engineering joins the JBOSC
As a JBOSC subcontractor at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, we supported NASA, the U.S. Air Force, and the Navy. Work for these three federal clients formed the foundation for the work we do today. This contract established our core engineering disciplines: civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering.
2000
CAMS work begins
We offered Capital Asset Management Services (CAMS) for the first time in 2000. CAMS has become an important part of Nelson’s services, with 25.7 million square feet of building space assessed in 2020.
2002
KSC SB subcontractor of the year
Nelson Engineering was honored to receive NASA’s small business subcontractor of the year award at the Kennedy Space Center for the first time. We received this award again in 2005.
2003
Design work begins
We had worked heavily on mechanical, civil, and electrical engineering projects for years. That experience paved the way for us to formally offer design services in 2003, a significant line of business for us today.
2005
AUTEC begins, our longest-running contract
Nelson Engineering is on the U.S. Navy Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC) contract at Andros Island, Bahamas providing facilities engineering services. AUTEC is our longest-running active contract.
2006
State Department work begins
Nelson Engineering provides engineering support during construction to the DoS Bureau of Overseas Building Operations on new embassy and consulate construction projects. Our experience allowed us to offer design services on embassy renovation projects for the first time in 2020.
2007
Our first building
Our success in the early 2000s provided Nelson Engineering the opportunity to open our first headquarters, a 10,000 square foot new construction office building with technology high bays to support SBIR projects. We called 5335 North Courtenay Parkway, Merritt Island our home from 2007 – 2018.
2009
Awarded GSA professional services schedules
While Nelson Engineering had won numerous contracts in prior years, our initial two General Services Administration Schedules (professional engineering services and environmental) marked Nelson’s first multi-year prime contract award.
2014
Employee ownership begins
With a keen eye toward the next generation of leaders, Nelson Engineering became an employee-owned company with an ERISA-compliant employee stock ownership plan.
2017
Awarded KSC Electrical IDIQ
We received our first prime IDIQ contract for design services at the NASA Kennedy Space Center. Nelson Engineering received awards for 8 design projects, 7 ESDC task orders, and 3 studies.
2017
Engineering services for NPS
Adding to our portfolio of government clients, we began working for the National Park Service, performing CAMS and conceptual design services.
2018
Our new home
Sustained growth coming out of the Great Recession meant we needed more space to work. The answer came just up the road at 5455 North Courtenay Parkway. Our new home triples our workspace square footage and provides more employee amenities (yes, we kept the full-sized, indoor basketball court).
2019
Awarded GRC A-E Services IDIQ
NASA awarded Nelson Engineering our first prime architectural-engineering services prime IDIQ contract outside of Florida. We built our resume on the engineering services we’ve provided to NASA GRC since 2004.
2020
Awarded NASA Mechanical IDIQ
We received our largest contract for design services to date. This $150M contract is procured through KSC and includes engineering services across all NASA sites and centers.
2021
Performance during the pandemic
Our workforce and leadership worked hard to ensure COVID-19 did not adversely impact Nelson Engineering’s performance. We delivered projects on schedule and within budget while exceeding expectations. And, we did it working remotely! Learn how we effectively manage a remote workforce.
2021
Awarded Southeast Regional A&E Services IDIQ (SERAE)
The SERAE IDIQ is the 4th Prime Contract that NASA has awarded Nelson. This significant contract extends Nelson Engineering’s prime contracting opportunities within NASA and spans multiple NASA locations across the southeast.
2021
NASA KSC Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year 2021
Nelson was selected as the NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) 2021 Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year. This award is the third time that KSC has recognized Nelson. Learn More
2022
Nelson Engineering Joins Salas O’Brien
Nelson Engineering merged with Salas O’Brien on April 15, 2022. This merger takes our talent, expertise, and service to even greater heights. The Nelson team you know and appreciate will remain unchanged, in keeping with Salas O’Brien’s mission to be “local everywhere, with international resources.” Learn More
About Nelson Engineering Co.
While Nelson has grown over the years, we are still a small business. We pride ourselves on the outstanding service and attention to detail we have offered since day one. Our future is bright, and we look forward to providing creative solutions and expanding our horizons.
