Page "Patrick Air Force Base" Paragraph 31

Cost comparison studies done in the early 1950s pointed out the desirability of letting contractors operate the station.

The first range contract was signed with Pan American World Services on December 31, 1953.

The Air Force Missile Test Center began transferring property and equipment to Pan American World Services at the end of that year.

Pan American operated under contract to the Air Force for the next 34 years ( until early October 1988 ).

In 1988, the old range contract was divided into the Range Technical Services ( RTS ) and the Launch Base Services ( LBS ) contracts.

The RTS contract was awarded to Computer Sciences Raytheon ( CSR ) in June 1988, and the LBS contract was awarded to Pan American World Services ( later known as Johnson Controls ) in August 1988.