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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION 121920066675FY 2014 Service Contract Inventory AnalysisFebruary 2016Office of ProcurementNASA HeadquartersWashington, DC 20546BackgroundThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the United States government agency that is responsible for the nation’s civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. Its mission is to drive advances in science, technology, aeronautics, and exploration to enhance knowledge, education, innovation, economic vitality, and stewardship of Earth.Since its inception, NASA has accomplished its mission through the combined efforts of civil service employees and a far larger body of scientific, technical, and support personnel sustained through contracts, grants, and other agreements with industry and academia. One of NASA’s overarching strategies to strengthen the Agency and support U.S. competitiveness on a global scale is to invest in next-generation technologies and approaches to spur innovation. This would not be possible without NASA’s historically close ties with the private and academic sectors, and today NASA continues to contract with the private sector for most of the products and services it uses. Approximately 13.5 percent of the Agency’s authorized funding is expended on full time, permanent civil service salaries and benefits. The remainder is dispersed widely in the national economy through NASA contracts, grants, and other agreements. Through these expenditures NASA acquires a variety of scientific, technical, and support services for the civilian aeronautics and space programs to achieve its six strategic goals: Extend and sustain human activities across the solar system.Expand scientific understanding of the Earth and the universe in which we live.Create the innovative new space technologies for our exploration, science, and economic future.Advance aeronautics research for societal benefit.Enable program and institutional capabilities to conduct NASA’s aeronautics and space activities.Share NASA with the public, educators, and students to provide opportunities to participate in our Mission, foster innovation, and contribute to a strong national economy.NASA conducts its work through six principal organizations:Human Exploration and Operations: develops the systems and capabilities required for human exploration of space beyond low Earth orbit and for U.S. crew vehicle access to the International Space Station; sustains and operates the International Space Station; develops and implements future space launch complex upgrades; manages rocket testing capabilities; acquires launch services, maintains secure and dependable communications to ground stations between platforms across the solar system; and provides the necessary training and supports health and safety of the nation’s astronauts.Science: conducts scientific exploration enabled by the use of space observatories and space probes that view the Earth from space, observe and visit other bodies in the solar system and gaze into the galaxy and beyond.Aeronautics: expands the boundaries of aeronautical knowledge for the benefit of the Nation through partnerships with academia, industry, and other government agencies, helping to foster a collaborative research environment in which ideas and knowledge are exchanged across multiple communities; ensures the future competitiveness of the nation’s aviation industry.Space Technology: develops and demonstrates advanced space systems concepts and technologies enabling new approaches to achieving NASA’s current mission set and future missions not feasible today.Education: strengthens NASA and the nation’s future workforce; attracts and retains students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines; engages Americans in NASA’s mission.Mission Support: provides critical mission support capabilities necessary to maintain the operation and administration of the Agency that cannot be directly aligned to specific program or project requirements; sustains institutional capabilities for supporting NASA’s mission portfolio by leveraging resources to meet mission needs, establishing Agency-wide capabilities, and providing institutional checks and balances; In the next 20 years, while continuing its science and aeronautics research, NASA will be laying the groundwork for sending humans not only beyond Earth’s orbit, but farther into space than humans have ever been before. NASA is also studying an asteroid redirect mission, which will identify and capture a near Earth asteroid and place it into lunar orbit. Given its dynamic and ambitious mission, NASA carefully balances the utilization of civil service expertise and resources with the external capabilities provided by America’s industry through acquisitions that are often unique and complex. To meet its high risk mission, NASA requires the use of flexible contract vehicles to facilitate critical research, leading edge innovation, and development of complex hardware. IntroductionSection 743 of Division C of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act, P.L. 111-117, requires civilian agencies to prepare an annual inventory of their service contracts. On March 11, 2015 NASA published its FY 2014 Service Contract Inventory (SCI) as required and in accordance with OMB issued guidance dated December 9, 2011. In addition agencies are to:perform an analysis of the data in their inventories for the purpose of determining if contract labor is being used in an appropriate and effective manner, anddetermine if the mix of federal employees and contractors in the agency is effectively balanced. In accordance with the FY 2011 OMB guidance, which remained in effect for the 2014 Inventory, each agency was asked to identify the Product Service Codes (PSCs) on which they planned to conduct further analysis. When choosing these functions, agencies were asked to not identify functions that were previously the subject of a focused analysis unless additional analysis of those functions was necessary. On December 17, 2014, NASA submitted to OFPP the planned PSCs for analysis; D301 (IT AND TELECOM- FACILITY OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE) and R425 (SUPPORT-PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING/TECHNICAL). OMB concurred with NASA’s proposed PSCs and the agency publicly posted its intent to examine these PSCs on April 17, 2015. The table below lists the FY15 dollars obligated against those PSCs and a brief description of the selection rationale. PSCProduct or Service DescriptionDollars Obligated in FY 2014Rationale for SelectionD301IT AND TELECOM- FACILITY OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE$434,846,390PSC selected because it has the potential for personal services and inherently governmental work to be performed by contractors. PSC also has potential to cover some NASA critical functions.R425SUPPORT- PROFESSIONAL: ENGINEERING/TECHNICAL$987,023,435PSC selected because it has the potential for personal services and inherently governmental work to be performed by contractors. PSC also has potential to cover some NASA critical functions.Analysis NASA conducted its SCI analysis in accordance with section 743(e) FY 2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act to ensure that:Each contract in the inventory that is a personal services contract has been entered into, and is being performed, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations;The agency is giving special management attention, as set forth in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 37.114, to functions that are closely associated with inherently governmental functions;The agency is not using contractor employees to perform inherently governmental functions; The agency has specific safeguards and monitoring systems in place to ensure that work being performed by contractors has not changed or expanded during performance to become an inherently governmental function;The agency is not using contractor employees to perform critical functions in such a way that could affect the ability of the agency to maintain control of its mission and operations; and There are sufficient internal agency resources to manage and oversee contracts effectively.A highly experienced team was assigned to carry out the analysis. The team members possessed broad knowledge of NASA operations as well as Federal service contract requirements and procedures. Methodology The following methodology was carried out by a team of NASA procurement and subject matter experts to support the analysis.Step One: Determine the analysis sample. For NASA’s selected PSCs (D301 (IT AND TELECOM-FACILITY OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE) and R425 (SUPPORT -PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING/TECHNICAL) the universe of contracts was identified. From this list, contracts were selected representing a mixture of NASA Centers and dollar levels. A strict random sample was not utilized to ensure greater location and contract size diversity.Step Two: For the identified contracts, collect supporting documentation. This included: Conformed statements of work (SOW) for the basic contract as they exist today, including any supporting documentation or detailsSpecific Task Orders (and their SOWs) based on dollar size and/or importance Contractor Financial Management Reports (NASA Form 533) when requiredRelevant contract modifications Annual obligation estimatesEstimated staffing levels Step Three: SCI team members individually performed a detailed review of all of the collected contract documentation.Step Four: The team members met to share their analyses and collectively discuss their thoughts.Step Five: Based on the initial analyses, the review team conducted interviews and follow-on discussions with members of the acquisition teams managing the selected contracts. The acquisition teams included the contracting officer (CO), contracting officer representative (COR), and occasionally requirements officials. The interview questions addressed:Annual obligations and staffing levels estimatesCompleteness of contract requirements and methods for assigning workContract funding mechanism(s)Contract change implementation processesInherently governmental functions performedFunctions closely related to inherently governmental functions and oversight methodsCritical functions performedCOR organization, placement, training, and certificationLocation of work performed, degree of monitoring by COR, andProcedures used for inspecting and assessing performanceStep Six: The team performed a final data review and prepared the final report.PSC D301 (IT AND TELECOM-FACILITY OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE)D301 was selected because this PSC has above average potential for personal services and/or inherently governmental work to be performed by the contractor. ContractorNASA Contracting CenterContract #Contract TitleContract Amount FY 2014DB Consulting GroupGlenn Research Center NNC08BA09B(Task Orders NNC08TA94T, NNC08TA95T, NNC08TB01T) Professional Administrative Computational and Engineering (PACE) Services III$1,297,866 (Task Order 94T)$108,429 (Task Order 95T)$560,396 (Task Order 01T)Primus Solutions, Inc.Goddard Space Flight Center NNG10FE01CGoddard Unified Services and Technology (GUEST)$13,835,559Astegic-KelcoGoddard Space Flight Center NNG114VB60CCloud Containerized Computing Services$ 406,692Abacus Technology Corporation Kennedy Space Center NNK080H01C (Task Order NNK14OH20T)Information Management and Communications Support (IMCS)$ 44,681ASRC Research and Technology Solutions, LLCStennis Space CenterNNS10AA35CInformation and Technical Services (ITS) Contract$10,420,454DB Consulting GroupJohnson Space CenterNNJ11JA16BInformation Technology and Multimedia Support (ITAMS)$46,128,875NNC08BA09B DB Consulting GroupThis contract supports the Professional, Administrative, Computational, and Engineering Services (PACE) at Glenn Research Center in meeting the objectives of its research, development, and administrative activities. The contractor performs Information Technology (IT) engineering, scientific, technical, administrative, and related tasks issued by the contracting officer (CO), or CO’s authorized representative.NNG10FE01C Primus Solutions, Inc.This contract provides support services to Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in the area of management and information systems, business infrastructure and applications development, system administration, network design, development, and configuration management under a single integrator. The contractor shall provide labor, hardware/software, equipment and materials required to successfully perform the objectives described in the SOO. The contractor will provide GSFC with support for current and evolving IT requirements. Specific areas of support include: system, web, and database administration; software development and sustaining engineering; enterprise-wide service call center; messaging and collaboration; IT security; configuration, program and asset management; data backup and storage; disaster recovery; specialized network engineering, and surge support for unanticipated elevations in service acquisition support to the Science Mission Directorate. NNG14VB60C Astegic-KelcoThis contract is for work necessary to develop and implement the GSFC containerized cloud computing environment, leveraging the existing NASA cloud infrastructure to stand up an optimized innovation to operation environment that will harness and leverage science data and perform experiments to define future capabilities. The contractor provide support services for the architecting, development and implementation of GSFC’s Information Technology (IT) advancement effortsNNK08H01C Abacus Technology CorporationThis contract supports the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) to deliver Kennedy Data Center (KDC) services to KSC’s institution, missions and programs. The work includes a catalog of fixed unit price offerings of housing and hosting services capable of supporting high-performance, scalable platforms for application hosting with flexibility for various performance options. It further includes the capability to add, change, or delete catalog offerings to keep pace with industry and technology advancement and/or new capabilities to best fulfill the Data Center services required at KSC.NNS10AAA35C ASRC Research and Technology Solutions, LLCThe purpose of this contract is to support the Information and Technical Services (ITS) at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Stennis Space Center (SSC). Requirements will include providing services to NASA, resident agencies, on-site Contractors and on-site commercial tenants. The Contractor has the responsibility to establish a management program, which is innovative and uses to full advantage the facilities and equipment provided by the Government. The Contractor shall respond to changing service requirements and prioritize tasks to best accomplish the requirements of the contract in terms of mission support, multi-agency initiatives at SSC, and customer service. The Contractor provides a broad range of information and technical services in the following areas: Information and Technical Support Services, Technology Support Services, Applied Science and Technology Services, and Future Requirements Additions.NNJ11JA16B DB Consulting GroupThis contract is to provide products and services in all areas of information technology, information management, multimedia services and external relations to the Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, and its associated sites and facilities (White Sands Test Facility, Las Cruces, NM; Ellington Field and Sonny Carter Training Facility, Houston, TX). PSC R425 SUPPORT-PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING/TECHNICAL R425 was selected because this PSC has above average potential for personal services and/or inherently governmental work to be performed by the contractor. R&D work is a core mission within NASA. Due to its importance, one or more R&D codes will likely be selected for in-depth analysis annually.ContractorNASA Contracting CenterContract #Contract TitleContract Amount FY2014Vencore Services and Solutions, Inc.Kennedy Space CenterNNK11EA08CEngineering Services Contract (ESC)$105,336,077Jacobs Technology Inc.Armstrong Flight Research CenterNND08RR01B Task order NND12RR40TEngineering and Technical Services for Flight Research and Development$ 649,268Regents of the University of ColoradoHeadquartersNNH10CC04CMars Exploration Program (MEP)$ 1,254,640Barrios Technology IncJohnson Space CenterNNJ12GA46CMission and Program Integration (MAPI) Contract$42,027,078Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc.Marshall Space Flight CenterNNM13AA29CMission Operations and Integration (MO&I) Contract$25,301,465The Aerospace CorporationMarshall Space Flight CenterNNM12AA01B Task order NNM14AA19TTechnology Demonstration Missions (TDM) Program$ 770,972NNK11EA08C Vencore Services and Solutions, Inc.The purpose of this contract is to provide engineering products and services for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) to support an institutional engineering capability at NASA/KSC. The contract includes the Contractor’s management and administration, safety and mission assurance, and information technology and data management activities necessary to perform this contract; maintenance of assigned laboratories and developmental shops; CAD/CAE administration; configuration and data management; and engineering systems IT security.NND12RR40T NND08RR01B Jacobs Technology Inc.This task provides services to support the Office of Strategic Communications to include the Public Affairs, Public Services, Public Outreach, External Affairs and History functional areas and related activities for the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC). The Contractor provides System Administration support for office staff which includes technical support of the preparation, documentation and processing; create, update and maintain on a regular basis office management and technical files; provide presentation ready graphics from databases, drawings, and notes; and technical support and system administration of purchase requests, fiscal reports, credit card log and submission of month-end reports, office budget and monthly status reports. NNH10CC04C Regents of the University of ColoradoNASA Headquarters (HQ) manages the Mars Exploration Program (MEP), which selected the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) project as a Mars Scout mission. The MAVEN Principal Investigator (PI) of the University of Colorado, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) will have overall control of the MAVEN project and provide science leadership for the MAVEN mission and manage Education and Public Outreach. This effort applies to LASP and covers Phases A, B, C, D, and E of the MAVEN mission. Under Phase A of this contract, the contractor is responsible for schedule management, providing technical progress reports, and mission reviews. Under Phase B, the contractor is responsible for supporting requirements analysis, project plans, preliminary design reviews, monthly status reviews, quarterly team meetings, E/PO activities, and the preliminary science data management plan. Under Phases C and D, the contractor is responsible for supporting monthly status reviews, quarterly team reviews, responding to action items that result from meetings/reviews, supporting formal reviews and launch site activities, and management of E/PO activities. Under Phase E, the contractor is responsible for providing overall management of the MAVEN science program and data analysis activities, ensuring delivery of MAVEN science data products, mission documentation, and analytical software tools into PDS, participating in analysis and resolution of spacecraft anomalies, as necessary, providing overall management of E/PO activities per E/PO Plan, presenting scientific results at national conferences and in scientific literature, and providing contract closeout support.NNJ12GA46C Barrios Technology, Inc.The Mission and Program Integration (MAPI) contract at the Johnson Space Center provides products and services to support mission and program integration and necessary infrastructure operations functions for the International Space Station (ISS) with the potential of supporting other NASA Programs or Projects via the issuance of a task order. The purpose of the ISS is to conduct physical, engineering, and life sciences research for the benefit of life on Earth and to advance exploration of our solar system and enable commerce in Space. Thorough knowledge and expertise of the ISS will be necessary to perform this contract.NNM13AA29C Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc.This contract at the Marshall Space Flight Center involves operations support for all phases of flight including mission preparation, crew and flight controller training, and real-time operations requirements for spaceflight operations support. The core services portion of the contract establishes requirements for payload operations in support of the International Space Station program, while task orders issued under the indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) component will provide capability to add operations support for other program or project requirements.NNM14AA19T under NNM12AA01B The Aerospace Corporation Programmatic Assessment and Integrated support for the Technology Demonstration Missions (TDM) Program at the Marshall Space Flight Center. The task assists the TDM Program by providing an objective, non-advocate assessment of information to inform budgeting and support the project to contact cost and maintain schedule. The work includes the support of technical review, cost, and schedule analyses, review and assessment.Analysis Summary– Overall, the contract work statements were written in a manner which displays a strong understanding of the requirements and limitations of service contracting. The contract management teams were aware of their oversight responsibilities and were able to discuss, in detail, the contract requirements, how requirements are added or removed from the contract, how they accomplished surveillance, and how performance issues are addressed. All contracts reviewed had a properly appointed COR who had received the mandatory 40 hours of training. The contract management teams were aware of the prohibition on contractor performance of inherently governmental functions. No instances of personal services were identified during the analysis. Critical functions are commonly contracted out. In all instances reviewed, there was a parallel government organization or a substantial number of government employees with similar skills that were capable of providing the necessary oversight to manage the function and monitor the contractors. The government functional leadership retained responsibility for these functions and used the contractors to support their plans. NASA is compliant with Section 743(e)(2) and has ensured that contractor employees are not employed to a level which could affect the ability of the agency to maintain control of its mission and operations. NASA has established several controls to ensure service contracts are properly written and managed. The Baseline Performance Review (BPR) process reviews major programs periodically and their results. This process provides a check on mission requirements creep. NASA Procurement Management Reviews (PMR), which occur every two to three years for each Center, determines whether applicable Federal procurement laws and regulations are being followed. Determining if inherently governmental functions are being accomplished and that adequate contract administration is in place and performing meaningful oversight are special interest items on the PMRs. Since 2001, NASA has instituted several practical policies that help preserve the distinction between contractor and NASA employees in the workplace. Contractors, when assigned a NASA email address, have the initials “ctr” or their company name included in the address. Contract employees also have distinctive ID badges issued to them with a prominent colored stripe to indicate they are a contract employee. NASA’s service contract inventory meets OMB initiatives and guidance. Specifically, the outcome of the inventory analysis resulted in the following findings:None of the contracts are characterized as “personal services” as defined by the Federal Acquisition Regulation;Contractor employees do not perform any inherently governmental functions;Ongoing comprehensive monitoring and evaluations are performed by government personnel and the contractor performance requirements have not changed or been expanded to be classified as inherently governmental type functions;Contractor employees are not performing critical functions in such a way that would affect the Department’s ability to maintain control of its missions and operations; andSufficient government personnel are available and assigned to manage and oversee contracts effectively without the need to rebalance the mix of federal and contractor employees.summary Overall NASA continues to effectively utilize service contracts to support its agency operations without becoming overly reliant or dependent on contract support. The contract documents reviewed ensured the roles and responsibilities between the agency and supporting contractors were clearly delineated and cover allowable contractor functions. The contract monitoring systems are robust with high level surveillance performed on higher risk contracts. Properly trained and appointed contracting officer representatives were present in all cases and were effectively carrying out their contract oversight responsibilities. Overall responsibility for the Service Contract Inventory resides with Mr. William P. McNally, Assistant Administrator for Procurement. Mr. McNally can be reached at 202-358-2090 or William.P.McNally@. ................
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