NASA Procurement: Challenges Remain in Implementing Improvement Reforms
NSIAD-94-179
Published: Aug 18, 1994. Publicly Released: Sep 23, 1994.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) implementation of its procurement management improvement initiatives.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| National Aeronautics and Space Administration | The Administrator, NASA, should evaluate the potential impact of the proposed contractor liability policy on small and disadvantaged businesses (SDB) and consider options to mitigate any adverse impacts identified. |
Closed – Implemented
NASA evaluated the potential impact of the proposed contractor liability policy, and the agency concluded that it would have almost no impact on small and disadvantaged businesses. In addition, if the proposed contractor liability policy is implemented in the future, NASA has stated that it intends to monitor the application of the clause to small and disadvantaged business subcontractors to ensure that a disproportionate risk is not placed upon them.
|
| National Aeronautics and Space Administration | The Administrator, NASA, should define high-technology work and develop and implement a methodology for consistently measuring progress toward the NASA goal of increasing SDB participation in such work, either as prime contractors or subcontractors. |
Closed – Implemented
NASA defined high technology work in a procurement notice, and the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization is measuring progress toward the NASA goal of increasing the participation of small and disadvantaged businesses in such work through a database maintained by the Office of Procurement.
|
| National Aeronautics and Space Administration | The Administrator, NASA, should direct that special reviews be conducted at centers to ensure that training courses for COTR sufficiently address new minimum training requirements. |
Closed – Implemented
During its procurement management surveys, NASA is planning to conduct or has conducted a review of center COTR training courses to ensure that these courses sufficiently address new minimum training requirements.
|
| National Aeronautics and Space Administration | The Administrator, NASA, should provide guidance to the centers on establishing and applying criteria to determine when no additional training is needed to meet new minimum training requirements for COTR. |
Closed – Implemented
NASA has determined that no additional guidance is required to the centers on establishing and applying criteria to determine when no additional training is needed to meet new minimum training requirements for COTRs. This determination was based on an agencywide survey of centers that showed that no center had applied experience in lieu of new minimum COTR training standards.
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Aerospace contractsContract costsContract modificationsContract performanceContracting officersContractor paymentsFederal procurementLiability (legal)Performance measuresProcurement practicesSet-asides