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B-133394, JUL. 23, 1970

B-133394 Jul 23, 1970
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YOU EXPRESS THE VIEW THAT THE SERVICES WHICH ARE BEING PERFORMED UNDER CONTRACT NO. WE SUBMITTED A REPORT TO THE CONGRESS (B-133394) POINTING OUT THAT SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS COULD BE REALIZED AT THE GODDARD AND MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTERS IF CERTAIN SUPPORT SERVICES WERE PERFORMED BY CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES RATHER THAN BY CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL. WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED BY OFFICIALS OF NASA THAT TWO STUDIES ARE CURRENTLY BEING CONDUCTED WHICH SHOULD RESULT IN A DECISION AS TO THE FEASIBILITY OF USING CIVIL SERVICE PERSONNEL TO PERFORM THE SERVICES IN QUESTION. THE OTHER STUDY INVOLVES ALL NASA CENTERS WHICH ARE PREPARING 5-YEAR PLANS COVERING ALL SUPPORT SERVICES CONTRACTS WITH THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE OF DETERMINING WHICH CONTRACTS CAN BE CONVERTED TO IN-HOUSE OPERATION.

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B-133394, JUL. 23, 1970

TO MR. JOHN F. GRINER:

WE REFER TO YOUR LETTER OF MAY 27, 1970, REFERENCE 4B/L-2498, CONCERNING THE PERFORMANCE OF CERTAIN MAINTENANCE SUPPORT SERVICES BY CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL AT THE KENNEDY SPACE FLIGHT CENTER OF THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION.

YOU EXPRESS THE VIEW THAT THE SERVICES WHICH ARE BEING PERFORMED UNDER CONTRACT NO. NAS10-1242 WITH TRANS WORLD AIRLINES COULD BE PERFORMED LESS EXPENSIVELY BY GOVERNMENT PERSONNEL.

OUR OFFICE HAS NOT CONDUCTED A REVIEW OF THE RELATIVE COSTS OF OBTAINING THE NECESSARY MAINTENANCE SERVICES IN QUESTION THROUGH THE USE OF SUPPORT CONTRACTS AS COMPARED TO THE USE OF CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES. HOWEVER, ON JUNE 9, 1967, WE SUBMITTED A REPORT TO THE CONGRESS (B-133394) POINTING OUT THAT SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS COULD BE REALIZED AT THE GODDARD AND MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTERS IF CERTAIN SUPPORT SERVICES WERE PERFORMED BY CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES RATHER THAN BY CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL. WE INDICATED THAT SIMILAR SAVINGS COULD BE ACHIEVED AT OTHER NASA CENTERS.

WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED BY OFFICIALS OF NASA THAT TWO STUDIES ARE CURRENTLY BEING CONDUCTED WHICH SHOULD RESULT IN A DECISION AS TO THE FEASIBILITY OF USING CIVIL SERVICE PERSONNEL TO PERFORM THE SERVICES IN QUESTION. ONE STUDY RELATES TO THE JOINT USE OF THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER-EASTERN TEST RANGE FACILITIES BY NASA AND THE AIR FORCE. THE OTHER STUDY INVOLVES ALL NASA CENTERS WHICH ARE PREPARING 5-YEAR PLANS COVERING ALL SUPPORT SERVICES CONTRACTS WITH THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE OF DETERMINING WHICH CONTRACTS CAN BE CONVERTED TO IN-HOUSE OPERATION. THESE STUDIES ARE EXPECTED TO BE CONCLUDED BY THE TIME CONTRACT NO. NAS10-1242 EXPIRES.

IN LIGHT OF THE CONSIDERATION BEING GIVEN TO THE MATTER; OF THE FACT THAT COGNIZANT CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES ARE GENERALLY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM; AND SINCE THE CURRENT PRACTICE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE IN CONTRAVENTION OF LAW, WE DO NOT PROPOSE TO TAKE ANY FURTHER ACTION AT THIS TIME.

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