NASA's $201M JPL contract to Caltech for R&D in physical sciences shows long-term commitment
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $201,265,132 ($201.3M)
Contractor: California Institute of Technology
Awarding Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Start Date: 2003-11-12
End Date: 2010-10-09
Contract Duration: 2,523 days
Daily Burn Rate: $79.8K/day
Competition Type: NOT COMPETED
Number of Offers Received: 51
Pricing Type: COST PLUS AWARD FEE
Sector: R&D
Official Description: OCO FORM/IMP PHASES
Place of Performance
Location: PASADENA, LOS ANGELES County, CALIFORNIA, 91125
Plain-Language Summary
National Aeronautics and Space Administration obligated $201.3 million to CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY for work described as: OCO FORM/IMP PHASES Key points: 1. Contract awarded for research and development in physical, engineering, and life sciences. 2. Long-term contract duration of over 2500 days indicates sustained program needs. 3. Sole-source award suggests unique capabilities or established relationship with the contractor. 4. Cost Plus Award Fee contract type allows for performance incentives. 5. Significant funding allocated over the contract's life. 6. Contractor has a long history with NASA, particularly at JPL.
Value Assessment
Rating: good
The contract's total value of over $201 million over its life suggests a substantial investment in research and development. Benchmarking this against similar R&D contracts is challenging without more specific details on the research scope. However, the Cost Plus Award Fee structure implies that NASA aims to achieve good value by incentivizing contractor performance. The long duration and sole-source nature suggest a potentially stable, albeit less price-tested, relationship.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: sole-source
This contract was awarded on a sole-source basis, indicating that NASA determined the California Institute of Technology possessed unique capabilities or was the only responsible source for the required research and development services. This approach bypasses a competitive bidding process, which typically leads to a wider range of proposals and potentially lower prices through market competition.
Taxpayer Impact: Sole-source awards can mean taxpayers may not benefit from the price discovery and cost efficiencies that a competitive process might yield. However, if Caltech's unique expertise is essential for mission success, the value may lie in achieving critical research objectives.
Public Impact
Benefits the scientific community through advancements in physical, engineering, and life sciences. Supports critical research and development activities for NASA's missions, particularly those managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Impacts the scientific workforce by providing long-term research opportunities. Geographic impact is concentrated in California, where JPL is located.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Sole-source award limits price competition, potentially leading to higher costs for taxpayers.
- Long contract duration without clear performance metrics in the provided data could obscure value for money.
- Cost Plus Award Fee contracts can sometimes lead to cost overruns if not managed tightly.
Positive Signals
- Contractor (Caltech) is a highly reputable institution with a strong track record in scientific research.
- Long-term commitment suggests critical and ongoing need for the research services provided.
- Cost Plus Award Fee structure allows for incentivizing high performance and achieving mission objectives.
Sector Analysis
This contract falls within the Research and Development sector, specifically focusing on physical, engineering, and life sciences. This is a critical area for government investment, driving innovation and technological advancement. The funding level of over $201 million over its lifespan indicates a significant commitment to this research domain, likely supporting complex, long-term projects. Comparable spending benchmarks would depend heavily on the specific research areas and the scale of similar R&D initiatives within NASA and other federal agencies.
Small Business Impact
The provided data does not indicate any small business set-aside provisions for this contract. Given the sole-source nature and the specialized research focus, it is unlikely that subcontracting opportunities for small businesses were a primary consideration in the award. The primary contractor, Caltech, is a large research institution, and the focus is on its direct research capabilities.
Oversight & Accountability
Oversight for this contract would primarily fall under NASA's internal program management and contracting offices, particularly those associated with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. As a Cost Plus Award Fee contract, performance monitoring and evaluation would be crucial to ensure award fees are justified. Transparency is generally maintained through NASA's public contract databases, though specific research outcomes and detailed cost breakdowns may be subject to proprietary or national security considerations.
Related Government Programs
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Research Contracts
- Federal Research and Development Funding
- Physical Sciences Research Grants
- Engineering Research and Development
- Life Sciences Research Initiatives
Risk Flags
- Sole-source award may limit cost savings.
- Long contract duration requires continuous performance monitoring.
- CPAF structure necessitates clear performance evaluation criteria.
Tags
research-and-development, nasa, california-institute-of-technology, jet-propulsion-laboratory, sole-source, cost-plus-award-fee, physical-sciences, engineering, life-sciences, long-term-contract, federal-agency, california
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
National Aeronautics and Space Administration awarded $201.3 million to CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY. OCO FORM/IMP PHASES
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY.
Which agency awarded this contract?
Awarding agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (National Aeronautics and Space Administration).
What is the total obligated amount?
The obligated amount is $201.3 million.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2003-11-12. End: 2010-10-09.
What specific research areas within physical, engineering, and life sciences were covered by this contract?
The provided data indicates the contract broadly covers 'Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences' (NAICS 541710). However, the specific sub-disciplines or project focuses are not detailed. Given the contractor is the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the agency is NASA, it is highly probable that the research aligns with space exploration, planetary science, astrophysics, materials science, robotics, and potentially biotechnology relevant to space missions. Detailed project descriptions would typically be found in the contract's statement of work, which is not publicly available in this summary.
How does the $201 million total award value compare to similar R&D contracts awarded by NASA or other agencies for comparable research?
Directly comparing the $201 million total award value is difficult without knowing the precise scope and duration of specific research projects. However, NASA consistently invests billions annually in R&D, with large contracts often supporting multi-year efforts at institutions like Caltech, MIT, and Stanford. Contracts for major space missions or foundational research programs can easily reach hundreds of millions of dollars. The value here appears substantial for a long-term R&D effort, but its 'competitiveness' is masked by the sole-source award. It represents a significant, sustained investment in scientific inquiry aligned with NASA's strategic goals.
What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) used to determine award fees under this Cost Plus Award Fee (CPAF) contract?
The specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for this Cost Plus Award Fee (CPAF) contract are not detailed in the provided summary. Typically, for R&D contracts, KPIs would relate to achieving specific research milestones, scientific breakthroughs, successful experimental outcomes, timely delivery of research reports, adherence to budget, and overall contribution to NASA's mission objectives. The 'Award Fee' component means the contractor earns additional profit based on performance exceeding baseline requirements, as determined by NASA's evaluation criteria. These criteria are usually outlined in the contract's Performance Work Statement (PWS).
What is Caltech's historical performance record with NASA, particularly concerning contracts of this magnitude and type?
The California Institute of Technology (Caltech), through its management of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), has an extensive and highly regarded history of performance with NASA. JPL is renowned for its leadership in robotic space exploration and Earth science missions. Contracts managed by JPL for Caltech have consistently met or exceeded expectations, delivering groundbreaking scientific results and technological innovations. While specific performance metrics for this particular $201M contract aren't detailed, Caltech's long-standing relationship and critical role in NASA's science directorate suggest a strong track record of successful execution and scientific achievement.
What is the rationale behind awarding this contract as sole-source rather than through full and open competition?
The rationale for awarding this contract as sole-source, as indicated by 'CT: NOT COMPETED', is typically that the California Institute of Technology possesses unique capabilities, specialized knowledge, or facilities essential for the required research and development that cannot be readily replicated by other entities. For R&D contracts, especially those tied to specific, long-term scientific objectives or established research programs like those at JPL, a sole-source award might be justified if the contractor has unique expertise, intellectual property, or an established infrastructure critical to mission success. NASA would have had to document this justification according to federal acquisition regulations.
How has NASA's spending on R&D in physical, engineering, and life sciences evolved over the period this contract was active (2003-2010)?
The contract was active from November 2003 to October 2010. During this period, NASA's overall budget fluctuated due to factors like the Space Shuttle program's later years, the retirement of the fleet, and the initiation of new exploration goals (e.g., Constellation program, early planning for Mars missions). R&D spending within physical, engineering, and life sciences would have been influenced by these broader programmatic shifts. While specific year-over-year trends for this particular contract's funding aren't detailed, this era saw significant investment in areas like advanced propulsion, materials science, robotics, and fundamental physics research relevant to space exploration.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Scientific Research and Development Services › Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences
Product/Service Code: RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT › Space R&D Services
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: NOT COMPETED
Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE
Offers Received: 51
Pricing Type: COST PLUS AWARD FEE (R)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Address: 4800 OAK GROVE DR, PASADENA, CA, 91109
Business Categories: Category Business, Government, U.S. National Government, Not Designated a Small Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $205,280,362
Exercised Options: $205,280,362
Current Obligation: $201,265,132
Contract Characteristics
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL ITEM PROCEDURES NOT USED
Parent Contract
Parent Award PIID: NAS703001
IDV Type: IDC
Timeline
Start Date: 2003-11-12
Current End Date: 2010-10-09
Potential End Date: 2010-10-09 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2020-10-27
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