NASA's Commercial Crew Program Contract Exceeds $208M for Space Exploration Technologies Corp
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $208,378,082 ($208.4M)
Contractor: Space Exploration Technologies Corp.
Awarding Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Start Date: 2015-11-20
End Date: 2022-09-15
Contract Duration: 2,491 days
Daily Burn Rate: $83.7K/day
Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Number of Offers Received: 3
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE
Sector: Defense
Official Description: IGF::OT::IGF THE COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM (CCP) COMMERCIAL CREW TRANSPORTATION CAPABILITY (CCTCAP) CONTRACT WILL PROVIDE COMPLETION OF THE DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, TEST, EVALUATION, AND CERTIFICATION OF AN INTEGRATED CREW TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM (CTS) CAPABLE OF TRANSPORTING NASA CREW TO AND FROM THE ISS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DESIGN REFERENCE MISSIONS AND NASA'S CERTIFICATION STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS. CERTIFICATION OF THE CTS WILL BE DETERMINED BY NASA. NASA PLANS TO ISSUE TASK ORDERS FOR POST CERTIFICATION MISSIONS (PCM) TO AND FROM ISS THAT INCLUDE GROUND, LAUNCH, LIFEBOAT, ON-ORBIT, RETURN AND RECOVERY OPERATIONS. THE MINIMUM QUANTITY OF MISSIONS TO BE ORDERED IS TWO (2) AND THE MAXIMUM POTENTIAL QUANTITY OF MISSIONS WHICH MAY BE ORDERED IS SIX (6). IN ADDITION, NASA MAY ISSUE TASK ORDERS FOR SPECIAL STUDIES USED FOR RISK REDUCTION AND OTHER PURPOSES RELATED TO THE CTS. NASA CERTIFICATION UNDER CLIN 001 IS COMPLETE WHEN THE CONTRACTOR'S CREW TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM (CTS) HAS MET NASA'S REQUIREMENTS FOR SAFELY TRANSPORTING CREW TO AND FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION (ISS) IN ACCORDANCE WITH DOCUMENTS IDENTIFIED IN SECTION C.1, SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK. SUBCLINS 001A AND 001B, IDENTIFIED IN TABLE B.3,DDTE/CERTIFICATION SUBCLINS, ARE DELIVERY MILESTONES THAT REPRESENT COMPLETION OF REQUIRED WORK NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE NASA CERTIFICATION. DELIVERY PAYMENT FOR THE ISS DESIGN CERTIFICATION REVIEW (DCR) FOR THE CREWED FLIGHT TO THE ISS INCLUDES ALL WORK UNDER THIS CLIN THAT OCCURS FROM THE CONTRACT EFFECTIVE DATE THROUGH THE ISS DCR COMPLETION. THE DELIVERY PAYMENT FOR THE CERTIFICATION REVIEW (CR) WILL INCLUDE ALL WORK THAT OCCURS FROM THE ISS DCR DELIVERY DATE THROUGH THE END OF THE DDTE/CERTIFICATION CLIN 001. IN ACCORDANCE WITH CLAUSE C.1, SPECIFICATION/STATEMENT OF WORK, THE TASK ORDERING PROCEDURES AND OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS IN THE CONTRACT, THE CONTRACTING OFFICER MAY ISSUE POST CERTIFICATION MISSION (PCM) TASK ORDERS. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL USE THE MISSION PRICING RATES SHOWN IN TABLE B.4.1, POST CERTIFICATION MISSION PRICES. THE PER MISSION PRICES ARE FOR A SINGLE ORDER AT THE PRICE STATED PER THE CALENDAR YEAR (CY) BASED ON THE NUMBER OF MISSIONS ORDERED. CTS FULL MISSION CAPABILITY PRICES SHALL BE BASED ON (1) FULFILLMENT OF THE DESIGN REFERENCE MISSION TO THE ISS FOUND IN CCT-DRM-1110, CREW TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM DESIGN REFERENCE MISSIONS, ATTACHMENT J-03, CONTRACT PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT, AND OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS IN THE CONTRACT AND (2) ALL INHERENT CTS CAPABILITIES THAT ARE WITHIN THE PROPOSED MISSION PRICES. IN ACCORDANCE WITH ATTACHMENT J-03, CONTRACT PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT, THE TASK ORDERING PROCEDURES AND OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS IN THE CONTRACT, THE CONTRACTOR SHALL PERFORM SPECIAL STUDIES, TEST AND ANALYSES, AS INITIATED BY WRITTEN DIRECTION FROM THE CONTRACTING OFFICER. SPACEX CCTCAP POST CERTIFICATION MISSION 1 (PCM-1) TASK ORDER AGAINST NNK14MA74C CLIN 002, AS DESCRIBED IN CLAUSE B.4 POST CERTIFICATION MISSIONS (IDIQ)(CLIN 002) AND ALL OTHER APPLICABLE TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
Place of Performance
Location: ORLANDO, BREVARD County, FLORIDA, 32899
State: Florida Government Spending
Plain-Language Summary
National Aeronautics and Space Administration obligated $208.4 million to SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP. for work described as: IGF::OT::IGF THE COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM (CCP) COMMERCIAL CREW TRANSPORTATION CAPABILITY (CCTCAP) CONTRACT WILL PROVIDE COMPLETION OF THE DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, TEST, EVALUATION, AND CERTIFICATION OF AN INTEGRATED CREW TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM (CTS) CAPABLE OF TRANSPORTING NASA CREW T… Key points: 1. Contract awarded to SpaceX for crew transportation to the ISS. 2. Includes design, development, testing, and certification of a crew transportation system. 3. Potential for 2-6 post-certification missions, indicating significant future value. 4. Sector is Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing, a high-tech and critical area.
Value Assessment
Rating: good
The contract value of $208.38M appears reasonable for developing and certifying a complex crew transportation system. Benchmarking against similar large-scale aerospace development contracts would provide further context.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: full-and-open
The contract was awarded under full and open competition, suggesting a competitive bidding process that likely influenced pricing. The fixed-price nature of the contract shifts risk to the contractor.
Taxpayer Impact: This contract represents a significant investment in enabling US human spaceflight capabilities, potentially reducing reliance on foreign partners and fostering domestic innovation.
Public Impact
Ensures continued US access to the International Space Station (ISS). Supports the development of advanced space transportation technology. Creates jobs in the aerospace sector. Enhances national security through independent space launch capabilities.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 84 / 10
Warning Flags
- Potential for scope creep in post-certification missions.
- Reliance on a single contractor for critical crew transport.
Positive Signals
- Successful development and certification of a new crew system.
- Awarded through full and open competition.
- Firm Fixed Price contract structure.
Sector Analysis
This contract falls within the Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing sector, characterized by high R&D investment, long development cycles, and stringent safety requirements. Spending in this sector is often driven by national security and scientific exploration objectives.
Small Business Impact
The data indicates this contract was awarded to Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX), a large aerospace manufacturer. There is no explicit indication of small business participation in this specific contract award.
Oversight & Accountability
NASA's oversight is crucial for ensuring the safety and success of the Commercial Crew Program. The agency's role in certification and potential task orders for post-certification missions highlights ongoing oversight responsibilities.
Related Government Programs
- Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration Contracting
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration Programs
Risk Flags
- High contract value.
- Sole contractor for critical crew transport.
- Complex technological development.
- Potential for future mission scope expansion.
- Long contract duration.
Tags
guided-missile-and-space-vehicle-manufac, national-aeronautics-and-space-administr, fl, delivery-order, 100m-plus
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
National Aeronautics and Space Administration awarded $208.4 million to SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP.. IGF::OT::IGF THE COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM (CCP) COMMERCIAL CREW TRANSPORTATION CAPABILITY (CCTCAP) CONTRACT WILL PROVIDE COMPLETION OF THE DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, TEST, EVALUATION, AND CERTIFICATION OF AN INTEGRATED CREW TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM (CTS) CAPABLE OF TRANSPORTING NASA CREW TO AND FROM THE ISS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DESIGN REFERENCE MISSIONS AND NASA'S CERTIFICATION STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS. CERTIFICATION OF THE CTS WILL BE DETERMINED BY NASA. NASA PLANS TO ISSUE TASK ORDERS FOR POST CE
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP..
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 $208.4 million.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2015-11-20. End: 2022-09-15.
What is the projected cost per mission for the post-certification missions (PCMs)?
The provided data does not specify the cost per mission for the post-certification missions. The contract outlines a minimum of two and a maximum of six PCMs, with a total contract value of $208.38M. Calculating the per-mission cost would require further breakdown of the contract's task orders and pricing structures for these future operations.
What are the key performance metrics NASA uses to evaluate the contractor's success in certifying the crew transportation system?
NASA's evaluation of the contractor's success in certifying the crew transportation system would likely involve rigorous testing, adherence to safety standards, and demonstration of system reliability and performance. Key metrics would include successful completion of integrated system tests, launch and re-entry simulations, and meeting all specified design reference missions and certification requirements.
How does the firm fixed price structure impact NASA's ability to manage cost overruns for potential future mission expansions?
The firm fixed price (FFP) structure shifts the risk of cost overruns to the contractor, SpaceX. For the initial development and certification, NASA benefits from cost certainty. However, for potential future mission expansions (PCMs), the pricing for these task orders would need to be negotiated, and while the overall contract is FFP, the pricing for subsequent missions could still be subject to negotiation and market conditions.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Manufacturing › Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing › Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing
Product/Service Code: TRANSPORT, TRAVEL, RELOCATION › TRANSPORTATION OF THINGS
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE
Offers Received: 3
Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Address: 1 ROCKET RD, HAWTHORNE, CA, 90250
Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Manufacturer of Goods, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $208,378,082
Exercised Options: $208,378,082
Current Obligation: $208,378,082
Actual Outlays: $109,351,209
Contract Characteristics
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL ITEM PROCEDURES NOT USED
Cost or Pricing Data: NO
Parent Contract
Parent Award PIID: NNK14MA74C
IDV Type: IDC
Timeline
Start Date: 2015-11-20
Current End Date: 2022-09-15
Potential End Date: 2024-09-30 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2025-05-29
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