NASA's Solar Probe Plus Contract Awarded to Johns Hopkins University for $894.5M
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $894,500,235 ($894.5M)
Contractor: THE Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory LLC
Awarding Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Start Date: 2010-05-17
End Date: 2026-03-31
Contract Duration: 5,797 days
Daily Burn Rate: $154.3K/day
Competition Type: NOT COMPETED
Pricing Type: COST PLUS FIXED FEE
Sector: R&D
Official Description: SOLAR PROBE PLUS (SPP) PHASE A ACTIVITIES THE CONTRACTOR SHALL PERFORM THE WORK THAT IS DESIGNATED IN TASK ORDERS ISSUED BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER. THE OVERALL SCOPE OF WORK TO BE PERFORMED WILL SUPPORT ALL OF NASA'S MISSION DIRECTORATES. THESE EFFORTS CAN BE CHARACTERIZED AS AEROSPACE RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND ENGINEERING SUPPORT (ARDES). THE GENERAL NATURE OF THE TASKS TO BE DEVELOPED WILL BE TO CONDUCT SUPPORTING RESEARCH AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT DESIGNED TO MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS TO SPACE SCIENCE AND SPACE EXPLORATION AND ASSIST NASA IN THE FORMULATION AND EXECUTION OF ITS PROGRAMS BY PROVIDING NASA WITH TECHNICAL ADVICE, STUDIES, AND REPORTS OF INVESTIGATIONS. EFFORTS UNDERTAKEN BY THE CONTRACTOR, IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ASSIGNED TASKS, WHICH INCLUDE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER, PARTNERING AND COMMERCIALIZATION ACTIVITIES, SHALL SEEK TO ENHANCE THE VALUE AND CONTRIBUTION OF TECHNOLOGY TO THE NATION S TECHNOLOGICAL COMPETITIVENESS, PROSPERITY, QUALITY OF LIFE, AND OTHER NATIONAL PRIORITIES. INDIVIDUAL TASK ORDERS WILL FALL WITHIN ONE OF TWO BROAD CATEGORIES: 1) ESSENTIAL RESEARCH CAPABILITY OF SPACE SYSTEMS ENGINEERING, AND RELATED WORK IN THE SUPPORTING ESSENTIAL RESEARCH CAPABILITIES OF SYSTEMS TEST AND EVALUATION, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, AND SIMULATION, MODELING AND OPERATIONS ANALYSIS. TASK ORDERS WITHIN THE CATEGORY OF ESSENTIAL RESEARCH CAPABILITIES ARE INTENDED TO PRESERVE THE NATION S CAPABILITIES TO PERFORM ROBOTIC SPACE MISSIONS OVER THE FULL MISSION LIFE CYCLE FROM CONCEPT FORMULATION THROUGH MISSION OPERATIONS AND DATA ANALYSIS. NASA IS CONTRACTING FOR SUPPORT IN SEVERAL KEY RESEARCH, ENGINEERING AND DEVELOPMENT COMPETENCIES THAT ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO THE PERFORMANCE OF THESE MISSIONS. 2) OTHER AEROSPACE RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND ENGINEERING SUPPORT. TASK ORDERS WITHIN THE CATEGORY OF OTHER AEROSPACE RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND ENGINEERING SUPPORT ARE INTENDED TO INCLUDE A BROAD BASE OF SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES RELEVANT TO NASA PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITIES AND ASSIGNMENTS. REGARDLESS OF CATEGORY, TASK ORDERS MAY BE ISSUED RELATED TO AUTONOMOUS DEEP-SPACE AND EARTH-ORBITING SPACECRAFT OR MAJOR SUBSYSTEMS, EXPERIMENTS, INSTRUMENTS OR OTHER DEVICES THAT MAY BE CARRIED AS PAYLOADS ON THE SPACE SHUTTLE OR ON OTHER SPACECRAFT. TASK ASSIGNMENTS WILL EXPLICITLY DESCRIBE A BROAD RANGE OF HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, SYSTEMS ENGINEERING, SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS, AND MANAGEMENT EFFORTS INCLUDING PROGRAM AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION.
Place of Performance
Location: LAUREL, HOWARD County, MARYLAND, 20723
State: Maryland Government Spending
Plain-Language Summary
National Aeronautics and Space Administration obligated $894.5 million to THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY APPLIED PHYSICS LABORATORY LLC for work described as: SOLAR PROBE PLUS (SPP) PHASE A ACTIVITIES THE CONTRACTOR SHALL PERFORM THE WORK THAT IS DESIGNATED IN TASK ORDERS ISSUED BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER. THE OVERALL SCOPE OF WORK TO BE PERFORMED WILL SUPPORT ALL OF NASA'S MISSION DIRECTORATES. THESE EFFORTS CAN BE CHARACTERIZED … Key points: 1. Contract supports aerospace research, development, and engineering for NASA's mission directorates. 2. Focus on space science and exploration through research and advanced technology development. 3. Potential for technology transfer to commercial applications. 4. Long-term contract duration (2010-2026) suggests significant ongoing support needs.
Value Assessment
Rating: fair
The contract type is Cost Plus Fixed Fee, which can lead to cost overruns if not managed carefully. Benchmarking against similar R&D contracts is difficult without more specific task order details.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: sole-source
The contract was not competed, indicating a sole-source award. This limits price discovery and may result in higher costs compared to a competitive process.
Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayers may be paying a premium due to the lack of competition, though the specialized nature of the work might justify it.
Public Impact
Advancement of space science and exploration through cutting-edge research. Development of new technologies with potential for broader societal benefits. Support for NASA's ambitious space missions and scientific objectives. Long-term investment in critical research and development capabilities.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Lack of competition
- Cost-plus contract type
- Long contract duration
Positive Signals
- Supports critical NASA missions
- Focus on R&D and technology advancement
- Potential for technology transfer
Sector Analysis
This contract falls under the Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences sector (NAICS 541710). Spending in this sector is crucial for innovation but can be subject to cost overruns and long development cycles.
Small Business Impact
The contract is awarded to The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory LLC, a large research institution. There is no indication of small business participation in this specific award.
Oversight & Accountability
The contract is managed by NASA, which has established oversight mechanisms for research and development contracts. However, the sole-source nature warrants close monitoring of costs and deliverables.
Related Government Programs
- Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration Contracting
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration Programs
Risk Flags
- Lack of competitive bidding
- Cost-plus contract type may incentivize higher spending
- Long contract duration increases exposure to cost escalation
- Limited transparency on specific task order costs and deliverables
Tags
research-and-development-in-the-physical, national-aeronautics-and-space-administr, md, delivery-order, 100m-plus
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
National Aeronautics and Space Administration awarded $894.5 million to THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY APPLIED PHYSICS LABORATORY LLC. SOLAR PROBE PLUS (SPP) PHASE A ACTIVITIES THE CONTRACTOR SHALL PERFORM THE WORK THAT IS DESIGNATED IN TASK ORDERS ISSUED BY THE CONTRACTING OFFICER. THE OVERALL SCOPE OF WORK TO BE PERFORMED WILL SUPPORT ALL OF NASA'S MISSION DIRECTORATES. THESE EFFORTS CAN BE CHARACTERIZED AS AEROSPACE RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND ENGINEERING SUPPORT (ARDES). THE GENERAL NATURE OF THE TASKS TO BE DEVELOPED WILL BE TO CONDUCT SUPPORTING RESEARCH AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT DESIGNED TO MAKE CONTRIBUTIO
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY APPLIED PHYSICS LABORATORY LLC.
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 $894.5 million.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2010-05-17. End: 2026-03-31.
What is the estimated total cost for the entire contract period, and how does it compare to similar large-scale aerospace R&D projects?
The provided data shows an initial award amount of $894,500,235. However, the contract is structured with task orders, meaning the total expenditure over its duration (2010-2026) could fluctuate. A comprehensive comparison requires detailed breakdowns of task order scope and cost, which are not available here. Benchmarking against similar long-term, sole-source R&D efforts is challenging but essential for assessing value.
What specific risks are associated with the Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) contract type for this project, and how are they being mitigated?
CPFF contracts carry inherent risks of cost overruns, as the contractor is reimbursed for all allowable costs plus a fixed fee. For this project, risks include scope creep, inefficient resource allocation, and potential for the contractor to prioritize profit over cost control. Mitigation strategies would typically involve robust oversight, detailed performance metrics, and clear definition of allowable costs by NASA.
How effectively is the contractor transferring developed technologies from this aerospace R&D project to other sectors or commercial applications?
The contract mentions 'technology transfer' as a potential effort. However, the provided data does not offer specifics on the mechanisms or success rates of such transfers. Assessing effectiveness would require tracking patents, licenses, spin-off companies, or documented applications of the developed technologies in non-aerospace fields.
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
Pricing Type: COST PLUS FIXED FEE (U)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Address: JOHNS HOPKINS RD 11100, LAUREL, MD, 20723
Business Categories: Category Business, Not Designated a Small Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $898,287,652
Exercised Options: $898,287,652
Current Obligation: $894,500,235
Actual Outlays: $150,065,813
Subaward Activity
Number of Subawards: 7
Total Subaward Amount: $82,053,889
Contract Characteristics
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES PROCEDURES NOT USED
Parent Contract
Parent Award PIID: NNN06AA01C
IDV Type: IDC
Timeline
Start Date: 2010-05-17
Current End Date: 2026-03-31
Potential End Date: 2026-03-31 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2026-01-21
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