NASA's $208M JPL Contract for Advanced Information Systems Technology: Research & Development Focus

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $20,858,358 ($20.9M)

Contractor: California Institute of Technology

Awarding Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Start Date: 2012-10-01

End Date: 2019-06-30

Contract Duration: 2,463 days

Daily Burn Rate: $8.5K/day

Competition Type: NOT COMPETED

Pricing Type: COST PLUS FIXED FEE

Sector: R&D

Official Description: IGF::CL::IGF JPL ADVANCED INFORMATION SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM 2011 (AIST-11) AWARDED TASKS AND AIST RELATED DIRECT TASKS THE CONTRACT IS THE SPONSORING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION (NASA) AND THE CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (CONTRACTOR), A PRIVATE NONPROFIT EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION, WHICH ESTABLISHES THE RELATIONSHIP FOR THE OPERATION OF THE FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER (FFRDC) KNOWN AS THE JET PROPULSION LABORATORY. THE CONTRACTOR, JPL, IS REQUIRED TO PERFORM WORK THAT IS DESIGNATED IN TASK ORDERS ISSUED BY THE NASA MANAGEMENT OFFICE (NMO) CONTRACTING OFFICERS. NASA SPONSORED WORK: JPL S PRIMARY MISSION IS TO SUPPORT THE NASA SCIENCE MISSION DIRECTORATE (SMD) IN CARRYING OUT THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES IDENTIFIED IN THE SMD SCIENCE PLAN. THE FOUR BROAD SCIENTIFIC AREAS ARE: EARTH SCIENCE, PLANETARY SCIENCE, HELIOPHYSICS, AND ASTROPHYSICS. IN PERFORMANCE OF THIS CONTRACT, JPL SHALL: 1) SUPPLY A BROAD BASE OF SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES RELEVANT TO NASA PROGRAM AND PROJECT RESPONSIBILITIES AND ASSIGNMENTS. 2) FOSTER ITS UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP WITH A TOP-TIER UNIVERSITY TO FACILITATE THE INVOLVEMENT OF SCIENTISTS, ENGINEERS, AND STUDENTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY AND RESEARCH COMMUNITIES IN NASA MISSION AND IN SUPPORTING OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. 3) SUPPORT NASA IN ENABLING PROGRAM AND INSTITUTIONAL CAPABILITIES. 4) DEVELOP SPACECRAFT AND INSTRUMENTS THAT ARE SENT TO VARIOUS DESTINATIONS WITH OUR SOLAR SYSTEM, INCLUDING EARTH ORBIT, PLANETS, PLANETARY SATELLITES, ASTEROIDS, AND COMETS. THESE MISSIONS MAY BE ORBITERS, LANDERS, OR ROVERS, AND TYPICALLY INCLUDE CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGIES REQUIRED TO MEET SCIENTIFIC REQUIREMENTS. 5) PERFORM PROJECT TASKS INVOLVING: (I) AUTONOMOUS DEEP-SPACE, INNER-SPACE AND EARTH-ORBITING SPACECRAFT OR MAJOR SUBSYSTEMS, (II) EXPERIMENTS, INSTRUMENTS, OR OTHER DEVICES WHICH MAY BE CARRIED AS PAYLOAD ON SPACECRAFTS IN MISSIONS MANAGED BY OTHERS, AND/OR (III) GROUND-BASED SYSTEMS. 6) BEYOND ITS PRIMARY MISSION, JPL MAY PERFORM WORK FOR OTHER NASA MISSION DIRECTORATES OR OFFICES. 7) JPL IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OPERATION, RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGY INSERTION, AND MANAGEMENT OF NASA S DEEP SPACE NETWORK TO PROVIDE TELECOMMUNICATION AND OPERATION SERVICES, INCLUDING DATA ACQUISITION AND DATA DELIVERY REQUIRED TO MEET ESTABLISHED AGENCY OBJECTIVES. 8) JPL IS ALSO REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN AND CONDUCT AN EDUCATION PROGRAM IN CLOSE COORDINATION WITH THE NASA HEADQUARTERS EDUCATION OFFICE, THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY AT LARGE, AND IN SUPPORT TO NASA STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES TO IMPROVE STUDENT RETENTION IN THE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) DISCIPLINES. WORK FOR NON-NASA SPONSORS: JPL MAY PERFORM WORK FOR NON-NASA SPONSORS. THIS WORK WILL BE DESIGNATED IN TASK ORDERS ISSUED BY NMO CONTRACTING OFFICERS BASED ON TASK PLANS INITIATED BY THE CONTRACTOR.

Place of Performance

Location: PASADENA, LOS ANGELES County, CALIFORNIA, 91109

State: California Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

National Aeronautics and Space Administration obligated $20.9 million to CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY for work described as: IGF::CL::IGF JPL ADVANCED INFORMATION SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM 2011 (AIST-11) AWARDED TASKS AND AIST RELATED DIRECT TASKS THE CONTRACT IS THE SPONSORING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION (NASA) AND THE CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (CONTR… Key points: 1. The contract funds research and development in physical, engineering, and life sciences, excluding biotechnology. 2. It supports NASA's Science Mission Directorate objectives through the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). 3. The contract is a cost-plus-fixed-fee type, awarded to the California Institute of Technology. 4. This FFRDC contract has been ongoing since 2012, with a significant duration.

Value Assessment

Rating: good

The contract value of $208.6 million over approximately 7 years suggests a substantial investment in R&D. Benchmarking is difficult without specific task order details, but the FFRDC model implies a dedicated resource for NASA's strategic goals.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: sole-source

The contract is a sole-source award to the California Institute of Technology for operating the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC). This structure is typical for FFRDCs, limiting direct competition but ensuring specialized capabilities.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayer funds are directed towards a specialized research institution for critical scientific and technological advancements, aligning with national space exploration and research objectives.

Public Impact

Supports cutting-edge research and development in space science and technology. JPL's work under this contract contributes to NASA's mission objectives and scientific discoveries. The FFRDC model ensures long-term strategic research capabilities for the government. Potential for technological advancements with broad applications beyond space exploration.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 85 / 10

Warning Flags

  • Lack of direct competition due to FFRDC structure
  • Cost-plus-fixed-fee contracts can sometimes lead to cost overruns if not managed tightly

Positive Signals

  • Dedicated R&D capability through FFRDC
  • Supports critical NASA mission objectives
  • Long-term research partnership

Sector Analysis

This contract falls under the Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences sector. Spending in this area is crucial for innovation and technological advancement, with FFRDCs like JPL playing a unique role in government-sponsored research.

Small Business Impact

The data does not indicate any specific provisions or subcontracts awarded to small businesses under this contract. The nature of FFRDC operations typically involves direct work by the institution rather than extensive subcontracting to external entities.

Oversight & Accountability

As a contract for operating an FFRDC, oversight is inherent in the NASA-JPL relationship. NASA's Management Office (NMO) directly oversees JPL's work through task orders, ensuring alignment with agency objectives and proper utilization of funds.

Related Government Programs

  • Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration Contracting
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration Programs

Risk Flags

  • Sole-source award limits competitive pressure.
  • Cost-plus-fixed-fee requires diligent oversight to manage costs.
  • Potential for scope creep in long-term R&D projects.
  • Dependence on a single FFRDC for critical capabilities.

Tags

research-and-development-in-the-physical, national-aeronautics-and-space-administr, ca, delivery-order, 10m-plus

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

National Aeronautics and Space Administration awarded $20.9 million to CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY. IGF::CL::IGF JPL ADVANCED INFORMATION SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM 2011 (AIST-11) AWARDED TASKS AND AIST RELATED DIRECT TASKS THE CONTRACT IS THE SPONSORING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION (NASA) AND THE CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (CONTRACTOR), A PRIVATE NONPROFIT EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION, WHICH ESTABLISHES THE RELATIONSHIP FOR THE OPERATION OF THE FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER (FFRDC) KNOWN AS THE JET PROPULSION LABORATORY. THE CONTRA

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 $20.9 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2012-10-01. End: 2019-06-30.

How does the cost-plus-fixed-fee structure impact the efficiency of R&D spending at JPL compared to other contract types?

The cost-plus-fixed-fee (CPFF) structure allows for flexibility in R&D projects where costs can be uncertain. While it provides a fixed profit margin for the contractor, it necessitates robust government oversight to ensure costs remain reasonable and that the contractor is incentivized to control expenses. Compared to fixed-price contracts, CPFF can be less efficient if cost controls are weak, but it's often necessary for exploratory research where scope and outcomes are not fully defined upfront.

What are the primary risks associated with relying on a sole-source FFRDC like JPL for advanced information systems technology?

The primary risk is the lack of direct competition, which could potentially lead to less innovative solutions or higher costs than might be achieved through a competitive bidding process. There's also a risk of vendor lock-in, where NASA becomes heavily reliant on JPL's unique capabilities, making it difficult to switch or integrate external technologies. Ensuring continued alignment with NASA's evolving strategic needs and maintaining agility within the FFRDC structure are ongoing challenges.

To what extent does this contract contribute to tangible technological advancements with broader public benefit beyond NASA's immediate mission?

JPL's work under this contract has historically led to numerous technological spin-offs with significant public benefit, ranging from medical imaging techniques to advanced materials and robotics. While the primary objective is NASA's mission, the nature of advanced R&D often results in innovations applicable to various industries and consumer products. The specific public impact depends on the nature of the 'Advanced Information Systems Technology' developed and subsequent commercialization or open-source release efforts.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical ServicesScientific Research and Development ServicesResearch and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)

Product/Service Code: RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTSpace R&D Services

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: NOT COMPETED

Solicitation Procedures: ONLY ONE SOURCE

Pricing Type: COST PLUS FIXED FEE (U)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 4800 OAK GROVE DR, PASADENA, CA, 91109

Business Categories: Category Business, Federally Funded Research and Development Corp, Government, U.S. National Government, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $25,364,589

Exercised Options: $25,364,589

Current Obligation: $20,858,358

Actual Outlays: $50,743

Contract Characteristics

Multi-Year Contract: Yes

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES PROCEDURES NOT USED

Cost or Pricing Data: NO

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: NNN12AA01C

IDV Type: IDC

Timeline

Start Date: 2012-10-01

Current End Date: 2019-06-30

Potential End Date: 2019-06-30 00:00:00

Last Modified: 2022-09-16

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