NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory contract with Caltech for planetary science concept studies totals $49M over 8 years

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $48,995,229 ($49.0M)

Contractor: California Institute of Technology

Awarding Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Start Date: 2012-10-01

End Date: 2020-09-30

Contract Duration: 2,921 days

Daily Burn Rate: $16.8K/day

Competition Type: NOT COMPETED

Pricing Type: COST PLUS FIXED FEE

Sector: R&D

Official Description: IGF::CL::IGF SMD, PLANETARY SCIENCE, CONCEPT STUDIES FOR PLANETARY INSTRUMENTS 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 $49.0 million to CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY for work described as: IGF::CL::IGF SMD, PLANETARY SCIENCE, CONCEPT STUDIES FOR PLANETARY INSTRUMENTS 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 INSTIT… Key points: 1. This contract funds critical research and development for NASA's Planetary Science Division. 2. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), operated by Caltech, is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC). 3. The contract is structured as a cost-plus-fixed-fee agreement, common for R&D projects. 4. Competition is limited due to the FFRDC nature of JPL, impacting price discovery.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The contract's cost-plus-fixed-fee structure is typical for R&D, but lacks strong price competition benchmarks. The total award of $49M over 8 years suggests a steady, albeit not aggressively priced, investment in concept studies.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: limited

The contract is with Caltech for JPL operations, a designated FFRDC. This limits full and open competition, as JPL is uniquely positioned to perform this work for NASA. Price discovery is therefore less robust than in a competitive environment.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayer funds are supporting advanced scientific research and instrument development, which has long-term potential benefits but direct cost-effectiveness is hard to gauge without competition.

Public Impact

Supports NASA's ambitious goals in planetary exploration and scientific discovery. Funds early-stage research for potential future space missions. Invests in the development of advanced scientific instruments. Benefits the scientific community through research outputs and technological advancements.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

• Limited competition may lead to higher costs.
• FFRDC structure can reduce market pressure on pricing.
• Long contract duration without clear performance metrics could be a concern.

Positive Signals

• Supports critical national science objectives.
• Leverages unique capabilities of JPL/Caltech.
• Funds foundational research for future missions.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls under Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences. Spending in this sector is often characterized by long project timelines, high upfront investment, and significant uncertainty in outcomes, making direct cost comparisons difficult.

Small Business Impact

This contract does not appear to involve small business participation directly, as it is a direct award to a large educational institution (Caltech) for operating an FFRDC (JPL).

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight is provided by the NASA Management Office (NMO) through task orders. As an FFRDC, JPL operates under specific agreements that include oversight mechanisms, but the nature of the award limits traditional competitive oversight.

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

• Limited competition
• Cost-plus-fixed-fee structure
• Long contract duration
• FFRDC reliance

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 $49.0 million to CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY. IGF::CL::IGF SMD, PLANETARY SCIENCE, CONCEPT STUDIES FOR PLANETARY INSTRUMENTS 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

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 $49.0 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2012-10-01. End: 2020-09-30.

What is the cost-effectiveness of this contract given the limited competition?

Assessing cost-effectiveness is challenging due to the limited competition inherent in FFRDC arrangements. While JPL's unique capabilities justify its selection, the lack of competitive bidding means there's no direct market comparison to ensure optimal pricing. NASA relies on internal benchmarks and the fixed-fee structure to manage costs, but the true value for taxpayer dollars is harder to quantify without alternative proposals.

What are the primary risks associated with this long-term R&D contract?

Key risks include potential cost overruns inherent in R&D, the possibility of research yielding no actionable results for future missions, and the risk that technological advancements may be superseded by competitors if development timelines are not met. The long duration also presents a risk of scope creep or misalignment with evolving NASA priorities without rigorous oversight.

How effectively does this contract support NASA's long-term strategic goals in planetary science?

This contract is crucial for supporting NASA's long-term strategic goals by funding foundational concept studies and instrument development for planetary science. JPL's role as an FFRDC allows for sustained focus on complex, long-term research that might be difficult to achieve through shorter-term, competitively bid contracts. Its effectiveness lies in building the scientific and technological groundwork for future exploration missions.

Industry Classification

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

Product/Service Code: RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT › Space 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: $61,579,887

Exercised Options: $61,579,887

Current Obligation: $48,995,229

Actual Outlays: $122,580

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: 2020-09-30

Potential End Date: 2020-09-30 00:00:00

Last Modified: 2023-09-07

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