NASA's $52.9M JPL Contract with Caltech: FFRDC Operations and Research Support

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $52,886,676 ($52.9M)

Contractor: California Institute of Technology

Awarding Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Start Date: 2012-10-01

End Date: 2018-09-30

Contract Duration: 2,190 days

Daily Burn Rate: $24.1K/day

Competition Type: NOT COMPETED

Pricing Type: COST PLUS FIXED FEE

Sector: R&D

Official Description: IGF::CL::IGF PHYSICAL OCEANGRAPHY DISTRIBUTED ACTIVE ARCHIVE CENTER (PO DAAC) 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 $52.9 million to CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY for work described as: IGF::CL::IGF PHYSICAL OCEANGRAPHY DISTRIBUTED ACTIVE ARCHIVE CENTER (PO DAAC) 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. Contract supports NASA's Science Mission Directorate objectives through JPL's research capabilities. 2. Operates as a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), indicating specialized, long-term research needs. 3. Sole-source nature raises questions about price discovery and potential for competitive alternatives. 4. Sector focus on R&D in Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences aligns with NASA's scientific goals.

Value Assessment

Rating: questionable

The contract's cost-plus-fixed-fee structure for FFRDC operations makes direct pricing comparisons difficult. Benchmarking is challenging due to the unique nature of FFRDC services and the specific research tasks defined by NASA.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: sole-source

This contract was not competed, likely due to the specialized nature of FFRDC operations and the established relationship with Caltech/JPL. The lack of competition means price discovery relies heavily on NASA's negotiation and oversight.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayer funds are committed to a single entity for specialized research, with oversight crucial to ensure value for money.

Public Impact

Supports critical scientific research in Earth and space sciences, contributing to national scientific advancement. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's work impacts public understanding of space exploration and climate science. Long-term commitment to an FFRDC ensures continuity in vital research infrastructure and expertise.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

  • Lack of competition
  • Cost-plus contract type
  • Sole-source award

Positive Signals

  • Supports critical NASA scientific mission
  • Established FFRDC relationship
  • Long-term contract duration

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences sector. FFRDCs like JPL are often used for complex, long-term research projects where government-unique capabilities are required, making direct sector spending benchmarks less applicable.

Small Business Impact

The contract does not appear to involve small business participation directly, as it is a sole-source agreement with a large educational institution (Caltech) for FFRDC operations. Subcontracting opportunities for small businesses would depend on JPL's internal procurement practices.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight is managed by NASA through the NASA Management Office (NMO) contracting officers who issue task orders. The FFRDC structure implies a high degree of government oversight to ensure alignment with NASA's strategic objectives.

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

  • Lack of competitive bidding
  • Potential for cost overruns in cost-plus contracts
  • Reliance on a single entity for critical research infrastructure
  • Limited transparency in price discovery due to sole-source nature

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 $52.9 million to CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY. IGF::CL::IGF PHYSICAL OCEANGRAPHY DISTRIBUTED ACTIVE ARCHIVE CENTER (PO DAAC) 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 $52.9 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2012-10-01. End: 2018-09-30.

What is the justification for the sole-source award, and how does NASA ensure fair and reasonable pricing without competition?

The sole-source award is likely justified by the unique capabilities and established infrastructure of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory as a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC). NASA ensures fair and reasonable pricing through rigorous negotiation, cost analysis, and ongoing performance monitoring, leveraging its expertise in managing complex research contracts and FFRDC relationships.

How does the cost-plus-fixed-fee structure incentivize efficiency and cost control for JPL?

The cost-plus-fixed-fee structure allows JPL to recover allowable costs incurred while performing the contract, plus a predetermined fixed fee representing profit. Incentives for efficiency are typically embedded within the fixed fee negotiation and performance metrics. However, this structure can offer less direct incentive for cost reduction compared to fixed-price contracts, making NASA's oversight critical.

What is the long-term strategic value of maintaining this FFRDC relationship for NASA's scientific objectives?

Maintaining the FFRDC relationship with JPL provides NASA with a stable, government-owned, contractor-operated entity possessing unique expertise and infrastructure essential for long-term, complex scientific missions, particularly in space exploration and Earth science. This continuity ensures access to specialized capabilities and fosters innovation aligned with NASA's strategic science goals.

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: $54,212,372

Exercised Options: $54,212,372

Current Obligation: $52,886,676

Actual Outlays: $128,660

Contract Characteristics

Multi-Year Contract: Yes

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL ITEM 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: 2018-09-30

Potential End Date: 2018-09-30 00:00:00

Last Modified: 2022-03-28

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