Ames Research Center’s Lease Management Practices

Submitting OIG:

National Aeronautics and Space Administration OIG

Report Description:

NASA’s Ames Research Center—located in California’s Silicon Valley—is utilizing leases in an attempt to transform the Center into a shared-use research and development campus by collaborating with private industry, academia, government, and nonprofit organizations. In this audit, we assessed the effectiveness of Ames’ lease management practices.

Date Issued:

Thursday, August 4, 2022

Agency Reviewed / Investigated:

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Submitting OIG-Specific Report Number:

IG-22-015

Location(s):

Agency-Wide

Type of Report:

Audit

Questioned Costs:

Funds for Better Use:

Number of Recommendations:

View Document:

Attachment	Size
Final-Report-IG-22-015-Ames-Research-Centers-Lease-Management-Practices-Redacted.pdf	3.93 MB

Recommendation Number	Recommendation Status	Significant Recommendation
1	Open	No
Recommendation 1:We recommend the Assistant Administrator for Strategic Infrastructure:1. Conduct cyclical reviews (no less than once every 5 years) of the Ames lease process to ensure compliance with federal and NASA requirements.
2	Open	No
Recommendation 2:We recommend the Assistant Administrator for Strategic Infrastructure in coordination with the Chief Financial Officer: Update applicable real estate policies and NASA-wide guidance to enhance requirements and procedures to comply with EUL authority and to require maintaining appropriate documentation, documenting decisions, and fostering transparent coordination and communication with internal and external stakeholders in a timely manner.
3	Open	No
Recommendation 3: We recommend the Assistant Administrator for Strategic Infrastructure in coordination with the Chief Financial Officer: Update applicable real estate policies and NASA-wide guidance to enhance requirements and standardize applicable financial practices (such as the benefit and cost analysis, life-cycle cost analysis, and audits of tenants’ books and records when required) associated with leases.
4	Open	No
Recommendation 4: The Assistant Administrator for Strategic Infrastructure in coordination with the Assistant Administrator for Protective Services: Update applicable real estate policies and NASA-wide guidance to incorporate applicable security requirements and agreement clauses in leases.
5	Open	No
Recommendation 5: We recommend the Ames Center Director: Implement written procedures in the lease process to ensure compliance with federal and NASA requirements applicable, but not limited to, timely involvement of the RPAO, competition, life-cycle cost analysis, fair market value assessments, certifications, and termination clauses as appropriate.
6	Open	No
Recommendation 6 We recommend the Ames Center Director: Ensure FRED and Center organizations’ management such as the PSO, OCFO, and Facilities Engineering and Real Property Management Division are involved in the entire lease process from initial planning through termination to identify and assess resources, budgets, schedules, risks, and compliance with federal and NASA requirements.
7	Open	No
Recommendation 7: We recommended the Ames Center Director: Establish a formal management structure for implementing the NASA Ames Development Plan that includes a documented and transparent process and emphasizes continuous internal and external stakeholder coordination for the research and development campus.
8	Open	No
Recommendation 8: We recommended the Ames Center Director: Establish a documented process with defined performance metrics to objectively measure progress and success for the research and development campus program, including evaluating tenant and partner contributions to NASA missions, and monitoring and reporting the performance metrics at least annually.
9	Open	No
Recommendation 9: We recommended the Assistant Administrator for Protective Services, in coordination with the Ames Protective Services Office Chief and Ames Center Director: Within the next 3 years, conduct a Center-wide security vulnerability risk assessment, including the districts outside Ames Campus, to ensure compliance with federal and NASA requirements.
10	Open	No
Recommendation 10: We recommended the Assistant Administrator for Protective Services, in coordination with the Ames Protective Services Office Chief and Ames Center Director: Identify and implement mitigation strategies and resource requirements to address the security vulnerability assessment risks.

Recommendation Number

Recommendation Status

Significant Recommendation

Additional Details

Open

Recommendation 1:We recommend the Assistant Administrator for Strategic Infrastructure:1. Conduct cyclical reviews (no less than once every 5 years) of the Ames lease process to ensure compliance with federal and NASA requirements.

Open

Recommendation 2:We recommend the Assistant Administrator for Strategic Infrastructure in coordination with the Chief Financial Officer: Update applicable real estate policies and NASA-wide guidance to enhance requirements and procedures to comply with EUL authority and to require maintaining appropriate documentation, documenting decisions, and fostering transparent coordination and communication with internal and external stakeholders in a timely manner.

Open

Recommendation 3: We recommend the Assistant Administrator for Strategic Infrastructure in coordination with the Chief Financial Officer: Update applicable real estate policies and NASA-wide guidance to enhance requirements and standardize applicable financial practices (such as the benefit and cost analysis, life-cycle cost analysis, and audits of tenants’ books and records when required) associated with leases.

Open

Recommendation 4: The Assistant Administrator for Strategic Infrastructure in coordination with the Assistant Administrator for Protective Services: Update applicable real estate policies and NASA-wide guidance to incorporate applicable security requirements and agreement clauses in leases.