NASA’s Management of Its Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Portfolio

Submitting OIG:

National Aeronautics and Space Administration OIG

Report Description:

NASA manages two Agency-wide contracts with the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory for robotic space missions and supporting research. In this audit, we examined the Laboratory’s management of its NASA portfolio relative to cost and schedule and NASA’s management of the contracts.

Date Issued:

Thursday, September 29, 2022

Agency Reviewed / Investigated:

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Submitting OIG-Specific Report Number:

IG-22-017

Location(s):

NASA HQ, DC

United States

Marshall SFC, AL

United States

Type of Report:

Audit

Questioned Costs:

$3,876,979

Funds for Better Use:

Number of Recommendations:

View Document:

Attachment	Size
IG-22-017.pdf	3.62 MB

Recommendation Number	Recommendation Status	Significant Recommendation
1	Open	No
To help ensure NASA does not pay more than required on IDIQ contracts and task orders, we recommend the Assistant Administrator for Procurement:1. Document this occurrence as a lessons learned, as well as provide supplemental guidance to NASA procurement officials that, in the absence of prohibitive regulation or direction, the FAR provides them the authority to take the lead in encouraging business process innovations to ensure efficient contract actions.
2	Open	No
In addition, we recommend the Marshall Space Flight Center Director require the Marshall Procurement Office:2. Document a process to periodically assess and compare the total cost estimate for awarded APL tasks to the established maximum and take timely action to modify the contract or request a deviation from the FAR to exclude a maximum for ARDES II and any future ARDES-type IDIQ contracts for APL.

Recommendation Number

Recommendation Status

Significant Recommendation

Additional Details

Open

To help ensure NASA does not pay more than required on IDIQ contracts and task orders, we recommend the Assistant Administrator for Procurement:1. Document this occurrence as a lessons learned, as well as provide supplemental guidance to NASA procurement officials that, in the absence of prohibitive regulation or direction, the FAR provides them the authority to take the lead in encouraging business process innovations to ensure efficient contract actions.

Open

In addition, we recommend the Marshall Space Flight Center Director require the Marshall Procurement Office:2. Document a process to periodically assess and compare the total cost estimate for awarded APL tasks to the established maximum and take timely action to modify the contract or request a deviation from the FAR to exclude a maximum for ARDES II and any future ARDES-type IDIQ contracts for APL.

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NASA’s Management of Its Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Portfolio

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