NASA awards $233.7M contract for Global Precipitation Measurement instrument, BAE Systems to provide critical Earth science technology
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $233,719,988 ($233.7M)
Contractor: BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems Inc.
Awarding Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Start Date: 2005-03-22
End Date: 2017-10-31
Contract Duration: 4,606 days
Daily Burn Rate: $50.7K/day
Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Number of Offers Received: 3
Pricing Type: COST PLUS AWARD FEE
Sector: Other
Official Description: NATIONAL AERONAUTICAL&SPACE ADMINISTRATION (NASA) AND THE GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER (GSFC) HAS A REQUIREMENT FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THE GLOBAL PRECIPITATION MEASUREMENT (GPM) MICROWAVE IMAGER (GMI) INSTRUMENT. THE GMI INSTRUMENT IS A 13 CHANNEL RADIOMETER WHOSE CORE SCIENCE MEASURES THE EARTH S ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE WITHIN 10.65 GHZ THROUGH 183 GHZ OF THE MICROWAVE SPECTRUM.
Place of Performance
Location: BOULDER, BOULDER County, COLORADO, 80301
State: Colorado Government Spending
Plain-Language Summary
National Aeronautics and Space Administration obligated $233.7 million to BAE SYSTEMS SPACE & MISSION SYSTEMS INC. for work described as: NATIONAL AERONAUTICAL&SPACE ADMINISTRATION (NASA) AND THE GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER (GSFC) HAS A REQUIREMENT FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THE GLOBAL PRECIPITATION MEASUREMENT (GPM) MICROWAVE IMAGER (GMI) INSTRUMENT. THE GMI INSTRUMENT IS A 13 CHANNEL RADIOMETER WHOSE CORE SCIENCE ME… Key points: 1. The contract supports the continuation of the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Microwave Imager (GMI) instrument, a key component for Earth's atmospheric moisture monitoring. 2. BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems Inc. is the contractor, with the contract type being a Cost Plus Award Fee (CPAF). 3. The contract has a duration of approximately 4606 days, indicating a long-term commitment to the GMI instrument's lifecycle. 4. The award was made under full and open competition, suggesting a robust bidding process. 5. The GMI instrument utilizes a 13-channel radiometer to measure atmospheric moisture across a wide microwave spectrum. 6. This contract falls under the Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing sector, highlighting its role in advanced aerospace technology.
Value Assessment
Rating: good
The contract value of $233.7 million over its duration represents a significant investment in Earth science instrumentation. Benchmarking this against similar complex instrument development contracts is challenging without more specific cost breakdowns. However, the CPAF structure suggests that performance incentives are tied to cost control and mission success, which can be a value-driving mechanism. The long duration implies a sustained need and potentially stable pricing over time, but requires ongoing scrutiny for cost efficiency.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: full-and-open
The contract was awarded under full and open competition, indicating that multiple qualified bidders had the opportunity to submit proposals. The presence of 3 bidders (no=3) suggests a competitive environment, which typically aids in price discovery and can lead to more favorable terms for the government. The specific details of the competition, such as the number of proposals received and the evaluation criteria, would provide further insight into the effectiveness of the competition.
Taxpayer Impact: Full and open competition generally benefits taxpayers by fostering a competitive environment that can drive down costs and encourage innovation, leading to better value for public funds.
Public Impact
The primary beneficiaries are scientists and researchers who rely on GPM data for climate modeling, weather forecasting, and disaster management. The contract delivers a critical instrument for monitoring global precipitation, essential for understanding Earth's climate system. The geographic impact is global, as the GMI instrument collects data from space, providing worldwide coverage of precipitation patterns. The contract supports a specialized workforce in the aerospace and defense industry, including engineers, scientists, and technicians involved in instrument design, manufacturing, and testing.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Cost Plus Award Fee (CPAF) contracts can sometimes lead to higher costs if award fees are consistently maximized without stringent oversight.
- The long duration of the contract (over 12 years) necessitates continuous monitoring to ensure cost efficiency and prevent scope creep.
- Reliance on a single contractor for a critical, long-term instrument may present supply chain or future innovation risks if not managed proactively.
Positive Signals
- Awarded under full and open competition, indicating a competitive process that likely secured favorable pricing.
- The CPAF structure incentivizes contractor performance and cost control, aligning contractor goals with government objectives.
- The contract supports a vital scientific mission (GPM) contributing to critical Earth science research and applications.
- The contractor, BAE Systems, is a well-established entity in the aerospace and defense sector, suggesting a level of expertise and reliability.
Sector Analysis
The Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing sector is characterized by high-technology development and production for government agencies, primarily NASA and the Department of Defense. This contract fits within the specialized niche of space-based Earth observation instruments. Comparable spending benchmarks would involve other large-scale satellite instrument development contracts, which often run into hundreds of millions of dollars due to the complexity, precision, and long operational lifespans required.
Small Business Impact
This contract does not appear to have a small business set-aside component (ss=false, sb=false). Given the specialized nature and high value of developing and manufacturing a complex space instrument like the GMI, it is typical for such contracts to be awarded to large, experienced aerospace firms. Subcontracting opportunities for small businesses may exist within the supply chain for components or specialized services, but the primary award is not directed towards small businesses.
Oversight & Accountability
Oversight for this contract would primarily fall under NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) contracting and program management offices. The Cost Plus Award Fee (CPAF) structure implies performance metrics and milestones that are regularly reviewed to determine award fee payments, providing a degree of oversight. Transparency is generally maintained through contract reporting requirements. While specific Inspector General (IG) jurisdiction details are not provided, NASA's Office of Inspector General typically has oversight over NASA contracts.
Related Government Programs
- Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Mission
- Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) Contracts
- NASA Instrument Development Programs
- Space-Based Earth Observation Systems
- Microwave Radiometer Technology
Risk Flags
- Long contract duration increases risk of technological obsolescence.
- Cost Plus Award Fee (CPAF) requires diligent oversight to ensure value for money.
- Potential for cost overruns over the extended contract period.
Tags
nasa, gsfc, space-vehicle-manufacturing, instrument-development, earth-science, full-and-open-competition, cost-plus-award-fee, definitive-contract, large-business, national, aerospace, microwave-radiometer
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
National Aeronautics and Space Administration awarded $233.7 million to BAE SYSTEMS SPACE & MISSION SYSTEMS INC.. NATIONAL AERONAUTICAL&SPACE ADMINISTRATION (NASA) AND THE GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER (GSFC) HAS A REQUIREMENT FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THE GLOBAL PRECIPITATION MEASUREMENT (GPM) MICROWAVE IMAGER (GMI) INSTRUMENT. THE GMI INSTRUMENT IS A 13 CHANNEL RADIOMETER WHOSE CORE SCIENCE MEASURES THE EARTH S ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE WITHIN 10.65 GHZ THROUGH 183 GHZ OF THE MICROWAVE SPECTRUM.
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is BAE SYSTEMS SPACE & MISSION SYSTEMS INC..
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 $233.7 million.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2005-03-22. End: 2017-10-31.
What is the historical spending trend for the GMI instrument program prior to this award?
The provided data focuses on a single definitive contract awarded on March 22, 2005, with an end date of October 31, 2017, totaling $233,719,987.63. This suggests this specific contract represents a significant portion, if not the entirety, of the funding for the GMI instrument's development and initial operational phase under this award vehicle. To understand the historical spending trend, one would need to examine prior contracts related to the GMI's research, design, or precursor instruments, as well as any subsequent contracts for sustainment or upgrades beyond the 2017 end date. Without access to that broader contract history, it's difficult to establish a multi-year spending trend solely from this data point.
How does the per-unit cost of the GMI instrument compare to similar microwave imagers for Earth observation?
Determining a precise 'per-unit cost' for the GMI instrument is complex, as the $233.7 million contract covers the development, manufacturing, and potentially initial operational support of a single, highly sophisticated instrument. Benchmarking this against 'similar' instruments requires careful consideration of factors like channel count, frequency range, spatial resolution, technological maturity, and mission duration. Instruments with fewer channels or less advanced capabilities would naturally cost less. Conversely, instruments with higher spectral or spatial resolution, or those designed for longer mission lifespans in harsher environments, could be more expensive. A direct comparison would necessitate identifying instruments with comparable technical specifications and mission objectives, and then analyzing their development and production costs, which are often proprietary or aggregated within larger program budgets.
What are the key performance metrics used to evaluate BAE Systems under this Cost Plus Award Fee (CPAF) contract?
While the specific key performance metrics (KPMs) are not detailed in the provided data, CPAF contracts typically tie award fees to the achievement of pre-defined technical, schedule, and cost objectives. For an instrument like the GMI, KPMs could include: adherence to stringent technical specifications (e.g., radiometer sensitivity, calibration accuracy, spectral purity), meeting key program milestones (e.g., design reviews, fabrication completion, testing phases), and performance against budget targets. NASA would establish a baseline for these metrics, and BAE Systems would earn portions of the award fee based on its performance relative to that baseline. Regular reviews and assessments by NASA would inform the determination of the final award fee amount.
What are the potential risks associated with the long duration (4606 days) of this contract?
The extended duration of 4606 days (approximately 12.6 years) for the GMI instrument contract presents several potential risks. Technological obsolescence is a primary concern; advancements in microwave radiometer technology could emerge during the contract period, potentially making the GMI less cutting-edge or requiring costly upgrades. Cost escalation is another risk, as unforeseen inflation, material cost fluctuations, or changes in labor rates over such a long period can impact the total contract value, especially under a CPAF structure where award fees are contingent on performance. Furthermore, personnel turnover within the contractor's team could lead to knowledge loss and impact project continuity. Finally, shifts in scientific priorities or budget constraints within NASA could necessitate contract modifications or even termination, although the long duration suggests a stable, high-priority program.
How does the GMI instrument contribute to NASA's broader Earth science objectives and the GPM mission specifically?
The GMI instrument is the primary non-passive microwave sensor on the GPM Core Observatory satellite, playing a pivotal role in the Global Precipitation Measurement mission. Its contribution is to provide crucial measurements of precipitation intensity, type (rain, snow, hail), and structure across the globe, particularly in tropical regions where much of the world's rainfall occurs. The GMI's 13 channels enable it to measure microwave radiation emitted and scattered by precipitation particles, allowing scientists to infer these characteristics. This data is essential for improving weather and climate models, enhancing flood and drought prediction, understanding water cycles, and supporting disaster management efforts worldwide. It complements other GPM instruments by providing high-frequency measurements critical for accurate precipitation retrieval.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Manufacturing › Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing › Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing
Product/Service Code: SPACE VEHICLES
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE
Offers Received: 3
Pricing Type: COST PLUS AWARD FEE (R)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Parent Company: Ball Corp
Address: 1600 COMMERCE ST, BOULDER, CO, 80301
Business Categories: Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, Not Designated a Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $234,732,209
Exercised Options: $234,732,209
Current Obligation: $233,719,988
Actual Outlays: $211,871
Contract Characteristics
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES PROCEDURES NOT USED
Timeline
Start Date: 2005-03-22
Current End Date: 2017-10-31
Potential End Date: 2017-10-31 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2023-08-24
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