NASA awards $63.7M contract to Lockheed Martin for Solar B Phase E mission operations and data analysis
Contract Overview
Contract Amount: $63,738,947 ($63.7M)
Contractor: Lockheed Martin Corporation
Awarding Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Start Date: 2007-02-22
End Date: 2026-06-30
Contract Duration: 7,068 days
Daily Burn Rate: $9.0K/day
Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Number of Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: COST PLUS INCENTIVE FEE
Sector: R&D
Official Description: FOCAL PLANE PACKAGE MISSION OPERATIONS AND DATA ANALYSIS - SOLAR B PHASE E
Place of Performance
Location: PALO ALTO, SANTA CLARA County, CALIFORNIA, 94304
Plain-Language Summary
National Aeronautics and Space Administration obligated $63.7 million to LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION for work described as: FOCAL PLANE PACKAGE MISSION OPERATIONS AND DATA ANALYSIS - SOLAR B PHASE E Key points: 1. Contract awarded for critical research and development in physical sciences. 2. Long duration of the contract (over 7000 days) suggests a complex, multi-year project. 3. Cost-plus incentive fee structure indicates performance-based incentives for the contractor. 4. The contract is a definitive contract, suggesting a firm commitment for services. 5. Research and Development in Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences is a key sector for innovation. 6. The contract's value is significant within its R&D category.
Value Assessment
Rating: good
The contract value of $63.7 million over its extended period appears reasonable for a complex, long-term research and development mission involving satellite operations and data analysis. Benchmarking against similar NASA R&D contracts for space missions of comparable scope and duration would provide a more precise value-for-money assessment. The cost-plus incentive fee (CPIF) structure suggests an effort to control costs while incentivizing performance, which can be a good approach for R&D where outcomes are not entirely predictable.
Cost Per Unit: N/A
Competition Analysis
Competition Level: full-and-open
The contract was awarded under full and open competition, indicating that multiple bidders had the opportunity to submit proposals. This competitive process is generally expected to yield fair pricing and innovative solutions. The number of bidders is not specified, but the 'full and open' designation implies a robust competition was sought.
Taxpayer Impact: Full and open competition is beneficial for taxpayers as it fosters a competitive environment that can drive down costs and improve the quality of services received by the government.
Public Impact
The primary beneficiaries are NASA and the scientific community, who will receive valuable data and insights from the Solar B Phase E mission. Services delivered include mission operations and data analysis, crucial for understanding solar phenomena. The geographic impact is primarily national, supporting U.S. scientific research capabilities, with potential global scientific collaboration. Workforce implications include employment for scientists, engineers, technicians, and support staff at Lockheed Martin and potentially NASA.
Waste & Efficiency Indicators
Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10
Warning Flags
- Long contract duration could lead to scope creep or cost overruns if not managed effectively.
- Reliance on a single contractor for extended mission operations may reduce flexibility.
- The complexity of space mission operations inherently carries technical and performance risks.
Positive Signals
- Awarded through full and open competition, suggesting a competitive selection process.
- Cost-plus incentive fee structure aligns contractor incentives with mission success and cost control.
- Lockheed Martin is a major aerospace contractor with extensive experience in space missions.
Sector Analysis
This contract falls within the Aerospace and Defense sector, specifically focusing on space-based research and development. The market for space mission operations and data analysis is highly specialized, dominated by a few large, experienced contractors. NASA's spending in this area is critical for advancing scientific understanding of the sun and space weather, with implications for satellite operations and national security. Comparable spending benchmarks would involve looking at other large-scale NASA or DoD space science missions.
Small Business Impact
The provided data does not indicate any specific small business set-aside or subcontracting goals for this contract. As a large, complex R&D contract likely requiring specialized expertise, it may not be structured for significant direct small business participation, though Lockheed Martin may engage small businesses as subcontractors.
Oversight & Accountability
Oversight for this contract would typically be managed by NASA's contracting officers and program managers, ensuring adherence to contract terms, performance standards, and budget. The cost-plus incentive fee structure implies performance monitoring. Transparency is generally maintained through contract awards databases and NASA's public reporting, though detailed operational data may be proprietary. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply to potential fraud, waste, or abuse.
Related Government Programs
- NASA Solar Missions
- Space Science Research
- Satellite Operations
- Aerospace R&D Contracts
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration Contracts
Risk Flags
- Long contract duration increases risk of cost escalation and technological obsolescence.
- Complexity of space mission operations presents inherent technical and performance risks.
- Reliance on a single contractor for extended operations may limit future flexibility.
Tags
nasa, lockheed-martin-corporation, research-and-development, space-operations, data-analysis, california, definitive-contract, full-and-open-competition, cost-plus-incentive-fee, aerospace, science, solar-physics
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this federal contract paying for?
National Aeronautics and Space Administration awarded $63.7 million to LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION. FOCAL PLANE PACKAGE MISSION OPERATIONS AND DATA ANALYSIS - SOLAR B PHASE E
Who is the contractor on this award?
The obligated recipient is LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION.
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 $63.7 million.
What is the period of performance?
Start: 2007-02-22. End: 2026-06-30.
What is Lockheed Martin's track record with NASA on similar space science missions?
Lockheed Martin Corporation is a major aerospace and defense contractor with a long history of supporting NASA and other government agencies on complex space missions. They have been involved in numerous satellite programs, including solar observation missions, deep space exploration, and Earth science projects. Their experience spans design, manufacturing, integration, launch support, and mission operations. For instance, Lockheed Martin has been a key partner in missions like the Hubble Space Telescope servicing, Mars rovers, and various solar physics missions. Their extensive portfolio suggests a strong capability to handle the technical demands and long-term operational requirements of projects like the Solar B Phase E mission. NASA's continued awards to Lockheed Martin for critical programs indicate a level of trust in their performance and technical expertise.
How does the $63.7 million contract value compare to other NASA solar research missions?
The $63.7 million contract value for the FOCAL PLANE PACKAGE MISSION OPERATIONS AND DATA ANALYSIS - SOLAR B PHASE E appears to be a moderate to significant investment for a specific phase of a solar research mission. To provide a precise comparison, one would need to analyze the scope, duration, and complexity of other NASA solar missions. For example, the development and launch of a new solar observatory could cost hundreds of millions to billions of dollars. However, this contract focuses on 'mission operations and data analysis,' which typically represents a later stage of a mission and is often less expensive than the initial development and hardware acquisition. If Solar B Phase E is an ongoing mission, $63.7 million spread over its duration (approximately 19 years) suggests an annual operational cost in the low millions, which is generally in line with sustaining complex scientific instruments and processing their data.
What are the primary risks associated with this long-duration R&D contract?
The primary risks associated with this long-duration R&D contract, spanning over 19 years (from 2007 to 2026), include technical obsolescence, potential for cost overruns, and contractor performance degradation. Technology, particularly in areas like data analysis and mission operations software, can rapidly evolve, potentially making initial systems outdated or inefficient. The extended timeline increases the likelihood of unforeseen technical challenges arising during operations. Cost overruns are a risk in any long-term contract, especially with a cost-plus incentive fee structure where initial estimates might be inaccurate or scope creep occurs. Furthermore, maintaining consistent high performance from the contractor over nearly two decades can be challenging, requiring robust oversight and contract management to ensure objectives are met.
How effective is the Cost Plus Incentive Fee (CPIF) structure for managing R&D projects like this?
The Cost Plus Incentive Fee (CPIF) structure is often considered effective for managing R&D projects where the final costs and performance outcomes are not precisely predictable at the outset. In a CPIF contract, the contractor is reimbursed for allowable costs and receives a target fee, but the final fee is adjusted based on whether the final cost is below or above a target cost, and performance objectives are met. This incentivizes the contractor to control costs and achieve specific performance targets, such as data quality or operational efficiency. For a mission operations and data analysis contract, this can encourage efficient resource utilization and timely delivery of high-quality scientific data. However, the effectiveness hinges on the clarity and measurability of the performance incentives and the accuracy of the initial cost targets.
What are the historical spending patterns for NASA's solar research programs?
NASA's historical spending on solar research programs has varied significantly depending on the scale and phase of missions. Major initiatives, such as the development and launch of new space observatories like the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) or the Parker Solar Probe, represent substantial capital investments, often in the hundreds of millions to over a billion dollars. Operational phases for these missions, including data collection, analysis, and ground support, involve ongoing annual expenditures. Contracts for mission operations and data analysis, like the one awarded to Lockheed Martin for Solar B Phase E, typically constitute a smaller but consistent portion of the overall program budget once the hardware is in place. Analyzing historical data reveals a trend of sustained investment in solar physics to understand space weather, solar flares, and their impact on Earth.
Industry Classification
NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Scientific Research and Development Services › Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences
Product/Service Code: RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT › Space R&D Services
Competition & Pricing
Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION
Solicitation Procedures: NEGOTIATED PROPOSAL/QUOTE
Offers Received: 1
Pricing Type: COST PLUS INCENTIVE FEE (V)
Evaluated Preference: NONE
Contractor Details
Parent Company: Lockheed Martin Corp
Address: 3251 HANOVER ST BLDG 201, PALO ALTO, CA, 94304
Business Categories: Category Business, Not Designated a Small Business
Financial Breakdown
Contract Ceiling: $68,387,158
Exercised Options: $64,430,179
Current Obligation: $63,738,947
Actual Outlays: $15,807,671
Contract Characteristics
Multi-Year Contract: Yes
Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES PROCEDURES NOT USED
Timeline
Start Date: 2007-02-22
Current End Date: 2026-06-30
Potential End Date: 2027-06-30 00:00:00
Last Modified: 2026-03-09
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