Recovery.gov - Track the Money

NASA will invest $400M in Recovery Act funding for the Constellation Systems Program. The Constellation Systems Program consists of the Constellation and Commercial Crew and Cargo programs. Constellation systems in development include the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), the Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV), and supporting mission and ground support systems that will provide transportation to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. This effort will enable the U.S. to continue its leadership role in human exploration. The funds will support accelerated testing, procurement, and manufacturing to maximize NASA’s ability to meet a March 2015 Initial Operational Capability (IOC) date, when crew will first be transported to the International Space Station.

The Orion spacecraft is designed to carry crew members to and from the ISS, on lunar missions, and potentially to other destinations. Once in orbit, the Orion and its service module is planned to rendezvous and dock with either the ISS or the Altair lunar lander and the Ares V’s Earth Departure Stage, which could propel astronauts on their way to the Moon. The Ares I rocket has two planned missions: lofting up astronauts to the ISS and for rendezvous with the Ares V Earth Departure Stage.

The Commercial Crew and Cargo program is NASA's investment to help develop cost-effective systems to carry crew and cargo to the ISS. There are four defined capabilities to be developed and demonstrated by industry partners. These include cargo as well as crew transportation capabilities. These capabilities consist of: Capability A: delivery and disposal of external unpressurized cargo to and from the International Space Station; Capability B: delivery and disposal of internal pressurized cargo to and from the International Space Station; Capability C: delivery and return to Earth of internal pressurized cargo to and from the International Space Station; Capability D, crew transportation to and from the International Space Station

Each Constellation project has a uniquely identified scope of work to be completed. The Program will use Recovery Act funds to supplement and enhance these efforts. NASA plans to apply funds toward the successful completion of the Orion, Ares and Ground Operations projects. The Commercial Crew Cargo Program is using Recovery Act funds to accelerate development of commercial access to space. Currently, NASA has only funded activities toward the demonstration of cargo transportation, i.e. Capabilities A-C. Recovery funds will be used to initiate investment toward Capability D, as described above.

NASA uses multiple methods, processes, and entities for monitoring and evaluating its performance. These same processes and procedures will be used for activities funded under the Recovery Act. NASA’s programs are assessed for relevance, quality, and performance. A relevance review assures alignment with national priorities; alignment with the NASA Strategic Plan; impact on related fields of research or technology; and alignment with “customer” (users of NASA data, research results, etc.) needs. Determining quality is generally prospective and assures best value for an investment, using peer review processes. Performance reviews evaluate whether a program is on track to meet its baseline performance commitments (cost, schedule, science/technical deliverable).

Reviews are conducted internal and external to the Agency. External evaluations are performed by entities such as the NASA Advisory Council (NAC) and the National Research Council to assess NASA’s program content and direction. Additional independent reviews are commissioned by the NASA Administrator or responsible mission organization to review programs for relevance and quality, as well as performance. Reviews are rigorous and methodical and focused on the program’s methods, results, and findings by others in the field with requisite expertise, and independence.

Responsibility for program and project management and their control mechanisms (NASA Procedural Requirements (NPR) 7120 series)*, institutional management (NPR 8500 series)*, and financial management (NPR 9010 and 9120 series)*, occurs at all management levels of the Agency. NASA's management monitors different aspects of program or institutional performance, at the highest Agency levels, and uses a rigorous structure of program and management reviews for Agency-level decisions. To continue through each phase of development, programs must demonstrate, on an on-going basis and at key life cycle junctures, an ability to manage in a manner that produces identifiable results, and must document performance against previously defined commitments including multi-year outputs, annual performance goals, milestones and other metrics, as appropriate.

NASA internally monitors performance through monthly and quarterly reviews, at each management level. At the senior management level, program reviews, accompanied by an independent (internal) assessment, occur across all mission areas (aeronautics, science, space operations and exploration systems), with an in-depth review each quarter rotating among the mission organizations. Senior management also reviews institutional data (finance, human capital, acquisition, infrastructure), and aggregated Agency measures and metrics, e.g., safety, cross-cutting technical and non-technical issues. The data reviewed, and the accompanying analysis, allows the Agency to focus on, and proactively address, issues that could lead to not achieving desired performance goals.

Specifically, the Constellation Systems Program measures progress through the use of an Earned Value Measurement System (EVMS), which is applied across all projects. Contractors are also required to have an EVMS and submit monthly EVM data. In addition, program performance information is reviewed through monthly and quarterly progress reports, Agency level non-advocate programmatic reviews, and program and project level technical reviews, as fits Agency standard process outlined above.

Constellation will collect a wide range of cost and schedule data in addition to these reviews to assess whether projects are able to meet milestones and deliverables, and make management decisions as appropriate to meet performance goals. Constellation managers are held accountable for cost, schedule, and performance. Contract incentives are planned for Constellation contracts related to cost and schedule performance.

NASA currently utilizes multiple methods to assure transparency and accountability, and will apply these standard processes and procedures to activities supported by Recovery Act funds. The principle of transparency is applied to program and fund allocation planning methods, and in reporting, both internal and external to the Agency, of progress toward the resultant plans. NASA requires accountability at all levels of management and from all of its cost-sharing and non-cost sharing partners, contractors, and grantees for the timely delivery and quality of products.

Rigor is applied to NASA programs’ design, structure, management, and funding to ensure that resources reach the intended beneficiaries and address the programs’ purpose directly. Transparent, merit-based criteria and decision-making procedures are employed at multiple steps in this process. Governing documents, such as the NASA Strategic Plan and supporting mission specific plans, guide the activities of these programs and provide the context through which specific science and research objectives are formulated, investigations are solicited, and missions or activities that address them are planned. Missions are prioritized on the basis of expert opinion such as Decadal Surveys on science, available budget resources, technological maturity, and partnering opportunities.

As explained in detail in the Monitoring and Evaluation Section of this Program Plan, NASA will employ multiple methods of review and evaluation of progress toward the goals of this Program Plan. These reviews will assure that funds are being utilized as intended and are delivering on their committed objectives. Managers at all levels will be held accountable both via review of their progress and individual performance plans. At NASA, all employee performance plans for Federal managers include elements tied to the program plans for which they are responsible.

Contractors will be held accountable for the timely delivery and quality of products. Award fee reviews, where appropriate, will be performed on contracts and past performance evaluations are integral in solicitation criteria. Grants and cooperative agreements are subject whenever possible to deliverables and milestones that must be met in order to receive funding renewal. International and Federal government partners work in accordance with applicable Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements, which generally detail schedule and performance commitments.

Contractor and government accounting systems are audited periodically to ensure compliance with government standards. Specific reports that record and track the obligation and expenditure of program funds are as follows: contractor monthly and quarterly reports, reports on budget execution and budgetary resources, the year-end closing statement, and the annual Performance and Accountability Report. Additionally, NASA will cooperate with the Government Accountability Office and the NASA Office of Inspector General through various engagements and audits that monitor specific items dealing with Recovery funds.

To assure transparency and accountability to the public and its key stakeholders, NASA will post its current plans, and outline any revisions to previous versions on the Agency Recovery Act website. Information will be available on key events, the status of on-going activities, outcomes of Inspector General Audits and the accomplishment of and performance toward, annual and long-term Recovery Program goals. Web links will be provided, where applicable to posted solicitations, awards, and grantee performance, among other relevant information. For this important information on NASA efforts surrounding its Recovery Act funds, see http://www.nasa.gov/recovery/.

Not Applicable