For release: 04/02/03
Release #: 03-049

Albertville native David McGaha named NASA’s Marshall Center contracting officer representative of the year 

David McGaha has been named Contracting Officer of the Year by the Procurement Office at the Marshall Center. McGaha, who serves as technical liaison on Marshall's Research and Development Hardware Fabrication and Assembly contract, monitors the contractor's performance and delivery of the final product or services.

Albertville native David McGaha has been named the Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative of the Year by the Procurement Office at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. 

As Contracting Officer Technical Representative, also known as a COTR, McGaha serves as a technical liaison between the contractor and the contracting officer on Marshall’s Research and Development Hardware Fabrication and Assembly contract.   The contract is held by Sierra Lobo Inc., which provides a 73-person staff that builds parts and assembles space flight experiments, research development and ground test hardware.  The COTR is responsible for monitoring the contractor's performance and the delivery of the final product or services under the contract.

McGaha has been the COTR for the Manufacturing Service Group since April 1999.  Previously, he served as the alternate COTR on the contract.  “McGaha’s accomplished management skills resulted in successful fabrication and assembly of critical NASA space flight hardware for numerous programs,” according to the award citation from the Procurement Office, which is responsible for managing financial issues for the Marshall Center. 

“David’s contribution to contract management at Marshall has been vital to our success in the Procurement Office,” said Stephen Beale, director of the Procurement Office at the Marshall Center.  “His ability to manage various programs with a high success rate makes him a true asset to the position.”

His efforts have included work on such programs as the Glovebox Integrated Microgravity Isolation Technology, the Microgravity Science Research Rack, the Quench Module Insert, the Environmental Control Life Support System, the Space Shuttle program, and the Space Launch Initiative.

After receiving his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa in 1982, McGaha joined the Marshall Center as a manufacturing engineer.  In 1994, he was promoted to chief of the Planning and Control Branch in the Engineering Directorate, responsible for planning and scheduling manufacturing tasks within the Fabrication Services Division.  In 1999 he became leader of the Manufacturing Services Group, overseeing the Marshall Center’s manufacturing engineering and in-house fabrication capability.

His performance has earned him numerous honors, including several Marshall Center Outstanding Performance awards and Sustained Superior Performance awards.  Additionally, McGaha received the Marshall Center Director’s Commendation award in 1987.

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