NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Office of Procurement and Open Government

www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement

transparency |

participation

The mission of the Office of Procurement is to provide functional management, leadership, and policy direction of purchasing and financial assistance activities for NASA (excluding Space Act Agreements). Our goal is to ensure the Agency executes its mission successfully by effectively and efficiently managing the acquisition process. In the interest of furthering the principles of Open Government, we will be gauging interest through feedback in how the public can be more involved in our activities. Within the next year we plan to use a contest format to challenge NASA's procurement community to identifying new information to be shared with the public. Within two years we plan to develop an on-line best practices guide for NASA procurement professionals to stimulate new collaboration.

Useful Links

Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) provides a searchable format for Federal Contract Business Opportunities and Award Notices. You can also view NASA Grant (assistance award) notices on this site. You can view NASA specific data at: http://go.usa.gov/ig6

Federal Procurement Data System - Next Generation (FPDS-NG) Agencies report all contract actions using appropriated funds to this site. You can view NASA specific data at: http://go.usa.gov/igF

Grants.gov is the source to FIND and APPLY for Federal grants. You can view a current list of NASA grants (assistance award) opportunities at: http://go.usa.gov/igL

Research.gov The National Science Foundation (NSF) is partnering with NASA, Defense Research agencies, and USDA/CSREES on Research.gov to deliver services that align with the needs of the research community and Federal Agency partners. You can view NASA information on Research.gov by selecting "NASA" in the Agency dropdown list and click the search button at: http://go.usa.gov/igM

Overview

Information we publicly provide is authorized to be shared by statute, regulation, or other Federal directive, or is information that the Agency, or the Assistant Administrator for Procurement at NASA, has determined to also be appropriate to share. Not every piece of information we collect can be shared in a public forum nor is all information of interest to the public. Typically, there are four segments of the public that are our prime consumers. They are:

1. Enterprises looking for business opportunities with NASA as prime contractors, subcontractors, vendors, suppliers, sub-grantees, or as Agency partners;

2. Educational institutions;

3. Other Federal Agencies; and

4. Individuals.

In 2009, approximately 83 percent of NASA's budget was spent through the Agency's procurement process. This represents more than $16.7 billion dollars in opportunities. Some of our information represents the most important sharing opportunities we, as procurement professionals, are charged by law with presenting to the public. Others-like the NASA Procurement Tenets, NASA Acquisition Internet Service Business Opportunities subscription service, and our Source Selection Statements-represent forward leaning efforts designed to help you understand what we are doing and how we conduct ourselves in the execution of our mission.

How This Fits into Open Government

Procurement has always shared information with the public regarding opportunities and expenditures. We believe that the President's Open Government Directive, and the public feedback it invites, will help us identify additional sharing opportunities and better ways to present our information.

Open Government Goals

• Monitor and measure feedback from the Open Government Plan on Office of Procurement and Open Government, Financial Data Transparency, and Data.gov sections.
  v1.5 Status Update: The Office of Proccurement did not receive any feedback in the initial round of citizen engagement, but will continue to monitor and measure feedback that is submitted in the future.

• Develop new content and modify existing content based on public feedback.
• Implement any additional OMB instructions as the directive is further defined.

• Use a contest format to challenge NASA's procurement community to identify new information that could be shared with the public or better ways to share existing content.
• Invite finalists to present their ideas at a NASA Procurement Leadership Forum where they will be recognized.

• Develop an on-line "Best Practices" guide for NASA procurement professionals that will continue to stimulate new sharing and presentation ideas. The intent is to excite new employees about this opportunity as well as to keep the intent of the President's Open Government Directive fresh in the minds of our community.

Useful Links

1. Federal Business Opportunities
2. Federal Procurement Data System - Next Generation (FPDS-NG)
3. Grants.gov
4. Research.gov