The Government Accountability Office has found that the Defense Department and NASA implement collaboration platforms and related processes to coordinate the acquisition of space launch services for cargo capsules and satellites.The finding is based on GAO’s assessment of a DoD study that examines how the Pentagon and NASA facilitate coordination on space launch procurement efforts, GAO said Wednesday.
GAO conducted the review in compliance with a provision in the fiscal 2015 National Defense Authorization Act.
The congressional watchdog also found that the ongoing interagency coordination mechanisms among agencies for space launch acquisition efforts described in the DoD study reflect GAO’s interagency collaboration practices.
The Pentagon study cited how NASA’s experience with contracting processes for space launch services helped the U.S. Air Force change the way it develops contracts and agreements for such services, according to the report.
“Launch industry representatives also concurred that government agencies coordinate on launch issues, although they pointed out that the process to certify new launch services companies as qualified to compete for government launch contracts could benefit from improved coordination,†GAO noted.
