NASA announced a modification in the Public-Private
Competition to operate the NASA Shared Services Center
(NSSC). The modification was announced after agency review of
possible sites for the Center.
NASA’s Deputy Administrator Fred Gregory said, “The
exceptional quality and creativity of the site proposals
caused us to reevaluate the selection process. NASA’s goal is
to ensure the Public-Private Competition is conducted in a
fair and equitable manner in order to achieve maximum
advantage to the taxpayer.”
NASA’s original assumption was one site would be materially
superior to all others, and all of the NSSC service
competitors would use the selected location. However, during
the evaluation process, it became evident all of the
nominations exceeded the technical standards set forth in the
site nomination criterion and guidelines. After conclusion of
the site evaluation, there was no clearly superior proposal
that would be of greater benefit to NASA than the others.
NASA concluded the public-private competitors would be in a
better position to specifically assess and capitalize on site
selection if allowed to choose from all six locations. As
part of the public-private process, NASA will allow
competitors to incorporate one of the six eligible sites into
their proposals. The six sites are in the vicinity of NASA’s
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.; Glenn Research Center, Cleveland;
Johnson Space Center, Houston; Langley Research Center,
Hampton, Va.; Marshall Space Flight Center, Ala.; and Stennis
Space Center, Miss.
The NSSC will perform a variety of consolidated transactional
and administrative activities performed at Headquarters and
Centers. The NSSC will be an efficient and effective
organization that will perform high volume and routine
activities. The NSSC will also perform activities that
require specialized knowledge or expertise in human
resources, information technology, procurement and finance.
On December 12, 2003, NASA announced the Public-Private
Competition under OMB Circular A-76 for the NSSC Service
Provider. A separate competitive process was initiated in
December 2003, to select a site for the shared services
center among the NASA field centers. Six proposals for the
NSSC site selection process were received on January 30,
2004. NASA’s Administrator and Deputy Administrator concluded
visits to all six proposed sites during February/March 2004.
NASA evaluated each of the six potential sites, and all where
deemed acceptable locations for the NSSC.
Planned selection of the NSSC Service Provider and associated
site under the A-76 Public-Private Competition will occur on
or before June 2005. The draft Request for Proposal will be
released for comment in May, and the final NSSC A-76
solicitation in July 2004. It will stipulate proposals must
include one of the six sites NASA already has reviewed.
NASA will consult with each of the six agency site proposal
teams to review the A-76 process, how the sites will be
represented in the Request for Proposals, and any
restrictions necessary to maintain procurement integrity.
NASA will work directly with each center and their partners
to provide for fair consideration of all six sites. The
complete package of each proposer will be evaluated, and NASA
will pick the best proposal for the NSSC.
Communities competing for the NSSC will need to revise their
infrastructure proposals to reflect a later occupancy date at
a specific location. NASA will work with the communities in
the coming weeks and months to assist in understanding the A-
76 competition process.
For information about the NSSC on the Internet, visit:
http://nssc.nasa.gov/indextext.htm
For the NASA process modification white paper on the
Internet, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/57494main_NSSC.pdf
For information about NASA and agency programs on the
Internet, visit:
