[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 58 (Friday, March 26, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 14640-14641]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-7499]


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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

48 CFR Parts 1804, 1807, 1835 and 1872


NASA Internal Programmatic Approval Documentation

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This final rule changes the NASA FAR Supplement (NFS) to 
ensure that no affected solicitation is released prior to the approval 
of key programmatic documentation required by NASA Procedures and 
Guidelines (NPG) 7120.5, NASA Program and Project Management Processes 
and Requirements. This final rule prohibits release of affected 
solicitations until the required approvals have been obtained or 
authority to proceed without the required documentation has been 
granted by the Chair of the Governing Program Management Council or 
designee.

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 26, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth A. Sateriale, (202) 358-0491, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    NPG 7120.5 establishes the management system for processes, 
requirements and responsibilities for implementing NASA Policy 
Directive 7120.4, Program and Project Management. This management 
system governs the formulation, approval, implementation, and 
evaluation of all Agency programs and projects established under the 
Provide Aerospace Products and Capabilities (PAPAC) process. The policy 
and guidelines require approvals at various programmatic stages and 
decision points. Before a program or project formulation may commence, 
a Formulation Authorization document must be approved. Before program 
implementation may commence, a Program Commitment Agreement and a 
Program Plan must be approved. Before project implementation may 
commence, a Program Commitment Agreement, Program Plan, and Project 
Plan must be approved. Approval to commence any of these activities 
without the required documentation must be obtained from the chair of 
the Governing Program Management Council or designee.

Impact

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    This final rule does not constitute a significant revision within 
the meaning of FAR 1.501 and Pub. L. 98-577, and publication for public 
comments is not required. However, comments from small entities 
concerning the affected NFS subpart will be considered in accordance 
with 5 U.S.C. 610. Such comments must be submitted separately and 
should cite 5. U.S.C. 601, et seq.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Paperwork Reduction Act does not apply because the changes to 
the NFS do not impose recordkeeping or information collection 
requirements, or collections of information from offerors, contractors, 
or members of the public which require the approval of the Office of 
Management and Budget under 44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.

List of Subjects in 48 CFR 1804, 1807, 1835 and 1872

    Government procurement.
Tom Luedtke,
Acting Associate Administrator for Procurement.
    Accordingly, 48 CFR Parts 1804, 1807, 1835 and 1872 are amended as 
follows:
    1. The authority citation for 48 CFR Parts 1804, 1807, 1835 and 
1872 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 2473(c)(1).

PART 1804--ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS

    2. Section 1804.7301, is revised to read as follows:


1804.7301  General.

    (a) Except in unusual circumstances, the contracting office shall 
not issue solicitations until an approved procurement request (PR), 
containing a certification that funds are available, has been received. 
However, the contracting office may take all necessary actions up to 
the point of contract obligation before receipt of the PR certifying 
that funds are available when--
    (1) Such action is necessary to meet critical program schedules;
    (2) Program authority has been issued and funds to cover the 
acquisition will be available prior to the date set for contract award 
or contract modification;

[[Page 14641]]

    (3) The procurement officer authorizes such action in writing 
before solicitation issuance; and
    (4) The solicitation includes the clause at FAR 52.232-18, 
Availability of Funds. The clause shall be deleted from the resultant 
contract.
    (b) The contracting office shall not issue either a draft or final 
solicitation until a PR, either planning or final, has been received 
that contains an NPG 7120.5 certification. That certification must be 
made by the project or program office that initiated the PR, or the PR 
approval authority when there is no project or program office. The 
certification must state that either--
    (1) The requested action is not in support of programs and projects 
subject to the requirements of NPG 7120.5, or
    (2) The requested action is in support of programs and projects 
subject to the requirements of NPG 7120.5, and
    (i) All NPG 7120.5 required documentation is current and has been 
approved; or
    (ii) Authority to proceed without the required documentation has 
been granted by the Chair of the Governing Program Management Council 
or designee.

PART 1807--ACQUISITION PLANNING

    3. In section 1807.105, paragraph (a)(2) is added to read as 
follows:


1807.105  Contents of written acquisition plans.

* * * * *
    (a) * * *
    (2) NPG 7120.5 shall be an integral part of acquisition planning 
for programs and projects subject to its requirements. If the NPG does 
not apply, the acquisition plan shall clearly state that fact. If the 
NPG does apply, specify whether all required NPG 7120.5 documentation 
is current and approved (see 1804.7301(b)(2)(i)). If not, describe the 
approach for obtaining approval or the authority to proceed without 
approval before release of draft or final solicitations. For programs 
and projects under the NPG, all draft or final solicitations subject 
to, or directly or substantially in support of, those programs or 
projects shall clearly identify the program or project of which they 
are part.
* * * * *

PART 1835--RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CONTRACTING

    4. In section 1835.016, paragraph (a)(iii) is added to read as 
follows:


1835.016  Broad agency announcements.

    (a) * * *
    (iii) Draft or final versions of any form of BAA that directly or 
substantially supports a program subject to NASA Procedures and 
Guidelines (NPG) 7120.5 shall not be released unless--
    (A) All applicable NPG 7120.5 required documentation (see 
1804.7301(b)(2)(i)) is current and has been approved (e.g., Formulation 
Authorization Document, Program Commitment Agreement, Program Plan, or 
Project Plan); or
    (B) Authority to proceed without the required documentation has 
been granted by the Chair of the Governing Program Management Council 
or designee.
* * * * *

PART 1872--ACQUISITIONS OF INVESTIGATIONS

    5. In section 1872.102, paragraph (a)(1) is revised to read as 
follows:


1872.102  Key features of the system.

    (a)(1) Use of the system commences with the Enterprise Associate 
Administrator's determination that the investigation acquisition 
process is appropriate for a program. An Announcement of Opportunity 
(AO) is disseminated to the interested scientific and technical 
communities. The AO is a form of broad agency announcement (BAA) (see 
FAR 35.016 and 1835.016 for general BAA requirements). This 
solicitation does not specify the investigations to be proposed but 
solicits investigative ideas which contribute to broad objectives. In 
order to determine which of the proposals should be selected, a formal 
competitive evaluation process is utilized. The evaluation for merit is 
normally made by experts in the fields represented by the proposals. 
Care should be taken to avoid conflicts of interest. These evaluators 
may be from NASA, other Government agencies, universities, or the 
commercial sector. Along with or subsequent to the evaluation for 
merit, the other factors of the proposals, such as engineering, cost, 
and integration aspects, are reviewed by specialists in those areas. 
The evaluation conclusions as well as considerations of budget and 
other factors are used to formulate a complement of recommended 
investigations. A steering committee, serving as staff to the 
Enterprise Associate Administrator or designee when source selection 
authority is delegated, reviews the proposed payload or program of 
investigation, the iterative process, and the selection 
recommendations. The steering committee serves as a forum where 
different interests, such as flight program, discipline management, and 
administration, can be weighed.
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 99-7499 Filed 3-25-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7510-01-P