United States. Government Accountability Office
Published: 2013
Total Pages: 104
Get eBook
"This is GAO's annual assessment of NASA's major projects. This report provides a snapshot of how well NASA is planning and executing its major acquisitions. In 2013, GAO reported that the performance of NASA's major projects had improved since GAO's first assessment in 2009, due, in part, to some under performing projects launching and some demonstrating progress meeting practices that GAO has reported decrease cost and schedule risk. In response to an explanatory statement of the House Committee on Appropriations accompanying the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009, this report assesses (1) the current status of NASA's portfolio of major projects, (2) NASA's progress in developing and maturing critical technologies (3) efforts NASA has taken to improve design stability of its projects, and (4) any challenges to NASA's management of the portfolio. GAO assessed 2013 and 2014 data on NASA's 18 major projects and the Commercial Crew program all with an estimated life-cycle cost of over $250 million, such as data on the projects' cost, schedule, technology maturity, design stability, and contracts; analyzed monthly project status reports; and interviewed NASA and contractor officials. GAO is not making any new recommendations in this report, but provides further evidence to support the importance of continuing to take action on recommendations GAO has made in prior reports. NASA generally agreed with GAO's findings."--Highlights.