The Boeing Company hosted a small-business supplier forum March 19 in Houston that attracted more than 75 companies interested in working to compete for NASA's Facilities Development and Operations Contract (FDOC).
The FDOC is administered by NASA's Johnson Space Center and includes development, sustaining engineering, operations and maintenance of the mission and training systems that support human spaceflight programs. The contract also includes developing and maintaining the software applications used in these facilities.
The half-day forum brought together a diverse group of small businesses that will help distinguish Boeing's bid as providing local opportunities and jobs. "The small-business community was able to have one-on-one sessions with our Boeing team and learn firsthand about our desire to be inclusive of as many local businesses as possible," said Russ Carroll, Boeing Space Exploration Supplier Management. "Small businesses often generate the most local jobs."
Boeing Supplier Management also provided a briefing at the forum on how to navigate the Boeing Request for Information and participate in the procurement process.
US Congressman Nick Lampson (D-Texas), whose 22nd Congressional District includes Johnson Space Center, cautioned attendees of the need to stay the course with current plans to return to the moon by 2020. "Space exploration greatly benefits the district and the nation," he said. "Every dollar invested in the space program is returned exponentially in the form of new products, technologies and businesses."
To reduce costs, FDOC consolidates a portion of NASA's Space Program Operations and Mission Support Operations contracts. NASA is scheduled to select a contractor in November, with work starting in January 2009.
"We are committed to bringing best value to NASA while making the most of the existing contractors who support elements of those two legacy contracts," said Peggy Thomas, Boeing FDOC program manager and director of Avionics and Software for the International Space Station. "Boeing brings best-of-industry solutions to serve NASA in achieving its goal of reducing costs while continuing to be the world leader in human space operations."
