Leveraging NASA Partnerships

Enabling Programs & Projects to Achieve Mission Success

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA Partnership Portfolio

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Strategic Wins

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Partnership Mechanism at a Glance

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Anatomy of a Funded SAA

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How Programs & Projects Can Leverage Partnerships

• Identify capability gaps or mission needs early
• Engage your Center’s Partnership Office during formulation
• Use partnerships to:
• Access unique facilities or expertise – whether NASA’s or the partner’s to fill capability gaps and accelerate mission objectives
• Share development costs
• Accelerate timelines
• Consider both funded and unfunded options (no exchange of funds, NASA provides resources)

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Important Considerations

• Programmatic Considerations
• Alignment with NASA Mission Needs – Funded SAAs must clearly advance NASA’s mission objectives and be traceable to Agency priorities.
• Schedule Risk – Partner’s delays can impact NASA’s ability to meet broader program timelines; no contractual remedies like in FAR contracts.
• Export Control & ITAR/EAR Compliance – Ensure early coordination with Export Control for any technical data exchanges.
• Public Communications – Any joint announcements or publications require NASA review/approval.
• Dispute Resolution – NASA Ombudsman available for transactional issues
• Financial Considerations
• Cost Share Documentation – Partner’s contribution (cash or in‑kind) must be well‑documented and auditable.
• Payment Tied to Performance – NASA payments are milestone‑based; no advance payments.
• No Augmentation of Appropriations – NASA funds must be used only for agreed‑upon purposes; cannot be redirected.
• Partner Financial Health – Programs should assess partner’s ability to sustain their share of costs over the agreement term.

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Important Considerations (cont’d)

• Use of Government Property
• Separate Agreements for Facility Use – Facility access often requires a Reimbursable SAA (RSAA) or other instrument in parallel.
• Scheduling & Priority – NASA mission work takes precedence over partner use of facilities/equipment.
• Liability & Insurance – Partner may be required to carry insurance or indemnify NASA for certain uses.
• Security & Access Controls – Partner personnel must comply with NASA security, safety, and badging requirements.
• Data Rights & Protections
• No rights to pre‑existing partner proprietary data
• Limited use of partner proprietary data developed under the FSAA
• Data furnished only upon NASA request; typically, no deliverables
• No Government Purpose License (GPL) retained, except in specific cases
• Proprietary data definition includes mixed funding development
• GPL may be exercised if partner fails to perform or capability not pursued
• NASA‑produced data protected up to 5 years (51 U.S.C. § 20131)

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Case Studies/Success Stories

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Best Practices

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Why Pursue a

Space Act

Agreement?

Justin Jackson

Deputy Manager

Partnerships & Opportunity Development Office

Space Act Agreement Workshop • March 17, 2025

Why Pursue an SAA?

• Leverages NASA’s unique capabilities: Access to world-class facilities and expertise.
• Advances NASA’s mission goals: Aligns with strategic objectives.
• Fosters innovation: Accelerates technology development.
• Cost-effective partnerships: Shared investment reduces financial burdens.
• Expands commercial space economy: Spurs economic growth.

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Space Act Agreement Workshop • March 17, 2025

Why are SAAs Important to NASA?

• Promotes NASA’s role as a leader in space: Fosters global innovation.
• Facilitates critical technology development: Bridges research and development gaps.
• Supports policy and advocacy goals: Encourages private sector growth.
• Provides flexibility: Adaptable framework for diverse projects.
• Maximizes return on investment: Multiplies resource impact through partnerships.

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Space Act Agreement Workshop • March 17, 2025

“Building Partnerships That Propel �NASA’s Mission Forward.”

SAAs are vital tools that enable NASA to build strategic partnerships, drive innovation, and advance its mission in collaboration with external stakeholders.

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Blue Origin BE-7 TPA testing

Sierra Space Burst Test

Space Act Agreement Workshop • March 17, 2025

Space Act Agreements Overview: Policies, Instructions, and Procedural Requirements

Daniel O’Neil

Center Agreement Manager

Partnerships & Opportunity Development Office

Space Act Agreement Workshop • March 17, 2025

Policy and Agency Implementing Instructions

Authority to Enter �Partnership Agreements

Why read NPD1050.7A?

• Explains NASA’s authority to establish partnership agreements
• Provides an overview of roles and responsibilities
• It’s short – only seven pages!

NASA Partnerships Guide

Hyperlinked list on page 22.

Why read NAII1050.1E?

• Explains each type of Space Act Agreement (SAA)
• Explains SAA clauses
• Explains Anti-Deficiency Act �(31 U.S.C. § 1341)

Why read NAII1050.3C?

• Headquarters Partnerships Office guidance for partnering and processes
• Explains process resources:
• Partnerships Agreement Maker (PAM)
• Partnership Community of Practice (PCoP)
• Market Research Form

Space Act Agreements Guide

Space Act Agreement Workshop • March 17, 2025

Overview of the SAA Pipeline

• Partnership Manager
• TPOC 
• Partner

• Partner Type
• Proposed Activity Description
• Reimbursable?
• Resource Commitments

• Partnership Manager
• TPOC
• Partnership Working Group (PWG)

• NASA's Mission?
• Commercially Available?
• MSFC Resources Available?

• Partnership Manager
• MSFC Orgs.
• TPOC 
• Partner

• Scope
• Schedule
• Pricing Estimates
• Finalized SAA

• Org. Approvals �via PAM router
• Partner Executive
• MSFC Executive

• Partner Signature
• MSFC Executive Signature

Example:�Several �ULA Vulcan Structural Tests were performed �at MSFC under SAAs

• Partner pays in advance using methods describe in SAA

• Upon receipt OCFO establishes �WBS

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Partner dependent

Partner dependent

~ Three weeks

~ One week

• TPOC
• Partner

• Goods
• Services

Space Act Agreement Workshop • March 17, 2025

How can the Partnerships & �Opportunity Development Office Help You?

• Train & Guide
• Agreement development training to ensure internal consistency and strong justifications
• Benefitting statements and uniqueness justification guidelines and examples
• Examples for various types of agreements, such as consulting, developing, and testing
• Assist with the Partnership Agreement Maker (PAM) to ensure correct answers
• Review & Refine
• Internal consistency among responsibilities, milestones, term, and period of performance
• Review and revise responsibilities, schedule and agreement term
• Enable a Smooth Process
• Provide tips to Partners that will reduce review time and eliminate re-work
• Assist with scoping affordable annexes to mitigate need for a payment plan
• Advice on signing the agreement and making a payment to start work as soon as possible
• Connect & Facilitate
• Introductions and connections across the Center as Marshall's Front Door
• Coordinate meetings when questions arise during the review process

Space Act Agreement Workshop • August 22, 2024

Back-up Slides

Space Act Agreement Workshop • March 17, 2025

Resources

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Meet the Space Act Agreements Team

Center Agreements Manager

Daniel O’Neil

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ED Liaison

Erin Richardson

David Reynolds

Michael Allison

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OCFO SAA Team members

Charles “Chip” Sullins

Emily Roeck

Tina Chasteen

Dana Lyons

Agreement Specialists

Christie Long (POD)

Bethany Crabb (POD)

Chantel Jacob (ET)

Andrea George (ER)

Partnerships Managers

Seth Bell (Industry)

Colton Parton (Government)

Brett Smith �(Academia & International)�

OGC SAA Team Members

Rosalind Cylar

Kristin Pollard Kiel

OCFO – Office of the Chief Financial Officer�OGC – Office of the General Counsel

POD – Partnerships & Opportunity Development

Space Act Agreement Workshop • March 17, 2025

Uniqueness Statement

Purpose: The uniqueness statement explains why NASA’s involvement is essential and what resources, expertise, or facilities are uniquely available only through NASA.�

Key Components:

1. Describe NASA's Unique Capabilities: Highlight specialized facilities, expertise, or resources that are not reasonably available elsewhere.
• Example: "NASA’s wind tunnel facilities are uniquely capable of performing the specific hypersonic testing required."
2. Address Market Availability: Explain why the partner’s goals cannot be achieved through commercial providers
• Example: "Commercial facilities lack the capability to simulate deep space environmental conditions at the required scale"
3. Provide Specifics: Include clear and detailed examples of why NASA’s resources are critical to the activity.

Space Act Agreement Workshop • August 22, 2024

Benefitting Statement

Purpose: The benefitting statement justifies how the activity aligns with NASA’s mission and how it supports national, societal, or space-related goals.

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Key Components:

1. Align with NASA’s Mission: Clearly state how the proposed activity supports NASA’s strategic objectives.
• Example: "This partnership advances NASA’s objective to expand human knowledge through scientific discovery."
2. Broader Benefits: Include societal, educational, or technological benefits derived from the activity.
• Example: "The project will contribute to the development of cutting-edge robotics for use in space and on Earth."
3. Highlight Mutual Benefits: Emphasize how both parties gain value from the agreement.
• Example: "While advancing NASA’s lunar exploration goals, this project provides the partner with valuable data for commercial applications."

Space Act Agreement Workshop • August 22, 2024

What is your job as a TPOC?

• Understanding the Basics: Familiarize with the SAA process, types, and frameworks. Align opportunities with NASA’s mission.
• Identifying Partnership Opportunities: Engage with industry to find collaboration areas aligning with NASA’s goals.
• Pre-Negotiating Activities: Define scope of work, deliverables, and milestones. Collaborate with legal and financial teams.
• Drafting the Agreement: Provide technical details, schedules, milestones, input on costs and ensure compliance with policies.
• Supporting Reviews: Liaise between technical teams and reviewers during abstract and financial reviews.
• Negotiating with the Partner: Represent NASA’s interests, ensure clarity on deliverables, and balance risks and benefits.
• Implementation and Oversight: Monitor execution, track progress, and manage modifications or amendments.
• Final Reporting and Close-Out: Ensure deliverables are met, participate in reviews, and document lessons learned.

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Space Act Agreement Workshop • March 17, 2025

Key Ingredients for a Successful SAA

• Strategic Alignment
• Align with NASA's strategic goals and objectives �(e.g., exploration, innovation, public benefit).
• Support broader Agency and National priorities.
• Clear Objectives and Scope
• Define mutual benefits and contributions.
• Establish specific deliverables, timelines, and milestones.
• Compliance and Fairness
• Ensure compliance with NASA's legal and policy frameworks (e.g., transparency, competitive procedures).
• Maintain fairness and avoid favoritism.
• Cost and Resource Management
• Accurately account for full cost and pricing of NASA's contributions.
• Assess and document resource availability and utilization.
• Defined Roles and Responsibilities
• Clearly outline partner and NASA responsibilities.
• Identify roles for agreement managers and legal/technical leads.

• Intellectual Property and Data Rights
• Secure agreements on intellectual property ownership and data usage.
• Safeguard sensitive information.
• Risk Mitigation
• Conduct thorough vetting of prospective partners.
• Address potential risks (e.g., export control, conflict of interest).
• Effective Communication
• Maintain open and transparent communication channels.
• Use public announcements for competitive and exclusive agreements.
• Measurable Outcomes
• Define metrics to evaluate success.
• Regularly review progress against stated objectives.
• Sustainability and Impact
• Plan for long-term value and applicability of results.
• Facilitate knowledge dissemination to inspire and educate.

Space Act Agreement Workshop • August 22, 2024

Things to cover in 1^st meeting with Partner

• Goals for the Meeting
• Understand the partner's objectives and expectations.
• Gather enough information to complete a Partnership Information Form (PIF).
• Identify alignment with NASA’s mission and priorities.
• Establish a preliminary plan for roles, resources, and next steps.
• Information to Gather About the Partner
• Name, type of organization (e.g., commercial, academia, federal agency).
• Point of contact for the partner.
• Partner’s goals, capabilities, and expertise.
• Proposed Activity
• Description of the activity, including its purpose, technical scope, and deliverables.
• How the activity aligns with NASA’s mission.
• Why NASA’s involvement is necessary (e.g., unique facilities, expertise).
• Financial Considerations
• Will the partner cover 100% of the costs?
• Cost-sharing model, if applicable.
• Key Considerations
• Potential risks or special requirements (e.g., safety, mission assurance, facilities).
• Involvement of NASA support contractors or other federal agencies.

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Space Act Agreement Workshop • August 22, 2024

Things to cover in 1^st meeting with Partner (continued)

• Clarify timelines and milestones for the proposed partnership.
• Discuss whether this opportunity requires special coordination (e.g., export control, requires article modifications, benefits a foreign entity)
• Prepare to present the opportunity at the next PWG meeting:
• Complete the PIF
• Review commonly asked questions with the Partnerships Manager
• Use the Market Research Form to facilitate discussion about how NASA’s contribution does not compete with commercial space activities
• Address early considerations for resource commitment and exclusivity

Space Act Agreement Workshop • August 22, 2024