National Aeronautics and Space Administration

MSFC Partnerships OfficeFunction, Organization, and Operation

Stacy Counts/Manager, MSFC Partnerships OfficeFebruary 21, 2012

Why do we have a Partnerships Office?

Created to provide beginning-to-end institutional capability for Partnerships.

Serves organizations across the Center as a central hub for Partnerships assistance.

The Office works closely with Center Strategic Development, Sciences, Engineering, Chief Technologist and the external community to form agreements that leverage Marshall’s capabilities, facilities, and expertise.

The Office focuses on business practices and collaborative forums that facilitate Partnerships.

Emphasis is on External Partner Needs2

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Flight Programs and Partnerships Office

FP01 / Flight Programs and Partnerships Office

Teresa Vanhooser, ManagerPaul Gilbert, Deputy ManagerShelia Woods (DC), ESA

FP02 / Planning & Control Office

Rhega Gordon, ManagerDoug Riser, Assistant ManagerLisa Messer, Administrative Officer

FP10 / ISS OfficeAnnette Sledd, ManagerGregg McDaniel, Deputy ManagerSheri Bedwell (DC) , MSARickey Cissom, StaffThomas Erdman, Staff

FP20 / Robotic Mission Programs Office

Dennon Clardy, ManagerSandra Nixon, MSA

FP30 / Human Exploration Development Office

Chris Cianciola, ManagerVacant, DeputyAngie Williams, MSA

Safety & Mission Assurance

Alan Clark

Chief Engineer

Lisa Watson-Morgan, ManagerKen Welzyn, Deputy Manager

Procurement

Mark Stiles

FP40 / Partnerships Office

Stacy Counts, ManagerWhitney Young, Coord./Data Mgr.Vacant, MSA

Commercial SpaceCommercial IndustryFederal GovernmentAcademia/International Partners

For more information, contact:• Stacy Counts, Manager, Partnerships Office, (256) 544-6004• Chip Jones, Partnership Manager for Commercial Space, (256) 544-2701• Charles Nola, Partnership Manager for Federal Government, (256) 544-6367

CCDEV COTS

Robert Lightfoot/MSFC Center Director

FP40/Partnerships Office

Stacy Counts, ManagerWhitney Young, Technical CoordinatorMSA, Vacant

Commercial SpacePartnership Mgr

Chip JonesCommercial Industry

Federal GovernmentPartnership Manager

Charlie Nola

International & Academic

Partnerships Office (FP40)

MSFC Partnerships Office

“One Stop Shop”

Requirements Definition

Design

Manufacture

Test

Verification and Validation

Transportation/ Logistics

Systems Engineering SkillsNASA Standards

CertificationSpace Environments

DDT&E SkillsPayload Design

Launch Vehicle SystemsThermal Protection

GN&CS&MA

Advanced Manufacturing

(MSFC and MAF)

Composites

Propulsion Structural

Stennis Space Center

Engine Test

KSC Launch

MAF

Operations

MSFC Capabilities of Interest to Commercial Partners

• Propulsion Systems Research, Technology, & Development

• Unique Facilities(MAF & MSFC)

• Large-Scale Manufacturing (MAF & MSFC)

• Space Environments & Testing

• Structural Testing

• Propulsion Testing

• Avionics/Electrical Systems and Software

• Payload Systems Technology, Development, & Integration

• Vehicle Development and Integration

• Damage Tolerance & Fracture Mechanics

• Guidance, Navigation, and Control

• Thermal Systems Design

• Program/Project Management

• Fluid Dynamics

• Systems Engineering, Analysis, and Integration

• Mechanical, Propellants, Pressurants, and Calibration

• Safety and Mission Assurance

• Mission Operations  

• ECLSS Design and Development

• Facilitate the development of new agreements, or update existing agreements• Provide clear direction on how the process works• Connect appropriate technical personnel inside MSFC with partners• Coordinate with the parties to ensure the right information is included in the

agreement• Coordinate with Chief Financial Office on pricing policies and consistency• Coordinate with Legal to ensure MSFC Uniqueness statement is adequate• Maintain relationships with external partners to ensure that each is getting

the facilities and capabilities requested and to respond to issues as soon as possible

• Support various Industry events to raise awareness of NASA capabilities• Maintain a Website for community access to:

– news releases– collaboration events– partnerships material– organizational contacts– hot links to engineering sites, other NASA Partnership Office sites

Partnerships Office Functions

• Most of the agreements we use for partnerships are Space Act Agreements.– Nonreimbursable SAA; no funding involved but MSFC must have an internal charge code to

cover labor – Reimbursable SAA; funding flows from partner to MSFC

• What is the difference between an “umbrella SAA” and an “Annex”– Umbrella Agreement– Annex– Standalone Agreement

• How long does an SAA take to establish?• How quickly can MSFC begin work on an agreement?• Legal flexibilities within the SAA

– Pull Out clause– Nonexclusivity

• What are key areas that cause an SAA to get “hung up”?– Potential Competition with Commercial Providers (MSFC Uniqueness)– Potential Conflict of Interest with SLS NRAs

• Who determines which agreements are accepted and which are not?– Partnership Working Group– Strategic Planning Council (Center Director and Direct Reports)

• What are considerations factored in the approval decision?– Resource availability

• Can other NASA Centers add an annex to a MSFC umbrella and vice versa?

Space Act Agreements – What You Should Know

Agreement Steps

Identify Opportunity

Verify Center Alignment

Develop Agreement

Agreement Review and Approval

Agreement Execution

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Partnerships Office engages with partner on possible opportunities; requests technical POCs from ED.

Partnerships Working Group

Partnerships Office drafts initial agreement and brings technical POCs in for discussion on tasks.

Partnerships Office maintains communication with partner and helps to work any issues.

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Summary

NASA is transforming its conventional thinking on partnerships to put more emphasis on long-term relationship management, and on external stakeholder needs.

MSFC’s Center Director demonstrated his support to NASA’s partnerships initiative by instituting a Center re-organization with established offices for Partnerships and Center Strategic Development.

Back Up

• SAA Checklist for External Partners• Examples of Proposed Umbrella Scope, MSFC

Uniqueness Statements

SAA Checklist

• Type of SAA– Reimbursable– Non-Reimbursable

• Name of company, and division if desired, with address to send SAA hardcopy

• Title of proposed work• Purpose/summary of proposed work• NASA Mission supported by this work (HEOMD, etc) and how the work

supports that mission• Responsibilities of the partner/Responsibilities of NASA (usually

discussed and developed by NASA/Partner together)• Milestones/schedule for proposed tasks

– Milestone for each deliverable or significant event• Payment information (incremental or one lump sum)• NASA facilities to be used• NASA-owned equipment/property to be loaned to the partner

SAA Checklist (continued)

• Proprietary data to be shared– “Background data” – existing company proprietary data (i.e. engine

performance data) provided by partner and needed for the agreement– Proprietary data of partner (to include software)– Proprietary data of government (to include software)– Proprietary data for third parties– The method of disposal of data desired by the partner

• Patent Rights– Patents pending on any task/data involved?– Existing patent on NASA or Partner side?

• Length of agreement (1 – 5 years)• Partner Management POC• Partner Technical POC (if desired)• Partner Signatory (usually partner’s contracts personnel)

SAA Checklist (continued)

• Statement of NASA/MSFC Uniqueness– Any related patented inventions that can be used to support NASA’s

uniqueness?– Any unique expertise of proposed NASA participating employees?– Any unique equipment or facility owned by NASA?– Any unique analysis techniques and/or associated tools?– Has partner tried to obtain proposed work outside NASA resources and

found unavailable?

Examples of Umbrella Purpose

• This Umbrella Agreement shall be for the purpose of providing a mechanism for MSFC and Partner to collaborate on current and future Launch Vehicle Technologies to include shared facilities, hardware, capabilities, and technical expertise at the respective organizations.

• This Umbrella Agreement shall be for establishing the legal framework within which Partner and MSFC may collaborate for the purpose of exchanging engineering expertise and support in the areas of safety, design, development, and systems integration of space flight hardware to include use of facilities as needed.

• This Umbrella Agreement shall be for the purpose of providing reimbursable support to Partner in their efforts to design, develop, test, and operate launch vehicles and space systems, including but not limited to: launch vehicle structural design and fabrication; liquid rocket engine design and test; launch abort systems and cargo and payload processing and integration.

Examples of MSFC Uniqueness

• Partner wants to work with NASA MSFC because there are no commercial entities with this technology development capability that would not be a competitor to Partner for future applications of the technology. MSFC has been involved in every civilian development effort to mature the technology since NASA’s formation and has extensive expertise and capability.

• Assess:– Unique NASA facilities that can’t be found in industry?– Unique NASA resources/expertise that can’t be found in industry?– Integrated testing that combines several individual test scenarios?– Combination of design, manufacture and test needed at one location?– Only other providers of the needed resources/facilities/capabilities are

competitors?