15 March 1966

/ •

"pirr 

t.:• lffiffinfilEmost

Chronology on the Unsigned CORONA Contracts 

30 June 1964

30 June 1964

11 August 1964

Dr. McMillan advised General Carter of his intent to

establish a contract with Aerospace for the comprehensive SE and TD of CORONA. Dr. McMillan also

indicated that he would, at the same time, co

work at LMSC (then covered by CIA contri?,

under an Air Force black contract with a m

ue the

8)

d work

statement which would reflect the SETD responsibilities

of Aerospace and which would define LMSC's role as an

integrating contractor.

General Carter replied and ..ended on behalf of

Mr. McCone that CIA con :28 be extended by

the CIA Contracting Officer P on an indefinite

basis by an appropriate letter of intent pending settlement of the entire matter.

At a meeting among Mr. Vance, Mr. McCone, Dr. Fubini,

and Dr. McMillan the CORONA situation was discussed.

Mr. McCone stated his view that to introduce Aerospace

as general systems engineer and source of technical

direction of the CORONA program would be most undesirable at such a critical time. Mr. McCone felt that it

could be a serious disturbance to a situation which, at

that moment, appeared to be in a satisfactory state.

Mr. Vance voiced his view that the services of Aerospace

would be valuable to the program. Dr. McMillan stated

that if Aerospace were introduced, full continuity of all

activities would be maintained and that he would continue

to review and approve personally any technical changes

proposed for introduction into the system. After further

discussion, it was agreed that Dr. McMillan could make

the necessary contractual changes and install Aerospace

as proposed.

14 August 1964 Dr. McMillan issued instructions to:

1. Authorize General Greer to take necessary actions wimp

CORONA

:1N1
14 August 1964 2. Authorize Colonel Ledford to incorporate the

(Continued) appropriate enabling clauses for the Aerospace

function in contracts held with ITEK, GE and

LMSC A/P.

3. Authorize Colonel Ledf to allow the systems

engineering contrac 28) with LMSC to

expire.

17 August 1964

18 August 1964

4. Authorize General Greer to initiate a. contract

with LMSC to perform a systems integration 

effort in view of the employment of Aerospace

in a systems engineering capacity.

The Program B Contracting Officer notified ITEK, GE

and LMSC A/P that the enabling clauses would be incorporated. Only the ITEK contract was amended to include

the Aerospace clause. No such clause was inserted in

either the GE or LMSC A/P contract.

CIA co 28 (LMSC systems engineer

allowed to expire. SAFSP negotiated contract

2710 to cover systems integration by LMSC for

advancelproject activities under CORONA-cost:

30 J

2702 to cover

cation of ecpipbsystem into the

period of performance:

period of performance: 18 Aug

SAFSP also negotiated contrac

planning, design, development an

ment required to integrate

CORONA program - cost.

18 Aug 64 through 30 Jun

2 September 1964

15 September 1964

LMSC received unsigned copies of the contracts for execution.

CIA (McDonald) called LMSC (Cleland) and informed him

that high level discussions were in progress in connec -

tion with the signing of the contracts and that if LMSC

signed the contracts the work might be forced out of the

A/P facility.

Vi;21.f 73P SECRET

. , 2
16 September 1964

17 September 1964

•..

LMSC advised SAFSP that the contracts had not been

signed; that certain administrative problems existed

which still required resolution. LMSC implied that

these were principally security administrative problems.

The Program B Contracting Officer indicated the following as the reasons he had directed LMSC not to sign the

contracts:

General Greer had not submitted a formal request

to the Director, Program B for authorization to

apply "methods, materials, or equipment being

generated under the contract" between LMSC and

the Program B Contracting Officer.

Note: General Greer did, in fact, discuss the use of

"methods, materials, or equipment being

generated under the contract" with Mr. Leach

(Program B Contracting Officer responsible

for administering the systems engineering.

contract). Mr. Leach stated that he could see

no objections to General Greer consummating

the contract with LMSC. Further the instructions issued by Dr. McMillan authorized

General Greer to proceed. It was not considered within the prerogative of a contracting

officer to take unilateral action to the contrary

without prior consultation with Dr. McMillan.

Security procedures contained in the contract

between General Greer and LMSC were more

restrictive than those in contracts held by the

Program B Contracting Officer.

Note: At the request of Mr. Vance a team composed

of Colo ard, Colonel Ford and

Mr. IA), were sent to the LMSC

to arr a recommendation as to disposition

of the differences in security practices and procedures in existing contracts and in the contract

I Or :Et":

3
31 December 1965

30 September 1965 SAFSP and CIA proposed contracts remained unsigned.

LMSC advised that its pre -contractual exposure was

WM/

DiNgitid CIA proposed contracts remained unsigned.

advised that its pre-contractual exposure was

17 September 1964

(Continu ed)

proposed by General Greer. The recommendation unanimously agreed to was that the

security practices proposed by Geier reer

were an exact interpretation of the

Security Guide and, that these more

requirements should be adopted and standardized within LMSC.

31 December 1964 LMSC reported that it was continuing to work on CORONA

0o9

ems integration (formerly covered by CIA contract

28) and that it had started work on ISIC integration.

 contracts had been signed. Without legal contract

coverage. LMSC's pre-contractual accumulated costs on

both contracts were in excess

31 March 1965

April-June 1965

30 June 1965

The status of the two negotiated but unsigned contracts

between SAFSP and LMSC A/P remained unchanged.

LMSC's pre-contractual costs were in excess c11111111

CIA forwarded to LMSC its proposed contr 5

(for CORONA systems integration) 1111106 ISIC

integration).

Neither the SAFSP or CIA proposed contracts had been

signed by LMSC. LMSC advised that its pre-contractual

exposure wa

Situation Today: 1. Aerospace is not performing the general systems engineering function because the enabling clauses have

not been formally incorporated in the GE and LMSC

contracts.

II •..it CAlip

:,STED

I ;.;e

4
Situation Today 2. Security practices have not been standardized at

(Continued) the LMSC A/P.

Neither the SAFSP proposed contracts fith710 for systems integration

702 for ISIC integration

nor the CIA proposed contracts

Del 965 for systems integration

W5440 for ISIC integration

have been signed by LMSC.

LMSC is pre-contractually exposed at

level.

AV:

5
15 March 1968

CORONA CONTRACTS 

. 

Number

._ ...

—

Contractor

' Contracting

Officer Description

436 Douglas SSD Thrust Augmented THOR/THORADS

I/lia654

-722

. LMSC •

1

SSD AGENA D Vehicles -

IIIIIIr43

5

-700

-816

LMSC SAFSP AGENA Peculiarization (AGENA mods to make vehicle

compatible with orbital timer.

lifeboat system and payload)

50

50

. ..

ITEK McDonald Payload Cameras and S/I Cameras (31-320) (Includes 1 QCR

(J21-J47) & 12 CR cameras

16

17

LMSC . McDonald Structures (Includes testing of entire payload as

. mounted in structure and equipment,

e. g. . clock)

GE

42

McDonald R/V's (13 M's plus 31-324) (61)

(J25-J47)(48)

_

702 LMSC i (SAFSP) ISIC Integration (Unsigned) .•

710 LMSC 1 (SAFSP) System Integration (Unsigned)

440 LMSC (CIA) ISIC Integration (Unsigned)

85 LMSC (CIA) System Integration (Unsigned)

WEI MA

!II? vI I:r(r I

CORONA