NASA Advisory Council Recommendation 

Original Recommendation: 

Workforce Skill Mix 

2012-03-05 (CSC-01) 

As a follow-up to Council Recommendation 2012-02-02 (CSC-01), the Council recommends 

that NASA revisit its near-term human capital planning to include specific new hires with 

significant outside business experience to enhance implementation of the Agency's vision of 

space commercialization. 

Major Reasons for Recommendation: 

The Council appreciates NASA's response to Recommendation 2012-02-02 (attached for 

reference), and applauds the tools available to equip the existing workforce for the transition to 

space commercialization through business education and other development programs. The 

workforce currently managing and supporting the Commercial Crew Program's integrated 

capabilities phase, the conclusion of the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program, 

and the International Space Station (ISS) Commercial Resupply Services contracts possesses a 

wealth of applicable technical experience in human space development and operations and has 

demonstrated adeptness at implementing non-traditional acquisition strategies and 

government/industry partnerships. However, the Council is concerned that there still exists a 

skill gap that applies more broadly to the Agency-wide vision of pursuing many space 

commercialization opportunities, which will then enable applying NASA's limited resources to 

government-managed deep space human exploration. 

The Council believes that achieving the expressed Agency vision, which will include new nonNASA markets for human space flight as well as many other new space commercialization 

initiatives, requires a workforce with significant outside experience in building entrepreneurial 

businesses, establishing new markets, competing for market share, and managing complex 

programs in a profit-motivated environment. This is needed at the Agency level as well as 

across the Centers where there is a need to create and successfully implement new commercial 

partnership opportunities. The Council finds from its recent Agency-wide fact finding that this is 

a gap today, and experience has shown that addressing it most effectively requires bringing in 

outside experience and business expertise to build into the existing workforce. This is the 

preferred and most direct option, and can be carried out in parallel with retraining the existing 

workforce. Practical, first-hand experience in a true commercial industry environment is needed, 

and will augment existing workforce skills and experience as NASA continues its 

transformation. 

The Council recommends that NASA put in place specific hiring plans to bring more commercial 

industry business experience into the Agency as it seeks to continue moving forward with its 

transformation. 

In addition to maximizing new commercial partnerships and opportunities, this new and 

enhanced Agency skill set would also benefit the technical execution of the commercial space 

Enclosure 
programs. It would bring a private-sector perspective to solving the challenges that will 

eventually be faced as the Agency and its partners balance safety, costs, and schedule in a 

commercial services rather than a government-managed environment. 

Consequences of No Action on the Recommendation to Reconsider: 

The Agency will continue to lack the types and depth of skills required to fully realize the space 

commercialization vision. 

NASA Response: 

NASA agrees in principle with the Committee's recommendation and is developing a suite of 

strategies to bring business expertise into the Agency. 

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NASA intends to include the Committee's recommendation to bring significant outside business 

experience into the Agency through a new veterans' hiring strategy. Veterans bring years of 

work experience and leadership capability to the Federal workforce. NASA intends, through the 

Federal Government Pathways Program, to seek individuals who entered military service 

following completion of an undergraduate degree, served several years in the military and private 

sector, and then used their G.!. benefits to pursue advanced degrees at the Nation's leading 

business schools. These individuals bring with them substantial leadership experience, 

knowledge of the Federal Government, and expertise in the most up-to-date business strategies. 

Additionally, NASA has a number of hiring strategies available to address identified or emerging 

skills gaps. Civil service capability will continue to be enhanced by targeted hiring that is 

responsive to program requirements. Additional capability will continue to be acquired through 

the use of external experts and consultants, Intergovernmental Personnel Agreements, and 

temporary appointments. 

Finally, NASA continues to address employee developmental needs on an ongoing basis. The 

Agency encourages employees to build their capability to support new programs through 

specialized developmental programs and business curricula. Development programs, such as the 

Business Education Program, include topics relevant to commercialization. The Agency also 

provides access to a wide variety of courses (classroom and on-line) on subjects such as business 

analysis, business execution, commercial development environment, and business operations. 

NASA believes that the combination of developmental and hiring strategies mentioned above 

will bring required business expertise into the Agency and infuse new skills into the NASA 

workforce.