National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA Vendor 

Communication 

PLAN

PROCUREMENT

The cornerstone of NASA’s current and future missions
Purpose of the Publication

 Outline the Office of Procurement’s intent, cadence, and 

framework to communicate with Industry.

Office of Procurement Mission Statement

 Acquisition excellence in an evolving environment.

Office of Procurement Vision Statement

 Explore and execute innovative, effective, and efficient 

acquisition business solutions to optimize capabilities and 

operations that enable NASA’s missions.

OVERVIEW

The NASA Headquarters Office of Procurement oversees the 

acquisition process to support successful accomplishment of the 

Agency’s current and future missions. It provides policy, oversight, and optimization of procurement resources, and it supports 

Mission Directorate acquisition strategies to enable more efficient 

operations for the Agency.

As of December 2021

I. BACKGROUND 

For more than 60 years, NASA has led the world in human and 

robotic exploration of the solar system, scientific discoveries, 

advancements in technology and flight that benefit us here on 

Earth, and more. While growing our own portfolio, we’ve fostered a new economy in low-Earth orbit and are doing the same 

with our commercial partners as we return to the Moon under 

Artemis. Maintaining our leadership in space is a top priority 

for the nation and our Agency. To do so, NASA must continue 

to evolve the way we work as we carry out our vast portfolio of 

missions here on Earth, in low-Earth orbit, at the Moon, Mars, 

and beyond. 

2 NASA Vendor Communication Plan

An engineer guides one of the canisters containing 

a mirror segment for NASA's James Webb Space 

Telescope. (NASA/Desiree Stover)
NASA spends approximately 78 percent of its budget on acquiring the goods and services—including research and development 

services— required to meet the Agency’s mission and programs. 

Over 80 percent of the Agency’s authorized funding and the resultant direct employment is dispersed widely in the national economy 

through NASA contracts and grants.

In February 2011, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 

Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) issued a memorandum, “Myth-Busting”: Addressing Misconceptions to Improve 

Communication with Industry during the Acquisition Process 

- PDF,” requiring Federal agencies to develop a high-level vendor 

communication plan outlining efforts to reduce unnecessary barriers, publicize communication opportunities, and prioritize engagement opportunities for high-risk, complex programs or those that 

fail to attract new vendors during re-competitions. NASA published 

its first Vendor Communication Plan in October 2011, which it 

updates regularly and outlines the Agency’s engagement with 

Industry.

II. AGENCY COMMITMENT

This Vendor Communication Plan represents NASA’s commitment 

to continued and increased dialogue and exchange of information 

with the Industry from the earliest identification of a requirement 

through announcement of the award (see Federal Acquisition 

Regulation (FAR) subpart 15.2). 

NASA is well aware that early engagement with vendors can add 

significant value and create efficiencies in the acquisition process. 

NASA is not only committed to the requirements of OMB’s 2011 

memo but also to a transparent acquisition process and is poised 

to engage vendors in an increasingly innovative manner during the 

pre-award, award, and post-award contracting phase.

NASA Vendor Communication Plan 3

A NASA F/A-18 is towed to the apron at NASA’s 

Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California 

during sunrise over Rogers Dry Lake. (NASA/Lauren 

Hughes)
III. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

NASA’s Senior Procurement Executive, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Procurement, Director of Procurement 

Management and Policy, along with the ten NASA Center Procurement Officers and the Industry Liaison are responsible 

for promoting consistent and timely vendor engagement. The acquisition workforce: contract specialists, contracting officers, contracting officer representatives, procurement analysts, small business specialists, program and project 

managers, finance and legal counsel all play an integral role in effective, continual vendor communication throughout the 

acquisition life cycle which is all a part of NASA’s acquisition partnership process.

NASA’s Industry Liaison: Ms.Tabisa Kalisa, is also responsible for updating this plan periodically throughout the year to 

ensure the plan is current and includes innovative communication practices. 

NASA Office of Procurement Organization Chart

Karla Smith Jackson

Assistant Administrator 

for Procurement

Jason Detko

Deputy Assistant Administrator 

for Procurement

PROCUREMENT STRATEGIC 

OPERATIONS DIVISION (PSOD)

Jeff Cullen

Division Director

PROCUREMENT MANAGEMENT 

AND POLICY DIVISION (PMPD)

Julia Wise

Division Director

PROCUREMENT OFFICES

ARC AFRC GRC GSFC ITPO JSC KSC LaRC MSFC NMO

Mike 

McGrath

Procurement 

Officer

Marvin 

Horne

Procurement 

Officer

Jose

Garcia

Procurement 

Officer

Laura

Rochester

Procurement 

Officer

Susan

McClain

Procurement 

Officer

Todd Pospisil

Acting 

Procurement 

Officer

David Crouch

Chief of 

Contracting

Kurt 

Straub

Procurement 

Officer

James 

Eastman

Procurement 

Officer

Sarah 

Pollock

Procurement 

Officer

NSSC

Cassandra 

Williams

Acting Chief 

of Contracting

SSC

Gerald 

Norris

Procurement 

Officer

Tabisa Kalisa

Executive Officer/

NASA Industry Liaison

4 NASA Vendor Communication Plan
IV. PRE-AWARD VENDOR ENGAGEMENT 

NASA hosts various vendor engagement events throughout the 

year to obtain feedback from industry on requirements; discuss 

the technical feasibility of a particular requirement; discuss NASA’s 

preliminary evaluation of a particular system; address specific 

requirements that significantly impact the viability or are major cost 

drivers to industry; obtain feedback to determine if requirements 

in NASA solicitations provide enough detail to design, develop, 

produce, and operate the articles to be procured; and identify 

any unnecessary, overly burdensome, and/or overly prescriptive 

requirements. These events include industry days, small business 

outreach sessions, and pre-solicitation conferences and others as 

detailed below. 

NASA takes a strategic and intentional approach at targeting 

the various social economic categories, especially those underrepresented in NASA’s procurement processes (Small Business, 

Small Disadvantaged Business, Women-Owned Small Business, 

Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business and Historically 

Under-utilized Business Zone concerns. The Agency takes a proactive approach to ensure they have a fair opportunity to compete for 

NASA procurements. 

A. The Acquisition Forecast 

The NASA FAR Supplement (NFS) at 1807.72, Acquisition 

Forecasting, delineates NASA’s policy regarding the preparation of an annual acquisition forecast and semiannual update of 

expected contract opportunities for each fiscal year to alert the 

public of upcoming NASA procurements. The anticipated acquisitions included in the forecasts are listed on each Center’s acquisition forecast where they may be viewed by members of the public, 

industry, and government officials. The NASA Acquisition Forecast, 

which includes the Agency-wide and center-by-center acquisition 

forecast is available at http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/forecast/

index.html.

B. NASA Vendor Database 

NASA vendor database is open to all vendors, both large and small, 

who wish to do business with the NASA. Vendors can post capability briefs in any format and sign up to receive email messages concerning business opportunities with NASA such as Source Sought 

Notices, the NASA Office of Small Business Programs Newsletter, 

Requests for Information (RFIs), and Requests for Proposals 

(RFPs). This database is web-based and available at https://www.

osbp.nasa.gov/vendor_database.html.

An Atlas V rocket with Cygnus spacecraft prepares to 

launch.

NASA Vendor Communication Plan 5
C. NASA OSBP Mobile

The Office of Small Business Program’s (OSBP) official mobile app 

is NASA OSBP Mobile. This app is designed as a user-friendly tool 

for contractors and other users to learn how to do business with 

NASA and have all the required resources at their fingertips. Key 

features allow users, vendors, and government officials to easily 

contact NASA Center Small Business Specialists and view active 

contract listings by product categories such as IT, Engineering, 

Finance and Accounting, Construction, Facilities, Occupational 

Health, Office Supplies, and Protective Services, and others. The 

app is available for both iOS and Android devices and offers users 

current information on upcoming networking events.

D. NASA Sponsored Industry Meetings 

For complex efforts, NASA invites industry to meetings to dialogue about the contracting requirements, policy, and practices. 

The invitation to the meeting is posted to the Federal Register or 

other medium. During the meetings, NASA officials and industry 

representatives confer and exchange ideas on contracting practices, policies, how to reduce burden and leverage commercial 

practices, how to improve NASA’s contracting relationships, and 

more. Industry representatives meet with NASA officials and submit 

in writing their ideas on improving affordability of NASA programs. 

Industry feedback is also vital to the development of the acquisition 

strategy. Industry’s representation covers the spectrum in size and 

role, including prime contractors, subcontractors, and entrepreneurial commercial providers, as well as non-profit organizations. 

E. Draft Request for Proposals 

Contracting Officers issue draft requests for proposal (RFP) for all 

competitive acquisitions expected to exceed $10 million except for 

Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs), Small Business Innovation 

Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) 

solicitations, and architect-and-engineering services, unless the 

NASA contracting officer determines in writing that a draft RFP is 

not beneficial to the acquisition (see NFS 1815.201, Exchanges 

with industry before receipt of proposals). When a draft RFP is 

issued, it requests that potential offerors identify unnecessary or 

inefficient requirements. If the draft RFP contains governmentunique standards, prospective offerors are invited to identify 

NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei is pictured 

servicing components on the Canadarm2 robotic 

arm during a spacewalk (NASA/Norishige Kanai)

6 NASA Vendor Communication Plan
voluntary consensus standards that meet the government’s 

requirements as alternatives to government-unique standards 

(See FAR 11.101). Comments are also requested on any perceived 

safety, occupational health, security (including information technology security), environmental, property, quality assurance, export 

control, and/or other programmatic risk issues associated with 

performance of the work. 

Thorough acquisition planning is executed to ensure adequate time 

for issuance of the draft RFP, prospective offeror review and comment, and NASA evaluation and disposition of the comments. The 

RFP may be modified as a result of industry questions and comments provided in response to the draft RFP.

F. Conferences and Site Tours 

NASA hosts conferences and site tours to facilitate the early 

exchange of information with prospective offerors before receiving proposals, in accordance with FAR 15.201. Such events 

provide a means of exchanging information to improve potential 

offerors’ understanding of the Agency’s requirements, enhance 

the Government’s ability to obtain quality supplies/services, and 

increase efficiency in proposal preparation, evaluation, negotiation, 

and award. 

A pre-proposal conference to brief prospective offerors may be 

conducted after a solicitation has been issued, but before proposals are received, in accordance with FAR 15.201. NASA contracting officers, in coordination with management and the Source 

Evaluation Board (SEB), decide, prior to issuance of the RFP, 

whether a pre-proposal conference is required. These conferences 

benefit both the Government and prospective offerors in acquisitions where it is necessary to explain or clarify specifications and 

requirements. Prospective offerors have expressed appreciation for 

the opportunity to network with other industry representatives.

The liquid oxygen tank structural test article for the 

Space Launch System is loaded onto NASA's Pegasus 

barge (NASA/Jude Guidry)

NASA Vendor Communication Plan 7
V. POST-AWARD, ONGOING ENTERPRISE VENDOR ENGAGEMENT 

NASA continues to promote industry engagement after 

award in an effort to remove barriers, enhance innovation, 

and maximize the business relationship between industry 

and government. NASA post-award vendor engagement 

are detailed below. 

A. Regional Outreach Events 

NASA hosts conferences annually to promote small 

business awareness and participation, utilizing innovative techniques at nontraditional venues in geographically targeted areas, to enhance all categories of small 

business. In October 2021, the “NASA Small Business 

Opportunities Virtual Expo 2021” was conducted virtually 

with approximately 941 participants; both large and small 

businesses. It provided for businesses learn about upcoming Agency programs and requirements from the Office of 

Small Business Programs, Office of Procurement, and the 

Artemis program. Sixty-five percent of the event registrants 

remained for the entire event to network and exchange 

innovative ideas contracting best practices. 

B. Oral Debriefings 

Face-to-face debriefings give offerors a better understanding of the source evaluation board findings and how the 

source selection authority reached their decision.

C. The Small Business Industry Awards Program 

The Small Business Industry Awards (SBIA) recognize 

the outstanding Small Business Prime Contractor, Small 

Business Subcontractor, Large Business Prime Contractor, 

and Mentor-Protégé Agreement that support NASA in 

achieving its mission. Small Business Industry Awards 

(SBIA) is given in four categories: (1) Small Business Prime 

Contractor of the Year, (2) Small Business Subcontractor of 

the Year, (3) Large Business Prime Contractor of the Year, 

and (4) Mentor-Protégé Agreement of the Year. 

D. Small Business Showcase 

The small business showcase is hosted quarterly and 

allows vendors to display their capabilities. In addition 

to showcasing their talents, vendors also inquire about 

potential opportunities at NASA. Attendees include, as 

available, the Small Business Specialists, Small Business 

Technical Advisor, available Contracting Officers and Prime 

Contractor representatives. 

E. Contractor Steering Council 

The Council (consisting of on/near site contractors and 

civil service employees) provides an informal framework 

in which contractors with a vested interest and existing 

business near the hosting Center can establish working relationships to enhance the partnership bond that 

already exists. The Council meetings are held monthly or 

quarterly, depending on the NASA Centers, and provides 

timely information and advice on Center-wide requirements 

and issues of mutual interest and acts as a forum for ad 

hoc communications between the Center and the local 

contractor community. An Executive Committee provides 

assistance and guidance for the Council Co-Chairs.

8 NASA Vendor Communication Plan
VI. NEW VENDOR ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS 

NASA takes a strategic approach to finding innovative and costeffective ways to procure its science, aeronautics and space exploration requirements. Effective vendor engagement positions the 

organization to procure and manage business relationships effectively. NASA is exploring the following new methods and events to 

enhance NASA’s vendor engagement. 

A. Meetings with Industry

The NASA Deputy CAO/SPE, Ms. Karla Smith Jackson, proactively 

meets with Industry at least twice a month to discuss and address 

any issues or concerns they may have in doing business with the 

Agency. A link to Request a Meeting with the Senior Procurement 

Executive is also posted on the OP website.

B. Update to the NASA Acquisition Forecast 

OFPP presented the Professional Services Council’s article entitled, 

“PSC Business Forecast Scorecard 2019” to the Industry Liaisons, 

at the OFPP Industry Liaisons Roundtable and encouraged the 

group to be mindful of and consider incorporating the findings. The 

updated NASA Acquisition Forecast will include all of the attributes 

rated as user friendly and most effective by vendors as reported by 

Professional Services Council in the aforementioned article

C. Update to the “Doing Business with NASA” Page 

The updated “Doing Business with NASA” page includes the 

agency’s Industry Liaison’s, Procurement Ombudsman and 

Competition Advocate names and email address. Links to the 

NASA Office of Small Business Programs, NASA Small Business 

Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR) 

Programs and NASA Partnership Office are also posted on the 

site. The following feature will also be added to the web page. 

NASA Vendor Engagement Meetings 

NASA HQ engagement events will include periodic outreach efforts 

such as virtual meetings, webinars, conference calls and face to 

face smaller round-table discussions or larger industry town hall 

meetings with vendors and industry associations on topics such 

as: the role of the Procurement Ombudsman; innovations in Supply 

Chain Management practices, novel and complex FAR and NASA 

FAR Supplement policy updates and how they affect industry, to 

The primary mirror of NASA’s James Webb Space 

Telescope, consisting of 18 hexagonal mirrors, looks like 

a giant puzzle piece standing in the massive clean room 

of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, 

Maryland. (NASA/Goddard/Chris Gunn)

NASA Vendor Communication Plan 9
name a few. These meetings will be listening sessions and will 

also allow exchanges between government and industry as well as 

industry to industry on topics that are helpful but rarely discussed 

in these types of forums. 

D. NASA Promotes Diversity and Inclusion in Contracting 

NASA promotes diversity in contracting efforts by working to 

ensure large vendors work with diverse small vendors for subcontracting opportunities. Also, encouraging large contractors to 

partner with, mentor, and team with smaller contractors for Federal 

Government contracting opportunities. NASA has a long-standing 

practice of promoting equal employment opportunity and diversity 

and will continue to work to foster diversity in procurement, with a 

focus on minority-owned and women-owned businesses. Industry 

Liaisons will partner with NASA mission directorates and their 

targeted program and project initiatives and outreach efforts and 

coordinate and support as appropriate. More details on NASA’s 

efforts in this area is provided in Section VII.

E. Excellence and Innovations at Historically Black 

Colleges and Universities (HBCU), Minority Serving 

Institutions and Science, Technology, Engineering and 

Mathematics (STEM) organizations 

NASA is the only Federal Agency that has a goal of one percent of 

total contract value of prime and subcontracting awards for acquisitions to HBCU and MSI, pursuant to 51 U.S.C. 30304 (Pub. L. 

111-314). To accomplish this goal, NASA hosts NASA Technology 

Infusion Road Tours three times a year, targeted at these educational institutions, by teaching them how to do business with the 

Agency in addition to discussing upcoming requirements. Thhirteen 

Agencies/Departments have participated at these events thus far 

and NASA has seen also a number of minority institutions that are 

now doing business with the Agency. 

In addition, NASA will establish a plan and launch a campaign 

to implement the President’s Executive Order (E.O.) 13779, 

White House Initiative to Promote Excellence and Innovation at 

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) issued on 

February 28, 2017. NASA’s plan will focus on exceeding the current, aforementioned goal working with HBCUs to promote knowledge of contracting opportunities at NASA; providing to HBCU 

community, to the maximum extent practicable, opportunities to 

participate in NASA contracts; and providing information and guidance to HBCUs that will enhance their probability of doing business 

with NASA. NASA will partner with other agencies to support and 

implement the requirements of this E.O.

Seen here in March 2021, NASA’s Lucy spacecraft 

undergoes its Clampband Shock Test at Lockheed 

Martin Space’s Littleton, Colorado, facility. 

(Lockheed Martin)

10 NASA Vendor Communication Plan
VII. INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND ACCESSIBILITY (IDEA) OUTREACH 

The following engagements are specifically aimed at 

expanding opportunities for Americans in underrepresented and underserved communities consistent with 

Executive Order 13985 on Advancing Racial Equity and 

Support for Underserved Communities through the Federal 

Government.

A. Inclusion Summit 

NASA OP will participate in the Agency’s Inclusion Summit 

planned for early 2022. This event will include speakers 

from industry and Agency leadership, breakout sessions, 

sharing of best practices and lessons learned, networking, and more. 

B. Targeted Small Group Virtual Forums/Meetings

NASA OP will convene and/or participate in targeted small 

group virtual forums with MIs/HBCUs and meetings with 

various minority-based associations and organizations, 

such as the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP), 

National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), American 

Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), American 

Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC), Great 

Minds in STEM, Society of Hispanic Profession Engineers 

(SHPE), Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics 

and Native Americans in Space (SACNAS), Society of 

Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE), Women of Color, 

and Society of Women Engineers. In addition, NASA OP 

will participate in National HBCUs Week, an annual event 

that provides a forum to exchange information and share 

innovations among and between institutions and increase 

an understanding of Federal policies that support higher 

education, such as opportunities to participate in Federal 

acquisition. 

C. OSBP Meetings

The OSBP hosts outreach events aimed at engaging and 

communicating with industry to ensure the agency has 

access to new entrants, innovative contractors, and members of the underserved and underrepresented communities. OP will continue to support OSBP’s meetings to share 

information on how to do business with NASA, NASA’s 

acquisition forecast, NASA’s enterprise delivery model, 

how to comply with new acquisition practices, ans so on. 

D. NASA’s Mission Equity Website

The Mission Equity website will be utilized to share information with industry about all of NASA’s efforts underway 

to advance equity under programs, projects, contracts and 

grants, such as the Request for Information on Advancing 

Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities 

in NASA Programs, Contracts and Grants Process (NASA 

Equity RFI) issued on June 15, 2021 and the public meeting held on July 13, 2021 that included a general assembly 

session hosted by key NASA Senior Leaders, as well as 

inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility focused breakout sessions. 

E. Meetings with AbilityOne

NASA OP’s AbilityOne Representative (ABOR) meets 

biweekly with SourceAmerica, one of the Central 

Non-Profit Agencies supporting the U.S. AbilityOne 

Commission, to discuss and collaborate on opportunities 

for NASA to contract with non-profit agencies employing 

individuals with disabilities using the AbilityOne Program.

Illustration of the X-59 aircraft landingl 

at Edwards Air Force Base.

NASA Vendor Communication Plan 11
VIII. PUBLICATION OF ENGAGEMENT EVENTS

Vendor engagement events posted on the following websites. 

 Doing Business with NASA: https://www.nasa.gov/office/procurement/doingbusines

 NASA Mission Equity: https://www.nasa.gov/mission-equit

 NASA Office of Small Business Programs: https://www.nasa.gov/osb

 NASA SBIR/STTR: https://sbir.gsfc.nasa.go

 US Small Business Administration: https://www.sba.go

 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR); https://www.sbir.go

 System for Awards Management: https://sam.gov/content/hom

 Portal for Federal Grants: https://www.grants.go

 NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System

https://nspires.nasaprs.com/external

 NASA Vendor Database: https://www.nasa.gov/osbp/nasa-vendor-databas

 NASA OSBP Mobile: https://www.nasa.gov/osbp/mobil

IX. CONTACT INFORMATION

Questions regarding this plan or related topics may be directed to the 

Assistant Administrator for Procurement at procurement@hq.nasa.gov or (202) 358-2090.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA Headquarters

300 E Street SW

Washington, DC 20546

www.nasa.gov

NP-2021-11-2300-HQ