TITLE VI—ACQUISITION 
MANAGEMENT 
SEC. 601. PROJECT AND PROGRAM RESERVES. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the judicious use of program and project re-
serves provides NASA project and program managers with 
the flexibility needed to manage projects and programs to 
ensure that the impacts of contingencies can be mitigated. 
(b) FINANCIAL DISCIPLINE.—To ensure that the es-
tablishment, maintenance, and allotment of project and 
program reserves contribute to prudent management, not 
later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
Act the Administrator shall transmit to the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate a report describing— 
(1) NASA’s criteria for establishing the amount 
of reserves held at the project and program levels; 
(2) how such criteria relate to the agency’s pol-
icy of budgeting at a 70-percent confidence level; 
and 
(3) NASA’s criteria for waiving the policy of 
budgeting at a 70-percent confidence level. 
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SEC. 602. COST ESTIMATION. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that realistic cost estimating is critically important 
to the ultimate success of major space development 
projects. NASA has devoted significant efforts over the 
past five years to improving its cost estimating capabili-
ties, but it is important that NASA continue its efforts 
to develop and implement guidance in establishing realistic 
cost estimates. 
(b) GUIDANCE AND CRITERIA.—The Administrator 
shall provide to programs and projects— 
(1) guidance on whether and when an Inde-
pendent Cost Estimate and Independent Cost As-
sessment should be used; and 
(2) the criteria to be used to make such a de-
termination. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 270 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall transmit 
to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a re-
port— 
(1) describing efforts to enhance internal cost 
estimation and assessment expertise; 
(2) identifying criteria used by programs and 
projects in determining whether and when to con-
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duct an Independent Cost Estimate or Independent 
Cost Assessment; and 
(3) listing the costs of each individual Inde-
pendent Cost Estimate or Independent Cost Assess-
ment activity conducted in fiscal year 2011, fiscal 
year 2012, and fiscal year 2013, the purpose of the 
activity, and key findings and recommendations. 
SEC. 603. INDEPENDENT REVIEWS. 
Not later than 270 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator shall transmit to the Com-
mittee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report de-
scribing— 
(1) the internal entities independent of project 
and program management that conduct reviews of 
projects and programs at life cycle milestones; and 
(2) how NASA ensures the independence of 
such entities and their members. 
SEC. 604. AVOIDING ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICTS OF IN-
TEREST IN MAJOR NASA ACQUISITION PRO-
GRAMS. 
(a) REVISED REGULATIONS REQUIRED.—Not later 
than 270 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Administrator shall revise the NASA Supplement to 
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the Federal Acquisition Regulation to provide uniform 
guidance and tighten existing requirements for organiza-
tional conflicts of interest by contractors in major acquisi-
tion programs. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The revised regulations required by 
subsection (a) shall, at a minimum— 
(1) address organizational conflicts of interest 
that could potentially arise as a result of— 
(A) lead system integrator contracts on 
major acquisition programs and contracts that 
follow lead system integrator contracts on such 
programs, particularly contracts for production; 
(B) the ownership of business units per-
forming systems engineering and technical as-
sistance functions, professional services, or 
management support services in relation to 
major acquisition programs by contractors who 
simultaneously own business units competing to 
perform as either the prime contractor or the 
supplier of a major subsystem or component for 
such programs; 
(C) the award of major subsystem con-
tracts by a prime contractor for a major acqui-
sition program to business units or other affili-
ates of the same parent corporate entity, and 
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particularly the award of subcontracts for soft-
ware integration or the development of a pro-
prietary software system architecture; or 
(D) the performance by, or assistance of, 
contractors in technical evaluations on major 
acquisition programs; 
(2) ensure that NASA receives advice on sys-
tems architecture and systems engineering matters 
with respect to major acquisition programs from ob-
jective sources independent of the prime contractor; 
(3) require that a contract for the performance 
of systems engineering and technical assistance 
functions for a major acquisition program contains 
a provision prohibiting the contractor or any affiliate 
of the contractor from participating as a prime con-
tractor or a major subcontractor in the development 
of a system under the program; and 
(4) establish such limited exceptions to the re-
quirement in paragraphs (2) and (3) as may be nec-
essary to ensure that NASA has continued access to 
advice on systems architecture and systems engi-
neering matters from highly qualified contractors 
with domain experience and expertise, while ensuring 
that such advice comes from sources that are objec-
tive and unbiased. 
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SEC. 605. MANAGING TERMINATION LIABILITY. 
(a) RESERVATION OF FUNDS.—The Administrator 
may not reserve funds or require the reservation of funds 
for potential termination liability with respect to a covered 
program. Funds that have been reserved before the date 
of enactment of this Act for potential termination liability 
shall be promptly used to make maximum progress in 
meeting the established goals and milestones of the cov-
ered program. 
(b) TERMINATION FOR CONVENIENCE.—The Admin-
istrator may not initiate the termination for the conven-
ience of the Government of a contract on a covered pro-
gram unless— 
(1) the termination of such contract or program 
is explicitly provided for by a law enacted after the 
date of enactment of this Act; and 
(2) either— 
(A) the Administrator has provided a sup-
plemental appropriation request under sub-
section (c) with respect to associated termi-
nation liability costs; or 
(B) sufficient funds are available to cover 
such termination liability costs in the appro-
priations account that is funding the prime con-
tract being terminated. 
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TITLE VII—OTHER PROVISIONS 
SEC. 701. FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) NASA must reverse the deteriorating condi-
tion of its facilities and infrastructure, as this condi-
tion is hampering the effectiveness and efficiency of 
research performed by both NASA and industry par-
ticipants making use of NASA facilities, thus reduc-
ing the competitiveness of the United States aero-
space industry; 
(2) NASA has a role in providing laboratory ca-
pabilities that are not economically viable as com-
mercial entities and thus are not available elsewhere; 
(3) to ensure continued access to reliable and 
efficient world-class facilities by researchers, NASA 
should seek to establish strategic partnerships with 
other Federal agencies, academic institutions, and 
industry, as appropriate; and 
(4) decisions on whether to dispose of, main-
tain, or modernize existing facilities must be made 
in the context of meeting future NASA and other 
Federal agencies’ laboratory needs. 
(b) PLAN.—The Administrator shall develop a plan 
that has the goal of positioning NASA to have the facili-
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ties, laboratories, tools, and approaches necessary to ad-
dress future NASA requirements. Such plan shall iden-
tify— 
(1) future NASA testing needs; 
(2) a strategy for identifying facilities that are 
candidates for disposal, that is consistent with the 
national strategic direction set forth in— 
(A) the National Space Policy; 
(B) the National Aeronautics Research, 
Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) 
Infrastructure Plan; and 
(C) NASA Authorization Acts; 
(3) a strategy for the maintenance, repair, up-
grading, and modernization of NASA’s laboratories, 
facilities, and equipment; 
(4) criteria for prioritizing deferred mainte-
nance tasks and also for upgrading or modernizing 
laboratories, facilities, and equipment; 
(5) an assessment of modifications needed to 
maximize usage of facilities that offer unique and 
highly specialized benefits to the aerospace industry 
and the American public; and 
(6) implementation steps, including a timeline, 
milestones, and an estimate of resources required for 
carrying out the plan. 
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(c) TRANSMITTAL.—Not later than one year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall 
transmit the plan to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate. 
(d) ESTABLISHMENT OF CAPITAL FUNDS.—The Ad-
ministrator shall establish a capital fund at each of 
NASA’s field centers for the modernization of facilities 
and laboratories. The Administrator shall ensure to the 
maximum extent practicable that all financial savings 
achieved by closing outdated or surplus facilities at a 
NASA field center shall be made available to that center’s 
capital fund for the purpose of modernizing the field cen-
ter’s facilities and laboratories and for upgrading the in-
frastructure at the field center. 
SEC. 702. NASA EDUCATION PROGRAM. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) NASA’s missions are an inspiration for 
Americans and in particular for the next generation 
and that this inspiration has a powerful effect in 
stimulating interest in science, technology, education 
and mathematics (STEM) education and careers; 
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(2) NASA’s Office of Education and mission di-
rectorates have been effective in delivering NASA 
educational content because of the strong engage-
ment of NASA scientists and engineers in NASA’s 
education and outreach activities; and 
(3) NASA should be a central partner in con-
tributing to the goals of the National Science and 
Technology Council’s Federal Science, Technology, 
Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education 
5-Year Strategic Plan. 
(b) CONTINUATION OF EDUCATION AND OUTREACH 
ACTIVITIES
AND PROGRAMS.—The Administrator shall 
continue to carry out education and outreach programs 
and activities through the Office of Education and the 
NASA mission directorates and shall continue to engage, 
to the maximum extent practicable, NASA and NASA- 
supported researchers and engineers in carrying out those 
programs and activities. 
SEC. 703. INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF THE NATIONAL SPACE 
GRANT COLLEGE AND FELLOWSHIP PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the National Space Grant College and Fellow-
ship Program, which was established in the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 
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1988 (42 U.S.C. 2486 et seq.), has been an important 
program by which the Federal Government has partnered 
with State and local governments, universities, private in-
dustry, and other organizations to enhance the under-
standing and use of space and aeronautics activities and 
their benefits through education, fostering of interdiscipli-
nary and multidisciplinary space research and training, 
and supporting Federal funding for graduate fellowships 
in space-related fields, among other purposes. 
(b) REVIEW.—The Administrator shall enter into an 
arrangement with the National Academies for— 
(1) a review of the National Space Grant Col-
lege and Fellowship Program, including its structure 
and capabilities for supporting science, technology, 
engineering, and mathematics education and train-
ing consistent with the National Science and Tech-
nology Council’s Federal Science, Technology, Engi-
neering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education 5- 
Year Strategic Plan; and 
(2) recommendations on measures, if needed, to 
enhance the Program’s effectiveness and mecha-
nisms by which any increases in funding appro-
priated by Congress can be applied. 
(c) TRANSMITTAL.—Not later than 18 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall 
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