NASA seeks expert input as it looks to improve its procurement framework

WASHINGTON - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced it is seeking procurement ideas and solutions, it says, to "encourage innovation from diverse perspectives, improve reach, reduce barriers, and ultimately meet and exceed agency goals."

The NASA Acquisition Innovation Launchpad (NAIL), managed by the agency’s Office of Procurement, is now online, and submissions of inquiries and ideas will be accepted on a rolling basis.

Whether experts want to point out bottlenecks in the agency’s processes that slow down or block procurements, recommend tools that increase quality or speed, provide ideas to reduce the burden on industry or barriers to entry, or want to offer outside-the-box thinking to optimize activities within procurement work, NASA says they want to hear from you. 

“The NASA Acquisition Innovation Launchpad will serve as a dynamic catalyst for innovation in both procurement and program management processes, tools, and techniques,” said Deputy Chief Acquisition Officer and Assistant Administrator for the Office of Procurement at NASA Karla Smith Jackson. “The NAIL will apply NASA’s culture of exploration and innovation to the acquisition life cycle and empower our acquisition workforce to meet objectives and challenges such as NASA’s Moon to Mars exploration approach.”

The NAIL framework is designed to facilitate acquisition techniques and smart program management tools. It provides avenues for managed risk-taking through the submission, review, prioritization, approval, and measurement of agency testbed efforts submitted by innovation champions across the agency. NASA spends approximately $21 billion or 85% of its budget on acquiring goods and services. The agency aims to use NAIL to further establish a bridge for industry input through public focus groups and industry feedback.

NASA seeks to provide open and transparent communication through integrated groups and councils across the enterprise with voices from each of its centers and industry partners.

If you are interested in being a part of future NAIL focus groups, please visit https://www.nasa.gov/office/procurement/nail-industry-interest .