NASA criticized for poor workforce planning

A short-term focus on returning the space shuttle to flight and unanswered questions about the specifics of broader U.S. exploration goals are hampering the NASA's planning efforts, the Government Accountability Office concludes in a new report.

The report (GAO-05-230) warns that the lack of a detailed long-term strategy could threaten the safety of space shuttle operations and delay implementation of President Bush's January 2004 directive to return Americans to the moon and then send them to Mars. The report also predicts that tighter discretionary budgets will limit NASA's use of retention bonuses and other incentives that Congress authorized last year.

GAO analyzed workforce planning by NASA and its space shuttle operations contractor, United Space Alliance, during an 11-month investigation for the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.

The auditors wrote that they were encouraged by preliminary steps NASA and United Space Alliance have taken to retain those workers with critical skills for the estimated 28 flights remaining in the next five to six years.

Those steps include identifying lessons learned from comparable closeouts such as the Air Force Titan 4 rocket program, consulting with human capital experts, and revising acquisition plans for the space shuttle's propulsion elements.

United Space Alliance told GAO that preparation for the shuttle's retirement is on hold while NASA decides several issues that will affect the flight schedule. One of those is the final configuration of the International Space Station, which the shuttle is being used to build.

NASA told GAO it cannot determine its workforce needs until it understands what hardware and facilities it will need to support the moon-Mars directive. The exploration requirements-which will help determine the infrastructure needs-are still being established. Meanwhile, workers who can help assess what infrastructure should be maintained or closed are busy supporting efforts to return to flight.

Nevertheless, the auditors wrote, NASA should do more to prepare for the end of the shuttle program. GAO recommended that space shuttle managers begin by identifying future operating scenarios that could lend insight into workforce needs. Allen Li, GAO director of acquisition and sourcing, said the workforce transformation plan that NASA announced earlier this month does not satisfy the auditors' concerns.

In a Feb. 25 letter to GAO, NASA concurred with the report's conclusions.

On March 10, space agency officials announced plans to transfer or buy out about 15 percent of its civil service workforce by the end of fiscal 2006. Associate Administrator James Jennings said more than 2,680 jobs will be affected as NASA transforms its labor force to support U.S. space exploration goals. Those jobs are not likely to be concentrated at NASA's three space operations centers in Florida, Texas and Alabama, but at other field installations.

Agency and industry executives will address issues surrounding space station completion and shuttle retirement at NASA's third Integrated Space Operations Summit March 29-31 in Nashville, Tenn.

NASA also has contracted with the National Academy of Public Administration to assist with the retirement plan.