Office of Policy and Plans (Code Z)

In the summer of 1997, Vice President Gore called together the heads of 32 Federal organizations which he had identified as high visibility organizations - Federal organizations that the public recognizes, regularly does business with, and/or relies on for services. The 32 organizations (some agency-level, others bureau-level or below) included parts of the Department of Commerce, the Internal Revenue Service, the Social Security Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Education, the Department of Interior, and NASA. The Vice President charged each of the 32 agency heads with developing a four-year reinvention plan which focuses on delivering great customer service, fostering partnerships and community solutions, and reinventing the agency to do more with less.

NASA's Four-Year Reinvention Plan was developed from the NASA Strategic Plan. The goals are ambitious and challenging, but NASA is committed to their accomplishment. Annual progress reports will be made to the Vice President and posted on and posted on this site.

NASA FOUR-YEAR REINVENTION PLAN

NASA's VISION:

NASA is an investment in America's future. As explorers, pioneers, and innovators, we boldly expand frontiers in air and space to inspire and serve America and to benefit the quality of life on Earth.

NASA's MISSION:

To advance and communicate scientific knowledge and understanding of the Earth, the solar system, and the universe and use the environment of space for research.
To explore, use, and enable the development of space for human enterprise.
To research, develop, verify, and transfer advanced aeronautics, space, and related technologies.

I. DELIVER GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE

NASA will develop technologies to reduce the cost-per-pound of carrying payloads into low-Earth orbit from $10,000.00 per pound to $1,000.00 per pound.

NASA's Earth Science (formerly Mission to Planet Earth) Enterprise will launch the first Earth Observation System Satellite in 1999, marking the first step in NASA's ability to provide policy makers and other customers with forecast of global climate change models. (Internet/World Wide Website: www.hq.nasa.gov/office/mtpe)

II. FOSTER PARTNERSHIPS AND COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS

NASA will provide high-risk technology advances to achieve safer, cleaner, quieter, and more affordable air travel over the next ten years by partnering with industry and the Federal Aviation Administration to:
- Reduce the aircraft accident rate by 80 percent;
- Reduce aircraft emissions by 66 percent;
- Reduce the perceived noise levels of future aircraft by 50 percent; and
- Reduce the cost of air travel to the public by 25 percent.

NASA, in cooperation with the Agency's international partners, will begin assembly of the International Space Station by June 1998, to be completed by November 2002.
NASA will improve the external communities' knowledge, understanding, and support of NASA programs by increasing the number of Kindergarten through grade 12 teachers who participate in the NEWEST/NEWMAST Educational Outreach programs by 33 percent and by increasing the number of students effectively reached by these programs by 20 percent (both over a FY 1996 baseline).
NASA, through a new partnership with the private sector, will realize savings of $1 Billion by the year 2000 by transitioning all elements of Space Shuttle operations management to a single contractor.
NASA will expand its commercial partnerships with U. S. industries to enable ambitious new technology development which responds to the needs of NASA customers by increasing the percent of NASA's R&D budget committed to NASA/industry partnerships from approximately 5 percent in FY 1996 to approximately 20 percent by the year 2000.

III. REINVENT TO GET THE JOB DONE WITH LESS

NASA will reduce the costs of developing spacecraft for Space Science and Earth Science (formerly Mission to Planet Earth) programs from an average of $590 Million to $90 Million by the year 2000, while: (1) reducing the average delivery time from 8 years to 3 years; and (2) increasing the opportunities for research, exploration, and discovery by increasing the number of launches from 2 per year to 13 per year.
NASA will provide incentives to improve contractor performance and encourage contractor innovations while reducing direct contract costs, as well as NASA costs associated with contract oversight, by increasing the amount of funds obligated for Performance Based Contracting (as a percent of funds available for PBC) from 58 percent in FY 1996 to 80 percent in FY 1998 and to 90 percent in FY 2000.
NASA will enable all employees to do their best work by implementing by FY 2000 new systems for developing annual employee performance plans which are aligned to the goals of NASA's Strategic Plan and which include metrics to assess individual contribution(s) to Agency, Enterprise, Functional Staff Office, and/or Center achievements.

Updated March 31, 1998

For more information, please contact Judy Tenney,
NASA Office of Policy and Plans

Comments about this site may be sent to the UNT Libraries
Government Documents Department.