What's Happening?
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman recently led a Q&A session at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, focusing on a new directive aimed at restoring NASA's core competencies. The session, part
of Isaacman’s initiative to engage directly with NASA’s workforce, addressed concerns over the agency's growing reliance on external vendors for essential functions like engineering and operations. This dependency has led to increased overhead costs and a reduction in internal capabilities, posing risks to mission success. The directive, titled 'Workforce Directive: Restoring NASA’s Core Competencies,' outlines actions to reclaim technical autonomy, including converting outsourced roles back to civil service, enhancing talent pipelines, and expanding training programs. The initiative also emphasizes the need for autonomous operations and revising contract clauses to facilitate internal repairs.
Why It's Important?
The directive is crucial for NASA as it seeks to maintain its leadership in space exploration. By reducing reliance on external vendors, NASA aims to cut costs and enhance its internal capabilities, ensuring mission success and operational efficiency. This move is expected to attract new talent and retain expertise, which is vital for upcoming missions, including a return to the Moon. The initiative also addresses the broader issue of workforce dynamics in government agencies, highlighting the importance of internal competencies in achieving strategic goals. The directive's success could serve as a model for other agencies facing similar challenges.
What's Next?
NASA plans to implement the directive by identifying outsourced functions and converting them to civil service roles within 60 days. The agency will also collaborate with industry partners to enhance learning and knowledge transfer. As NASA prepares for future missions, the focus on internal workforce development will be critical. The agency's ability to adapt and strengthen its core competencies will determine its success in the evolving space exploration landscape. Stakeholders, including the National Space Council and NASA Advisory Council, are expected to play a role in providing strategic input once they become active again.
