Identifying Federal Contracting Policy Changes to Improve Government Acquisition of Commercial Space-Launch Capacity.

摘要

The study dealt with expressed congressional intent to promote the commercial space-launch industry and defense management emphasis on government use of commercial contracting methods for the purchase of commercial products. The research problem was to determine what contracting policy changes implementing commercial-like practices would benefit the commercial space-launch industry and federal space-launch acquisition. Commercial-like contracting practices include removal of statutory and regulatory barriers to contracting with the government. To accomplish this, the most significant contractual barriers experienced by the industry in doing business with the government were identified. The study hypothesized possible relationships among barriers, acquisition cost variables, industry well-being variables, and commercial-like variables. Ten of eleven firms responded to the interview questionnaire, including the three industry leaders. Quantitative analysis revealed very strong associations for the hypothesized relationships. Qualitative analysis supported the quantitative results. Barriers were associated with higher costs and hurting the industry, while commercial-like contracting by the government was associated with lower costs and promoting the industry.