NASA LaRC Internal Memo: CD COMM #2005-10 Contract De-scoping

CD COMM #2005-10 Contract De-scoping

August 15, 2005

To: All Civil Service and Contractor Employees at Langley Research Center

In response to an anticipated $200 million budget reduction from FY04 to FY06, we are making plans to reduce the scope of about 20 contracts at the Center. Most of the reductions will be in institutional support as well as in areas of research for which we expect reduced or no funding in FY06. We have begun notification and negotiation to identify work that will be reduced, deferred, or cancelled.

As you know, the contractor companies, not the civil service management at Langley, will make all decisions about the personnel actions necessary to accommodate the de-scope plans. The separations will occur in October 2005, with the start of the new fiscal year. It is possible that once the NASA budget is finalized by Congress and signed by the President, the projections for Langley could change. If that occurs, we will make adjustments as necessary. Although adjustments may be made later, fiscal responsibility requires the de-scope activities to occur at the beginning of FY06. Any delays would increase the magnitude of contractor de-scope activities.

The NASA Administrator has been diligently searching for ways to utilize each Center’s civil servants and contractors productively to support the Agency’s current mission. While any additional new work will help reduce the severity of problem, we do not anticipate enough additional new work to offset the planned reductions. Nevertheless, as possible, we continue to actively seek more work and funding for Langley to ensure we remain a robust and valued contributor to the NASA mission.

I place a high value on the contributions of our contractor work force, and I know you realize that this is a difficult situation for those who will be impacted by these de-scope activities. We will all need to help the affected personnel as best we can.

Sincerely,

Roy D. Bridges, Jr.