NASA

The John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is NASA’s Center of Excellence for Launch and Payload Processing Systems. KSC’s Strategic Goals are:

  • Assure sound, safe, and efficient practices are in place for private/commercial processing.
  • Increase the use of operational knowledge in the design/development of payloads and new vehicles.
  • Partner to develop new technologies for future space initiatives.
  • Continually enhance core capabilities to meet customer needs.

Supporting KSC’s primary mission are a number of technical and administrative activities including design engineering, testing, assembly and checkout of launch vehicles and payloads, and associated purchasing and contracting. In addition to prime contracting opportunities, there are extensive subcontracting opportunities available in fulfilling needs of the major prime contractors. KSC has a number of large mission support contractors that provide extensive services.

NASA-KSC and its prime contractors are committed to increasing competition in contracting, enhancing our socioeconomic programs, and providing private industry the maximum opportunity to do business at KSC. In order to demonstrate this commitment, NASA-KSC and its prime contractors have joined forces and created a forum for offering "One Face to Industry." Thus, the NASA-KSC Small and Small Disadvantaged Business Council was formed.

Membership in the Council include representatives of the John F. Kennedy Space Center, NASA, and NASA-KSC’s on-site or near-site support and operational prime contractors.

Objectives of the Council include:

  • Establishing a closer relationship and better communications between NASA-KSC, prime contractors and the small business community.
  • Providing a forum for the exchange of ideas, issues, concerns, methods, experiences, and general information relative to our socioeconomic programs.
  • Enhancing existing programs and searching for new initiatives to accomplish legislatively mandated socioeconomic goals.
  • Seeking mutually acceptable resolutions to common problems and uniformity of applications relating to our programs.
  • Developing, promoting, and publicizing a government-contractor team image.

Organization of the Council:

The council consists of an Executive Committee, comprised of KSC government managers and prime contractor managers, and a Working Group, comprised of individuals appointed by the Executive Committee.

Working Group Membership

NASA:   Small Business Specialist - David Wansley

Chief, Acquisition Management Office - Carol Cowen

Central Industry Assistance Office Staff - Gloria Marsh

Contractors

Space Gateway Support (SGS); Industry Assistance Officers:  Cindi Minter, Deborah Passarelli

The Boeing Company; Staff Manager for Small Business:  Debbie Melvin

United Space Alliance; Small Business Administrator:  Joellen Moore

Personalized Counseling with NASA & Prime Contractor Representatives
at the Central Industry Assistance Office

The NASA-Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Small and Small Disadvantaged Business Working Group has broken new ground in their outreach efforts to private industry. An off-site Central Industry Assistance Office (CIAO) has been open for business since March 7, 1994. This facility is a central source of information for firms seeking business opportunities at KSC.

Vendors are able to market their companies to representatives from NASA-KSC and the major prime contractors under one roof without having to obtain security clearance. The principle goal of the facility is to provide private industry the maximum opportunity to do business at KSC and to present the ultimate team image - one face to industry.

Joint Counseling allows companies to meet with NASA, SGS, The Boeing Company, and United Space Alliance under one roof at one time. Your small business can come out to the CIAO for a Joint Counseling appointment and tell us what products/service your company provides. We will let you know if and how we go about purchasing your particular product/service.

Joint Counseling sessions are conducted on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. To schedule a joint counseling appointment, please call the CIAO at (321) 867-7353.


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