To Infinity and Beyond: Defining NASA as a "High Risk" Institution
<p style="text-align: justify;">The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has been at the center of the US Audit since 1990. It is on the list of institutions subject to vulnerabilities such as fraud or mismanagement. Much of the Agency's initiatives lack reliable data for monitoring its performance.</p>
Since 1990, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is on the "high risk" list of the Government Accountability Office (GAO). What does it mean to be on this payroll? That is an institution that, according to the US Watchdog, is subject to vulnerabilities such as fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement, and therefore are those who have the greatest need for transformation.
In this situation is NASA. It is presenting a "continuous increase in costs and times in most of its major projects." The GAO identified "a number of causal factors, such as outdated financial management systems and poor cost estimates."
NASA has a tool to monitor all the risks that may arise from its projects, Earned Value Management (EVM). But, according to the US watchdog, "it was not fully and consistently applied." This results in "many initiatives lacking reliable data for monitoring their performance."
Another of the observations made by EVM experts includes the "lack of personnel with the necessary skills to analyze the data of the Earned Value Management". In this sense, the US Audit noted that "these factors are impediments to the effective use of this system in the agency."
Despite the findings, NASA took steps to address issues identified by GAO during the audited years. For example, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration implemented new policies, such as increased cost estimates, which increased the supervision of its projects both internally and externally.
In addition, NASA's leadership focused on continuous monitoring and reporting of progress for its major projects, such as in 2011, two new spacecraft - Juno and Gravity - were completed within the times and expected costs.
What Remains to be done
To ensure that the improvements made by NASA in recent years were effective, the agency "must demonstrate positive results in controlling the growth of costs and time through its large projects." To achieve this, the GAO will oversee the Institution's efforts to determine whether progress can be sustained and expanded to date.
