§2465e. Purchase of launch services

(a) Full and open competition

(1) Contracts to provide launch services to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under section 2465d of this title shall be awarded on the basis of full, fair, and open competition, consistent with section 2304 of title 10 and section 2459c of this title.

(2) The National Aeronautics and Space Administration shall limit its requirements for submission of cost or pricing data in support of a bid or proposal to that data which is reasonably required to protect the interests of the United States.

(b) Specification systems

Reasonable performance specifications, not detailed Government design or construction specifications, shall be used to the maximum extent feasible to define requirements for a commercial provider bidding to provide launch services. This subsection shall not preclude the National Aeronautics and Space Administration from requiring compliance with applicable safety standards.

( Pub. L. 101–611, title II, §205, Nov. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 3207 .)

Codification

Section was enacted as part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1991, and also as part of the Launch Services Purchase Act of 1990, and not as part of the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 which is classified principally to this chapter.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in sections 2465c, 2465d of this title.