Base Operations Services for NASA Kennedy Space Center

APTIM provided operating services to Kennedy Space Center’shttps://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/home/index.html Astronaut Hotel, Patrick AFB, housing maintenance (2,000), and base security. We operated a fully staffed 250-member, multi-discipline engineering department to design new construction, facility modifications, and maintenance. We also performed safety management, quality control, fueling services, fleet management, warehousing, life support, and computer/network services and maintenance. We were responsible for a spare parts/materials inventory valued in excess of $10 million, more than 900 vehicles and capital equipment, and facilities valued in excess of $500 million. We also provided a full array of imaging services, including modern photo processing facilities and imaging support to scientific laboratories. Our comprehensive Reliability Centered Maintenance Program used infrared cameras to identify 59 “hot spots” in 1,000 thermographic images of critical power distribution systems (six percent of the system), facilitating repairs in advance of potential mission-impacting failures.

All U.S. Air Force, Navy and NASA publishing needs were supported through J-V operated facilities. We maintained the national database for SPECSINTACT, the system that maintained availability and currency of technical specifications. One of the Information Management Group’s earliest efforts was to establish a complex-wide computer network to facilitate the use of email and eliminate a “firewall” that had previously blocked free Internet communications between US. Air Force and NASA personnel and supporting contractors. APTIM operated a recreation program for 2,500 people and supported recreation activities, including participation in local charitable events and with groups such as United Way. We maintained a full-time staff dedicated to MWR support, including supporting 10 to 12 community events annually. Our other family-oriented services included counseling, employee assistance programs, and crisis management. Administrative support also included mail service to more than 7,000 people, as well as public affairs.

Elements of Project Activities:

Program Support Services: J-V provided customer support 7 days a week, 24 hours a day through a work reception center and executed approximately 7,000 work orders per month. To support this activity, we installed a best business practices work management system.

Architect/Engineer (A/E) Services: Our AE staff managed more than $25 million per year in new construction activities and building renovations.

Bachelor Quarters Maintenance: Maintenance of housing facilities and other quarters was performed on a regular schedule and included base housing at Patrick AFB.

Utilities: Complex utilities systems including electronics for flight lines; water treatment units; recycling facilities and equipment; electrical; heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC); and

Plumbing Systems: The J-V operated/maintained 500 miles of 14 kiloelectron volts (KeV) and 250 miles of potable water lines.

Customer Interface: The J-V completed a complex transition and delivered six missions to completion within the first month of operation at KSC—contract management also required the control of 600 separate funding sources at Kennedy and support bases.

Family Service Centers: We operated a recreation program for 2,500 people and counseling clinic at KSC and CCAS.

Fire Training School: The J-V performed fire protection and fire training school support for all base personnel.

Transportation Services: Transportation services included refuse, material transfers, equipment and mail delivery, and a fleet of 20 buses to cover regular routes, visitor requirements, and special events.

Fuel, Oxygen and Nitrogen: The J-V subcontracted fueling services and ensured high-quality performance of all fuel-related activities and requirements at each of the bases and facilities.

Maintenance and Repair: Maintenance shop services (including their 650 personnel) had been consolidated to improve efficiency and cut costs, including plumbing, sandblasting, electrical, emergency/service and carpentry, reducing costs by 30 percent.

Airfield Lighting Systems: The J-V oversaw all airfield maintenance at these four bases, including supporting space shuttle landings. This included lighting systems (maintenance performed by a subcontractor) and radar electrical support.

Small Computer Support: The J-V and team subcontractors provided small computer support for 2,500 seats on the J-BOSC and received multiple commendations and awards for performance.

Network Support: The J-V and team subcontractors performed network support for the J-BOSC and received multiple commendations and awards for outstanding performance.

Records and Reports: The J-V contributed to all base record and reporting activities and managed base record centers for a variety of departments and groups.

Morale, Welfare and Recreation: We maintained a full-time staff supporting community events, counseling, employee assistance programs and crisis management, as well as public affairs.

Occupational Safety and Health: We had an active and fully staffed site safety program and began the process to qualify for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) VPP program.

Material Support Services—We implemented a program to reduce the amounts of warehoused materials with a just-in-time delivery system of parts and materials from preselected vendors.

Accomplishments/Project Highlights:

• IT worked under a performance-based environment at KSC, completing task orders/service orders within budget and schedule.
• We utilized a best business practices work management system, MAXIMO, which provides work controls and an integrated master schedule for all J-BOSC activities. MAXIMO, in concert with consolidation of multiple-site shop activities, outsourced to more than 200 subcontractors, and a reduction of the site work force (from 3,100 to 2,600 in 23 days) drove operating costs down more than 30 percent since kick-off.
• At KSC and the three support bases, activities included support of fueling operations, security, utilities, vessel services, flight line and airfield operations, and multiple employees (15,000 site employees and 200,000 personnel on launch days).
• The J-V utilized teams of subcontractors and a strong management approach to support operations—each year the J-V was responsible for $1 billion in missions, approximately 7 shuttle missions, 50 unmanned launches, and $800 million in payload operations.

Facilities Planning Engineering & Construction Management Services: APTIM was responsible for planning, design and accomplishing all work, including 8,000 monthly service orders, managing civil engineering requests, accomplishing maintenance and repair work, and providing a work reception and emergency services dispatch service. We operated a fully staffed, multidiscipline-engineering department to design new construction, facility modifications and maintenance.

History: The Joint Base Operations and Support Contract (J-BOSC) is the first base operations services contract ever awarded that combines the operations of two separate federal agencies and four bases, including Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Station (CCAS), the centers of U.S. space operations and the Naval ordinance test unit that services the United States and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ships and submarines. IT, Northrop Grumman and Wackenhut Services developed a Joint-Venture (J-V) company (Space Gateway Support ([SGS]) to execute the J-BOSC. and oversee a 2,600-person work force. The scope of work for this $2.2 billion undertaking is unparalleled in the BOS industry. Kennedy Space Center was the highest visibility government installation outside the White House and Pentagon and handled multiple secret operations each year. J-BOSC activities included management, maintenance and operation of more than 2,400 buildings on 25,000 acres (valued in excess of $1 billion). These facilities included the Space Shuttle Landing Facilities at KSC, Skid Strip at CCAS, Patrick Air Force Base (AFB) airfield, U.S. Navy Trident Submarine Industrial Waste Facility, and U.S. Navy vessel service facility. All National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) airplanes and helicopters were piloted by our staff. APTIM supported six space shuttle and 50 military and commercial launches with payload values exceeding $2 billion per year.