Sec. 215. Commercial crew program
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It is the sense of Congress that once developed and certified to meet the Administration’s safety and reliability requirements, United States commercially provided crew transportation systems offer the potential of serving as the primary means of transporting American astronauts and international partner astronauts to and from the International Space Station and serving as International Space Station emergency crew rescue vehicles. At the same time, the budgetary assumptions used by the Administration in its planning for the Commercial Crew Program have consistently assumed significantly higher funding levels than have been authorized and appropriated by Congress.
It is the sense of Congress that credibility in the Administration’s budgetary estimates for the Commercial Crew Program can be enhanced by an independently developed cost estimate. Such credibility in budgetary estimates is an important factor in understanding program risk. The objective of the Administration’s Commercial Crew Program shall be to assist the development of at least one crew transportation system to carry Administration astronauts safely, reliably, and affordably to and from the International Space Station and to serve as an emergency crew rescue vehicle as soon as practicable within the funding levels authorized.
The Administration shall not use any considerations beyond this objective in the overall acquisition strategy. Consistent with the findings and recommendations of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board, the Administration shall— ensure that, in its evaluation and selection of contracts for the development of commercial crew transportation capabilities, safety is the highest priority; and seek to ensure that minimization of the probability of loss of crew shall be an important selection criterion of the Commercial Crew Transportation Capability Contract.
The Administrator shall strive through the competitive selection process to minimize the life cycle cost to the Administration through the planned period of commercially provided crew transportation services. Transparency is the cornerstone of ensuring a safe and reliable commercial crew transportation service to the International Space Station. The Administrator shall, to the greatest extent practicable, ensure that every commercial crew transportation services provider has provided evidence-based support for their costs and schedule.
Not later than 30 days after the Federal Acquisition Regulation-based contract for the Commercial Crew Transportation Capability Contract is awarded, the Administrator shall arrange for the initiation of an Independent Cost and Schedule Estimate for— all activities associated with the development, test, demonstration, and certification of commercial crew transportation systems; transportation and rescue services required by the Administration for International Space Station operations through calendar year 2020 or later if Administration requirements so dictate; and the estimated date of operational readiness for the program each assumption listed in paragraph
(2)of this subsection. The Independent Cost and Schedule Estimate shall provide an estimate for each of the following scenarios: An appropriation of $600,000,000 over the next 3 fiscal years. An appropriation of $700,000,000 over the next 3 fiscal years. An appropriation of $800,000,000 over the next 3 fiscal years. The funding level assumptions over the next 3 fiscal years that are included as part of commercial crew transportation capability contract awards. Not later than 180 days after initiation of the Independent Cost and Schedule Estimate under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall transmit the results of the Independent Cost and Schedule Estimate to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate. Not later than 60 days after the completion of the Independent Cost and Schedule Estimate under subsection (f), the Administrator shall transmit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report containing 4 distinct implementation strategies based on such Independent Cost and Schedule Estimate for the final stages of the commercial crew program. These options shall include— a strategy that assumes an appropriation of $600,000,000 over the next 3 fiscal years; a strategy that assumes an appropriation of $700,000,000 over the next 3 fiscal years; a strategy that assumes an appropriation of $800,000,000 over the next 3 fiscal years; and a strategy that has yet to be considered previously in any budget submission but that the Administration believes could ensure the flight readiness date of 2017 for at least one provider. Each strategy shall include the contracting instruments the Administration will employ to acquire the services in each phase of development or acquisition and the number of commercial providers the Administration will include in the program.