NASA KSC Announces COMET Staff RIF (Update)

Keith’s note: Sources report that Consolidated Operations, Management, Engineering and Test (COMET) contract management at NASA Kennedy sent an email out saying that they’re going to RIF the COMET personnel who support ISS. Letter to employees below:

Space Station Funding Challenge
From: KSC-COMET-OPM-Communications

COMET Team

Today we held a meeting with our team members that predominantly charge to the International Space Station (ISS) program. We discussed the content shared below in this email and will be posting an audio recording of the meeting on the COMET portal. The (ISS program has been facing funding challenges for the past year, even before the current Presidential Budget Request (also known as the “skinny budget”) exercises. We (COMET) have intentionally been underrunning our forecast budget by over $1 million to help manage a projected budget shortfall.

We were unfortunately informed yesterday by the Exploration Research and Technology Program Directorate (UB) management that their budget will be cut by 50% before the end of this fiscal year by the ISS program. Currently, our ISS budget supports about 130-140 personnel, including some essential operational support services. While details about the impact on KSC remain limited, we recognize that this cut will lead to a reduction in the COMET work scope and, unfortunately, a reduction in force (RIF). They shared that this reduction is not related to the recent PBR.

We want to be transparent about these challenges because we value your trust and understanding. We know this news is difficult to hear, and we are committed to keeping you in the loop as this situation develops. UB is actively reviewing the COMET work scope and will provide guidance over the next two weeks. We anticipate receiving an updated processing manifest and traffic model for space station, which will help us make informed decisions regarding our future operations and staffing needs.

Our ISS Team has done a tremendous job through the years to successfully meet every critical Turnover Milestone, Launch, and Post Flight event for UB and the ISS Program. Please know that we are here to support you through this process. NASA expects the Animal Care facility to close completely, and there will be a reduction in the number of funded labs due to reduced science in future missions. We also foresee changes to the COMET contract terms, which may affect our host support role.

As we navigate these changes, we truly appreciate your flexibility and adaptability. Once we have more clarity from NASA regarding the scope, we will carefully assess its impact on our workforce and will keep you informed about the status and any subsequent plans as they evolve. Prior to taking any RIF actions we will be attempting to match any impacted employees with current vacancies in other scope areas. This communication is intended as early notification to share contract changes that could impact our team. More information will be forthcoming, and we are asking NASA to urgently provide clarification as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding during this challenging time

Lorna Kenna and Brad McCain