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| Jeff Bezos lost his bet on Elon Musk |
The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has rejected Blue Origin, which is owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, over NASA's decision to use a $2.9 billion contract as a plan for the landing system.
The organizer stated that NASA's evaluation of all proposals is appropriate and in compliance with applicable procurement laws and regulations and notice requirements.
When Blue Origin first questioned the lunar module contract in April, the company claimed the selection process was fundamentally unfair as it had no way of reviewing its offering.
NASA was able to award the contract to SpaceX because it agreed to adjust its payment plan. When Blue Origin first announced that it would require manufacturers to be involved, it also complained that the space agency had chosen a contractor for the project.
When reviewing NASA's decision, the Government Accountability Office said that NASA's decision to award a single contract does not violate any procurement law or regulation.
She noted that when NASA first announced the HLS program, it gave itself the opportunity to award single or multiple contracts.
In addition, the Government Accountability Office concluded that given the funds available for the project, NASA does not need to participate in the discussion or change or cancel the announcement.
Notably, the GAO also emphasized in its press release that its role is not to assess the relative merits of contract decisions.
Jeff Bezos loses to Elon Musk
Jeff Bezos believes that NASA chose the riskiest option. In fact, SpaceX's proposal includes a rocket for a spacecraft that has not yet landed successfully.
Following the decision, a Blue Origin spokesperson said: "We can confirm that NASA's decision raises fundamental problems, but the Government Accountability Office has not been able to solve these problems due to its limited jurisdiction - it is true.
"We have been encouraged by Congress' actions to add a second and appropriate additional resources to NASA's efforts to return Americans to the Moon," he added. We are also very encouraged by the agency's director's words that reiterate NASA's original intent to organize a simultaneous competition. The HLS plan should be competitive now, not later. It is the best solution for NASA and the best solution for our country.
The move came days after Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos offered to waive $2 billion in NASA payments. It was in exchange for a contract to land on the moon.
After Blue Origin's protest, NASA asked SpaceX to stop investigating the manned landing system. Until the Government Accountability Office fixes the problem.
Unless Blue Origin asks the US Federal Claims Court to review the case, the new ruling will allow the project to continue.