How to Submit an Abstract

Abstract Contents

Abstracts must include the following information, to the extent applicable, in addition to any other information the initiator considers relevant to facilitate Headquarters’ review:

• Overall description of the proposed activity or activities, type of partnership agreement proposed, applicable authority, responsible NASA personnel, intended partner (including beneficiaries of the activity), and indication of whether the intended partner or other beneficiaries of the activity are foreign entities, and if so, explanation how the activity benefits a foreign entity;

• Responsibilities of NASA and the partner;

• Financial commitments by NASA and the agreement partner (including estimated ranges of the total cost for NASA and the total amount to be reimbursed by the partner over the entire term of the agreement);

• NASA resource commitments (goods, services, facilities, and equipment):

  1. 1. 1. for all agreements, estimated ranges of the number of NASA civil service full-time equivalents and NASA contractor work-year equivalents to be committed over the entire term of the agreement, and a description of any NASA facilities and key equipment or assets to be committed

        2. for other than fully reimbursable agreements, an identification of the specific NASA program or other funding source for the NASA-funded costs for the agreement

        3. for reimbursable agreements with non-Federal agency partners, a description of how the NASA resources to be committed are unique or not otherwise reasonably available on the U.S. commercial market from another source

• A description of the applicable data rights provisions, if anticipated to vary from the standard agreement sample clauses (this information is especially important for any proposed activities with or for the benefit of a foreign entity)

• Proposed term (that is, number of years) of the agreement;

• Affected NASA Headquarters Mission Directorate(s), other Headquarters Offices, or other Centers, if any; and

• A description of how the proposed activities support NASA missions.

Abstract Process

There may come a time when an abstract will be required for an agreement (i.e International Agreements or if the agreement involves classified activities.  To be certain, the Agreement Manager should review the Criteria for Submission of Abstracts for HQ Review on the Partnership Community of Practice SharePoint site (Abstract criteria (sharepoint.com)).

• Once it has been determined that the agreement will require an abstract, create a draft agreement in PAM.  

• Once the agreement has been reviewed by the Technical Point of Contact, send a copy of the draft to the attorney assigned to your agreement for their review.  

• Upon review of the draft agreement, the attorney assigned will confirm that you will need an abstract for the agreement.    

• Log into PAM to view the agreement.  Click on Edit and select Abstract Process Editing. The Abstract Menu will appear.  Please enter the reason the abstract is required in the text box provided and click on Save & View. 

• PAM will route you back to the previous screen.  Select Abstract Process Editing again and then select View Abstract.

• A screen will appear with some pre-filled information from the Agreement. Select Edit info to enter the answers to the required abstract questions.  Once completed, select Save & View.  

• Return to the Edit PAM screen and select View, then View Abstract.  

• It is recommended to copy the Abstract information and paste in a Word file and save in your records.  It is possible that the abstract may come back with questions from headquarters and it will be easier to work with the Word version and add to the abstract in PAM.

• After you’ve saved the Word file, return to PAM and select Create Routing Package.  You will add a comment and click on Submit.

• If the Routing Package was done successfully, you will see it in the Agreement details in PAM.  

Upon receipt of an abstract, the Partnership Office:

• Reviews the abstract for completeness – if incomplete, it is returned to the initiator without full review.

• Coordinates complete abstracts with key HQ stakeholders (and other Centers, if applicable).

• Consolidated comments will be provided to the initiator through PAM after the review is complete.

• Abstracts without issues will result in an "OK to Proceed" or "Conditional OK to Proceed".

• Abstracts requiring additional info will result in a "Initial Do Not Proceed".

• In some instances, abstracts may be withdrawn by the initiator or Headquarters may issue a "Final Do Not Proceed".

• If an activity that was abstracted changes significantly after receiving an "OK to Proceed," the initiator should contact the HQ Partnership Office to confirm changes would not require additional review before proceeding with agreement.

For additional help, contact LaTanya Staley or Collin Hieger