Defense Space Systems: DOD Should Collect and Maintain Data on Its Space Acquisition Workforce

Abstract

DOD plans to spend about $65 billion from fiscal year 2019 to 2023 on space acquisition programs - including satellites, launch vehicles, ground components, and user equipment. DODs space acquisition personnel perform a variety of activities, such as preparing and reviewing acquisition documents, to manage or oversee programs that develop or procure space capabilities. DOD recently announced it plans to establish a new Space Development Agency and a United States Space Command. A House Report accompanying a bill for the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act contained a provision for GAO to review DOD's space acquisition workforce. This report examines, among other things, what is known about the size, mix, and location of that workforce. GAO collected data from DODs acquisition workforce data systems and multiple space acquisition organizations. GAO interviewed officials from these organizations and from a nongeneralizable sample of 10 space acquisition programs, representing a range of dollar values and stages in the acquisition process.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2019
Accession Number
AD1154008

Entities

People

  • Ludwigson Jon

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accountability
  • Acquisition
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Business Administration
  • Civilian Personnel
  • Congress
  • Contractors
  • Department Of Defense
  • Employment
  • Governments
  • Information Systems
  • Management Personnel
  • Military Acquisition
  • Military Research
  • Money
  • National Security
  • Personnel Management
  • Space Force
  • Space Systems
  • United States
  • United States Government
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering.
  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Government Contracting/Procurement.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Satellites