Corps of Engineers: Observations on Planning and Project Management Processes for the Civil Works Program

Abstract

GAO's recent reviews of four Corps civil works projects and actions found that the planning studies conducted by the Corps to support these activities were fraught with errors, mistakes, and miscalculations, and used invalid assumptions and outdated data. Generally, GAO found that the Corps' studies understated costs and overstated benefits, and therefore did not provide a reasonable basis for decision-making. In addition, the Corps' three-tiered internal review process did not detect the problems GAO uncovered during its reviews of these analyses, raising concerns about the adequacy of the Corps' internal reviews. The agency agreed with GAO's findings in each of the four reviews. For three projects the Corps has completed a reanalysis to correct errors or is in the process of doing so; it decided not to proceed with the fourth project.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 15, 2006
Accession Number
AD1165463

Entities

People

  • Anu Mittal

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

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  • Human Systems
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

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  • Accountability
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  • Water Resources

Readers

  • Government Contracting/Procurement.
  • Systems Analysis and Design