Coast Guard Acquisitions Polar Icebreaker Program Needs to Address Risks before Committing Resources
Abstract
To maintain heavy polar icebreaking capability, the Coast Guard and the Navy are collaborating to acquire up to three new heavy polar icebreakers through an integrated program office. The Navy plans to award a contract in 2019. GAO has found that before committing resources, successful acquisition programs begin with sound business cases, which include plans for a stable design, mature technologies, a reliable cost estimate, and a realistic schedule. Section 122 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 included a provision for GAO to assess issues related to the acquisition of the icebreaker vessels. In addition, GAO was asked to review the heavy polar icebreaker program's acquisition risks. This report examines, among other objectives, the extent to which the program is facing risks to achieving its goals, particularly in the areas of design maturity, technology readiness, cost, and schedule. GAO reviewed Coast Guard and Navy program documents, analyzed Coast Guard and Navy data, and interviewed knowledgeable officials.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 04, 2018
- Accession Number
- AD1167337
Entities
People
- Brian Bothwell
- Claire Li
- David Wishard
- Juana Collymore
- Karen Richey
- Kristine Hassinger
- Laurier Fish
- Marie A. Mak
- Miranda Riemer
- Peter Anderson
- Rick Cederholm
- Roxanna Sun
- Samuel Woo
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office