Defense Industrial Base: DoD Needs Better Method of Identifying Critical Technology Funding
Abstract
Public Law 101-189 requires the Secretary of Defense to prepare an annual Critical Technologies Plan beginning in 1989 that identifies technologies considered critical for ensuring the long-term superiority of U.S. weapon systems. During congressional hearings for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1991, DoD was unable to provide detailed information on the funding of the critical technologies. This lack of information was cited during the hearings as a major obstacle in effectively managing the defense industrial base. The Office of the Secretary of Defense is responsible for coordinating the DoD data collection effort. The Office of the Secretary of Defense requested the military services and defense agencies to review their Science and Technology Programs and estimate funding for the critical technologies. DoD funds the critical technologies directly through the Science and Technology Program and indirectly through Independent Research and Development/Bid and Proposal (IR&D/B&P) costs. Under the Science and Technology Program, military services and defense agencies finance research by universities, contractors, and government laboratories. In fiscal year 1991, DoD received $8.5 billion for the Science and Technology Program. Contractors are reimbursed for their IR&D/B&P expenditures through overhead in contract costs. In fiscal year 1990, contractors spent $7.3 billion on IR&D/B&P, and over $3.6 billion was reimbursed by the government. The Office of the Secretary of Defense's methodology for identifying the funding for the designated critical technologies did not include collecting data on the extent to which defense contractors use their IR&D/B&P funds to invest in the critical technologies, asking the military services to link funding to the specific technical goals contained in the plan, and developing data on actual expenditures.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA246075
Entities
People
- Clark Adams
- James Przedzial
- Lisa Weaver
- Michael Kennedy
- Ralph Dawn
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office