Defense Acquisition: Oversight of Special Access Programs has Increased

Abstract

Beginning in the mid-1980s, Congress repeatedly expressed concern about the growing number of Department of Defense (DOD) special access programs. Congress also expressed dissatisfaction with the application of special access controls to a number of large, high cost special access acquisition programs like the B-2 bomber. In addition, the security procedures used for these programs and DOD'S refusal to provide access to information limited congressional oversight of these programs. The congressional defense authorization committees also noted that special access limitations contributed to management and oversight failures, as exemplified by the Navy's A-12 aircraft acquisition program. In considering fiscal year 1992 defense authorizations, both the House and the Senate defense committees supported legislation that would have increased congressional oversight and centralized management of special access program oversight within DOD. Although the committees and DOD compromised on the issues that gave rise to the proposed legislation, the Conference Report on the Fiscal Year 1992 Appropriations Bill (H. Rept. 102-328) reiterated congressional concerns about the adequacy of DOD'S oversight and management of special access programs.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1992
Accession Number
ADA258963

Entities

People

  • Anthony J. Defrank
  • Anton G. Blieberger
  • Nancy R. Kingsbury
  • Rochard J. Price

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Air Force
  • Computer Access Control
  • Congress
  • Contract Administration
  • Contracts
  • Costs
  • Cruise Missiles
  • Department Of Defense
  • Governments
  • House Of Representatives
  • Information Security
  • Law
  • Military Acquisition
  • Minority Groups
  • National Security
  • Security

Readers

  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Government and Public Administration Law.