An Assessment of Air Force Data on Contract Expenditures
Abstract
For the past several years, the U.S. Air Force has been using data from the Individual Contracting Action Report form, also known as the DD350, to analyze its goods and services expenditures. These analyses support Air Force efforts to develop new purchasing and supply management strategies for important categories of goods and services. However, concerns have been raised about whether the DD350 data are accurate enough and detailed enough to conduct such spend analyses. To evaluate the suitability of these data for analyzing the purchase of goods and services, RAND Project AIR FORCE collected data to supplement information found in a sample of Air Force fiscal year 2002 (FY02) DD350 records. This monograph describes the survey and statistical methods used in this study as well as the researchers' assessment of the DD350 data, which is based on an extrapolation of the survey results to the entire Air Force FY02 database. This research was part of a broader study, "Supporting Air Force Procurement Transformation and Laying the Groundwork for Services Acquisition Reform," which was sponsored by the Air Force Deputy Assistant Secretary for Contracting (SAF/AQC) and conducted within the Resource Management Program of RAND Project AIR FORCE. This report is designed to assist Department of Defense personnel involved in conducting spend analyses and implementing commercial purchasing and supply management practices. As such, the authors assume that the reader has a basic understanding of commercial purchasing and supply management practices, including the use of spend analyses to support the design of purchasing strategies.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA435258
Entities
People
- Chad Shirley
- John A. Ausink
- Laura H. Baldwin
- Lloyd Dixon
- Nancy F. Campbell
Organizations
- RAND Corporation