Defense Acquisitions. Actions Needed to Ensure Value for Service Contracts
Abstract
As the largest buyer of services in the federal government, and operating in an environment where the nation's large and growing deficits require difficult resource decisions, DOD must maximize its return on investment and provide the warfighter with needed capabilities at the best value for the taxpayer. DOD has recognized that it faces challenges with contract management and the department has taken steps to address these challenges, including those outlined in this testimony. These challenges are daunting. While DOD's recent initiatives may improve how the department plans service acquisitions at a strategic level, these efforts will not payoff unless DOD?s leadership can translate its vision into changes in frontline practices. At this point, DOD does not know how well its services acquisition processes are working and whether it is obtaining the services it needs while protecting DOD's and the taxpayer's interests. While DOD has generally agreed with our recommendations intended to improve contract management, much remains to be done. For example: Concluding Observations In the near term, DOD must act forcefully to implement new procedures and processes in a sustained, consistent, and effective manner across the department. Doing so will require continued, sustained commitment by senior DOD leadership to translate policy into practice and to hold decision makers accountable. At the same time, while the department and its components have taken or plan to take actions to further address contract management challenges, many of these actions, such as the Army?s efforts to increase its acquisition workforce, will not be fully implemented for several years. DOD will need to monitor such efforts to ensure that intended outcomes are achieved.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 23, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA497996
Entities
People
- Anthony Wysocki
- Carole Coffey
- Christopher Mulkins
- James A. Reynolds
- John Hutton
- John Krump
- Justin Jaynes
- Karen Thornton
- Thomas Twambly
- Timothy Dinapoli
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office