Intransit Visibility and Performance Evaluation Systems Need Improvement

The Army's Logistic Intelligence File (LIF) does not receive complete, accurate, and timely information on the movement of material through the supply and transportation pipeline. This delays information processing on the status of material requisitions and reports on logistical performance. Problems include delays in notification of actions, erroneous dates furnished, and omission of some required information. The existence of both the LIF and Military Supply and Transportation Evaluation Procedures (MILSTEP) performance reporting system has resulted in the duplication and overlapping of work, and confusion and conflicts when statistics from the two systems are reviewed for comparable periods. LIF is an information computer data file which accumulates and assembles standard supply and transportation data and provides visibility of the supply and transportation pipeline. LIF tracks Army requisitions, evaluates procurement performance, and produces monthly individual Direct Support System activity performance reports. It is also used to analyze the Army's supply and distribution system. MILSTEP is a separate and distinct database for evaluating logistics performance. The existence of the two systems has caused the development and maintenance of separate Army organizations, databases, and logistical performance reports, resulting in duplication and overlapping of work and confusion and conflicts. Multiple reporting systems cannot be cost effective and provide a built-in basis for conflict.

GAO determined that the quality of supply and transportation information to LIF needs improvement. Delays occur in the system due to work backlogs, lack of trained staff, indifference by key military personnel responsible for processing LIF intransit data cards, and lack of procedural information. A major contributing cause of confusion at the installation level was LIF use of an intransit data card that was almost identical to that used in the MILSTEP system. There is a need to eliminate the existing duplication and overlapping of efforts of MILSTEP and LIF. A merger could be effected without jeopardizing the fulfillment of the Defense Department's requirements for the implementation of MILSTEP. Such a merger would result in a more efficient and effective logistical performance reporting system and create greater opportunities for reducing operating costs.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

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