Acquisition of Navy Land-Based Test Sites Can Be Better Managed

The Navy has many resources for providing research, development, test, evaluation, training, and operational support for weapons systems, part of which are land-based test sites. GAO discussed the improvements needed in the acquisition management of land-based test sites to ensure that: (1) maximum use is made of existing facilities; (2) duplication between existing and new sites is prevented; and (3) the establishment of new sites is cost-effective.

GAO found that: (1) the Navy does not adequately demonstrate the need for new facilities prior to purchase, which results in noncompliance with the requirements for approving and reviewing the acquisition of new sites; (2) neither the Navy nor the systems commands maintain complete inventories of available test sites, which results in duplication; (3) most of the acquisition programs have no documentation to show how the need for the site was identified or if there were alternatives; and (4) there is no requisite for making the establishment of new sites cost-effective. The Navy, therefore, is not ensured that the sites it purchases are the most cost-effective alternatives and are not duplicating existing facilities. While the Navy has taken steps to change regulations and recordkeeping activities, GAO believes that more could be done.

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.

Director: John Landicho Team: General Accounting Office: National Security and International Affairs Division Phone: (202) 275-6504