DOD Acquisition
Case Study of the Air Force Small Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Gao ID: NSIAD-86-45S-16 July 31, 1986GAO provided a supplement to its report on the defense acquisition work force. GAO examined the role of the program manager and contracting officer in developing the Small Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) program's acquisition strategy.
GAO found that: (1) the Small ICBM acquisition strategy had a three-phase approach, starting with several competing contractors and resulting in the selection of one contractor in full-scale development; (2) although neither the program manager nor the contracting officer had a significant role in developing the approved ICBM acquisition strategy, they participated in varying degrees in the source selection process; and (3) Congress placed a weight restriction on the Small ICBM, which limited component choices and required the development of high-cost, technical-risk designs.