Navy Laboratories

The Navy intends to cut more than 2,700 jobs by fiscal year 1997 by consolidating technical and overhead functions at its research and development laboratories. The Navy plans, through mission reorganization, to transfer functions and nearly 6,000 associated positions between research, development, test, and evaluation activities. These figures do not take into account additional reductions and transfers that could result from future budget cuts and Pentagon downsizings. This report discusses the (1) Navy's consolidation planning process and its initial plan, (2) Navy's implementation of the plan and the status of consolidation, and (3) impact of the consolidation on Navy programs.

GAO found that: (1) the Navy expects to eliminate 2,770 positions and transfer 5,898 research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) positions through consolidation of technical and overhead functions and mission reorganization; (2) although the Navy completed some simple consolidation actions involving nonrelocation organizational changes, its initial consolidation plan did not provide sufficient details to implement all consolidations; (3) the Navy is basing plan changes on more accurate transfer information and current assessments of workload; (4) the Secretary of the Navy's 1993 recommendations to the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission proposed changes to closure recommendations and to the initial plan; (5) between 1992 and 1993, the Navy reorganized all RDT&E activities under warfare centers reporting to system commands; (6) most Navy activities are developing detailed transition plans to implement consolidation requirements; (7) although the Navy has eliminated 386 positions and transferred 979 civilian positions, only 16 percent of the affected employees were willing to relocate with their positions; and (8) the Navy identified and is addressing the consolidation's impact, including the potential loss of technical capabilities and personnel and the potential disruption to programs.