Acquisition Management

Workforce Reductions and Contractor Oversight Gao ID: NSIAD-98-127 July 31, 1998

The Defense Department's acquisition workforce is decreasing slightly faster than the overall military workforce. From 1993 through 1997, the overall number of DOD personnel fell 17.5 percent. During the same period, civilian personnel in DOD's acquisition workforce decreased 24 percent, while military personnel in the acquisition workforce decreased by 28 percent. Since 1993, the two organizations directly associated with contractor oversight--the Defense Contract Audit Agency and the Defense Contract Management Command--experienced personnel reductions of roughly 19 and 27 percent, respectively.

GAO noted that: (1) DOD's acquisition workforce is decreasing slightly faster than DOD's overall workforce; (2) from FY 1993 through FY 1997, the number of personnel in DOD's overall workforce decreased by 17.5 percent; (3) during the same timeframe, civilian personnel in DOD's acquisition workforce decreased by 24 percent, while the military personnel in the acquisition workforce decreased by 28 percent; (4) throughout this 5-year period, DOD's civilian acquisition workforce remained at roughly 30 percent of DOD's overall civilian workforce; (5) since 1993, the two organizations directly associated with contractor oversight, DCAA and DCMC, have had personnel reductions of roughly 19 and 27 percent, respectively; and (6) according to DCAA and DCMC officials, the organizations have implemented a variety of risk-based initiatives and reengineering programs during this timeframe as their respective workforces have been reduced.



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