Warfighter Support
DOD Should Have a More Comprehensive Approach for Addressing Urgent Warfighter Needs Gao ID: GAO-11-417T March 1, 2011This testimony discusses the challenges that the Department of Defense (DOD) faces in fulfilling urgent operational needs identified by our warfighters. Over the course of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. forces have encountered changing adversarial tactics, techniques, and procedures, which challenged DOD to quickly develop and provide new equipment and new capabilities to address evolving threats. Further, U.S. troops faced shortages of critical items, including body armor, tires, and batteries. DOD's goal is to provide solutions as quickly as possible to meet urgent warfighter needs to prevent mission failure or loss of life. To meet its urgent needs, DOD had to look beyond traditional acquisition procedures, expand the use of existing processes, and develop new processes and entities designed to be as responsive as possible to urgent warfighter requests. In addition to requests for equipment from DOD's existing stocks, warfighters have requested new capabilities, such as: technology to counter improvised explosive devices (IED); technology related to intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) to provide increased situational awareness; and equipment related to command and control to enhance operations on the battlefield. In meeting urgent needs, it is important for DOD to efficiently use the department's financial resources. DOD has spent billions of dollars over the past several years to address urgent warfighter needs. Our past work on weapons acquisition has shown that the department has often pursued more programs than its resources can support. Additionally, our past work also has shown that DOD has had difficulty translating needs into programs, which often has led to cost growth and delayed delivery of needed capabilities to the warfighter. Today, we are publicly releasing a report that addresses (1) what entities exist within DOD for responding to urgent operational needs, and the extent to which there is fragmentation, overlap, or duplication; (2) the extent to which DOD has a comprehensive approach for managing and overseeing its urgent needs activities; and (3) the extent to which DOD has evaluated the potential for consolidations of its various activities and entities. This statement will first briefly discuss challenges we reported in April 2010 that affected the overall responsiveness of DOD's urgent needs processes and then highlight the key findings and recommendations of today's report. Today's report contributed to our findings in another report being released today that addresses opportunities to reduce potential duplication in government programs.
We reported in April 2010 on several challenges that affected DOD's responsiveness to urgent needs: (1) Training: We found challenges in training personnel that process urgent needs requests. For example, we found that while the Army required selected officers to attend training on how to address requirements and identify resources for Army forces, officers at the brigade level responsible for drafting and submitting Army and joint urgent needs requests--and those at the division level responsible for reviewing the requests prior to submission for headquarters approval--were not likely to receive such training.(2) Funding: We found that funding was not always available when needed to acquire and field solutions to joint urgent needs. This result occurred in part because the Office of the Secretary of Defense had not given any one organization primary responsibility for determining when to implement the department's statutory rapid acquisition authority or to execute timely funding decisions. (3) Technical maturity and complexity: We found that attempts to meet urgent needs with immature technologies or with solutions that are technologically complex could lead to longer time frames for fielding solutions to urgent needs. Also, we found that DOD guidance was unclear about who is responsible for determining whether technologically complex solutions fall within the scope of DOD's urgent needs processes. In our report being released today, we identified cases of fragmentation, overlap, and potential duplication of efforts of DOD's urgent needs processes and entities. However, the department is hindered in its ability to identify key improvements to its urgent needs processes because it does not have a comprehensive approach to manage and oversee the breadth of its efforts. Many of these entities were created, in part, because the department had not anticipated the accelerated pace of change in enemy tactics and techniques that ultimately heightened the need for a rapid response to the large number of urgent needs requests submitted by the combatant commands and military services. While many entities started as ad hoc organizations, several have been permanently established. DOD has taken some steps to improve its fulfillment of urgent needs. These steps include developing policy to guide joint urgent need efforts, establishing a Rapid Fielding Directorate to rapidly transition innovative concepts into critical capabilities, and working to establish a senior oversight council to help synchronize DOD's efforts. Despite these actions, the department does not have a comprehensive approach to manage and oversee the breadth of its activities to address capability gaps identified by warfighters in-theater. In addition to not having a comprehensive approach for managing and overseeing its urgent needs efforts, DOD has not conducted a comprehensive evaluation of its urgent needs processes and entities to identify opportunities for consolidation. Given the overlap and potential for duplication we identified, coupled with similar concerns raised by other studies, there may be opportunities for DOD to further improve its urgent needs processes through consolidation. In the report we publicly release today, we make several recommendations to promote a more comprehensive approach to planning, management, and oversight of DOD's fulfillment of urgent needs. In summary, we are recommending that: (1) DOD develop and promulgate DOD-wide guidance across all urgent needs processes that establishes baseline policy for the fulfillment of urgent needs, clearly defines common terms, roles, responsibilities, and authorities, designates a focal point to lead DOD's urgent needs efforts, and directs the DOD components to establish minimum urgent needs processes and requirements; and (2) DOD's Chief Management Officer evaluate potential options for consolidation to reduce overlap, duplication, and fragmentation, and take appropriate action.
GAO-11-417T, Warfighter Support: DOD Should Have a More Comprehensive Approach for Addressing Urgent Warfighter Needs
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United States Government Accountability Office:
GAO:
Testimony:
Before the Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces, Committee on
Armed Services, House of Representatives:
For Release on Delivery:
Expected at 3:15 p.m. EST:
Tuesday, March 1, 2011:
Warfighter Support:
DOD Should Have a More Comprehensive Approach for Addressing Urgent
Warfighter Needs:
Statement of William M. Solis, Director:
Defense Capabilities and Management:
GAO-11-417T:
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee:
[End of section]
I am pleased to be here today to discuss the challenges that the
Department of Defense (DOD) faces in fulfilling urgent operational
needs identified by our warfighters. Over the course of the wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. forces have encountered changing
adversarial tactics, techniques, and procedures, which challenged DOD
to quickly develop and provide new equipment and new capabilities to
address evolving threats. Further, U.S. troops faced shortages of
critical items, including body armor, tires, and batteries. DOD's goal
is to provide solutions as quickly as possible to meet urgent
warfighter needs to prevent mission failure or loss of life. To meet
its urgent needs, DOD had to look beyond traditional acquisition
procedures, expand the use of existing processes, and develop new
processes and entities designed to be as responsive as possible to
urgent warfighter requests. In addition to requests for equipment from
DOD's existing stocks, warfighters have requested new capabilities,
such as: technology to counter improvised explosive devices (IED);
technology related to intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance
(ISR) to provide increased situational awareness; and equipment
related to command and control to enhance operations on the
battlefield. In meeting urgent needs, it is important for DOD to
efficiently use the department's financial resources. DOD has spent
billions of dollars over the past several years to address urgent
warfighter needs. Our past work on weapons acquisition has shown that
the department has often pursued more programs than its resources can
support.[Footnote 1] Additionally, our past work also has shown that
DOD has had difficulty translating needs into programs, which often
has led to cost growth and delayed delivery of needed capabilities to
the warfighter.
Today, we are publicly releasing a report that addresses (1) what
entities exist within DOD for responding to urgent operational needs,
and the extent to which there is fragmentation, overlap, or
duplication; (2) the extent to which DOD has a comprehensive approach
for managing and overseeing its urgent needs activities; and (3) the
extent to which DOD has evaluated the potential for consolidations of
its various activities and entities.[Footnote 2] My statement will
first briefly discuss challenges we reported in April 2010[Footnote 3]
that affected the overall responsiveness of DOD's urgent needs
processes and then highlight the key findings and recommendations of
today's report. Today's report contributed to our findings in another
report being released today that addresses opportunities to reduce
potential duplication in government programs.[Footnote 4] In
conducting our work, we analyzed DOD policies, guidance, studies, and
other documents, interviewed DOD and military service officials, and
executed a 46-question data-collection instrument to collect
information from numerous DOD and military service entities having a
role in the fulfillment of urgent needs. We conducted our work for the
related report from February 2010 to March 2011 in accordance with
generally accepted government auditing standards. Those standards
require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain sufficient,
appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable basis for our findings
and conclusions based on our audit objectives. We believe that the
evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for our findings and
conclusions based on our audit objectives.
Background:
As DOD's urgent needs processes have evolved, there have been several
reviews of DOD's abilities to rapidly respond to and field needed
capabilities. For example, according to senior DOD officials, the
department has conducted a study to determine lessons learned from
several independent urgent needs processes that might be integrated
into the department's main acquisition process. However, two studies
by the Defense Science Board in 2009 found that DOD had done little to
adopt urgent needs as a critical, ongoing DOD institutional capability
essential to addressing future threats.[Footnote 5] Most recently, the
Ike Skelton National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011
requires DOD to review its processes for the fielding capabilities in
response to urgent operational needs and consider such improvements as
providing a streamlined and expedited approach, clearly defining the
roles and responsibilities for carrying out all phases of the process,
and establishing a formal feedback mechanism.[Footnote 6]
We reported in April 2010 on several challenges that affected DOD's
responsiveness to urgent needs.[Footnote 7] Through our field work in
Iraq and analysis of 23 case studies, we found that with the exception
of one system all the solutions to our case studies were fielded
within 2 years of being endorsed by a theater command--which was
within DOD's informally established timeline for satisfying joint
urgent operational needs. However, we found that challenges with
training, funding, and technical maturity and complexity hindered
DOD's ability to rapidly respond to urgent warfighter needs. The
following summarizes these key findings and our recommendations.
Additional information is provided in our April 2010 report.[Footnote
8]
* Training--We found challenges in training personnel that process
urgent needs requests. For example, we found that while the Army
required selected officers to attend training on how to address
requirements and identify resources for Army forces, officers at the
brigade level responsible for drafting and submitting Army and joint
urgent needs requests--and those at the division level responsible for
reviewing the requests prior to submission for headquarters approval--
were not likely to receive such training. As a result, once in
theater, Army officers often faced difficulties drafting, submitting,
and reviewing the volume of urgent needs requests, which, according to
Army officials, could be over 200 per month. To address this
challenge, we recommended that the Army update its training regimen
for officers who initiate and review urgent needs requests. DOD
partially concurred, stating that these training issues are applicable
across the department and that it would develop additional policy.
* Funding--We found that funding was not always available when needed
to acquire and field solutions to joint urgent needs. This result
occurred in part because the Office of the Secretary of Defense had
not given any one organization primary responsibility for determining
when to implement the department's statutory rapid acquisition
authority or to execute timely funding decisions. We recommended that
the Secretary of Defense designate an entity with primary
responsibility for recommending use of rapid acquisition authority.
The department partially concurred, and stated it would develop
additional DOD policy for using rapid acquisition authority. In
addition, we found that the Office of the Secretary of Defense had the
authority, within certain dollar thresholds, to reprogram funds for
purposes other than those specified by Congress at the time of the
appropriation. However, in the absence of a high-level authority with
primary responsibility for executing such reprogramming or transfer
decisions, DOD faced challenges in consistently securing timely
cooperation from the services or other components. We recommended DOD
establish an executive council to make timely funding decisions on
urgent need requests. DOD partially concurred, stating it would
develop additional DOD policy and rely on existing councils to address
our recommendation.
* Technical maturity and complexity--We found that attempts to meet
urgent needs with immature technologies or with solutions that are
technologically complex could lead to longer time frames for fielding
solutions to urgent needs. Also, we found that DOD guidance was
unclear about who is responsible for determining whether
technologically complex solutions fall within the scope of DOD's
urgent needs processes. We recommended that DOD issue guidance to
clearly define roles and responsibilities for implementation,
monitoring, and evaluation of all phases of the urgent needs process--
including applying technological-maturity criteria. DOD concurred,
stating that it would develop new policy and update existing policy.
We also reported in April 2010 that DOD had not established an
effective management framework for its urgent needs processes.
[Footnote 9] Specifically, we reported that DOD's guidance for its
urgent needs processes (1) was dispersed and outdated; (2) did not
clearly define roles and responsibilities for implementing,
monitoring, and evaluating all phases of those processes; and (3) did
not incorporate all of the expedited acquisition authorities available
to acquire joint urgent needs solutions. Further, we found that data
systems for the urgent needs processes did not have comprehensive,
reliable data for tracking overall results and did not have standards
for collecting and managing data. In addition, we reported that the
joint process did not include a formal method for feedback to inform
joint leadership on the performance of solutions. Finally, we noted
that in the absence of a management framework for its urgent needs
processes, DOD did not have tools to fully assess how well its
processes work, manage their performance, ensure efficient use of
resources, and make decisions regarding the long-term sustainment of
fielded capabilities. We made several recommendations to DOD to
address these findings and DOD generally concurred with our
recommendations. In June 2010, the Senate Armed Services Committee
urged DOD to address these shortcomings that we identified "as quickly
as possible."[Footnote 10]
DOD's Urgent Needs Processes Need a More Comprehensive Approach and
Evaluation for Potential Consolidation:
In our report being released today, we identified cases of
fragmentation, overlap, and potential duplication of efforts of DOD's
urgent needs processes and entities. However, the department is
hindered in its ability to identify key improvements to its urgent
needs processes because it does not have a comprehensive approach to
manage and oversee the breadth of its efforts. Further, DOD has not
comprehensively evaluated opportunities for consolidation of urgent
needs entities and processes across the department. In this new
report, we made several recommendations to DOD for improving its
management and oversight of urgent needs, and DOD fully concurred with
those recommendations. The following summarizes our key findings and
recommendations, which are provided in more detail in the report we
publicly release today.[Footnote 11]
Fulfillment of Urgent Needs Involves a Number of Entities and
Processes, Resulting in Fragmentation, Overlap, and Potential
Duplication of Efforts:
Over the past two decades, the department has established many
entities that develop, equip, and field solutions and critical
capabilities in response to the large number of urgent needs requests
submitted by the combatant commands and military services. Many of
these entities were created, in part, because the department had not
anticipated the accelerated pace of change in enemy tactics and
techniques that ultimately heightened the need for a rapid response to
the large number of urgent needs requests submitted by the combatant
commands and military services. While many entities started as ad hoc
organizations, several have been permanently established. On the basis
of DOD's and our analysis, we identified at least 31 entities that
play a significant role in the various urgent needs processes. Table 1
below shows the 31 entities we identified.
Table 1: DOD Entities Involved in the Fulfillment of Urgent Needs:
Office of the Secretary of Defense or Joint Staff:
* Joint Staff, J8;
* Rapid Fielding Directorate;
* Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance Task Force;
* Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (vehicle) Task Force;
* Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization;
* Rapid Reaction Technology Office;
* Joint Capability Technology Demonstrations;
* Joint Rapid Acquisition Cell.
Army:
* Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3/5/7, Current and Future Warfighting
Capabilities Division;
* Biometrics Identity Management Agency;
* Asymmetric Warfare Group;
* Rapid Fielding Initiative;
* Rapid Equipping Force;
* Army Capabilities Integration Center, U.S. Army Training & Doctrine
Command;
* Project Manager (PM) or Program Executive Offices (PEO),[A] such as
Night Vision/Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition
(including Base Expeditionary Targeting and Surveillance Sensors-
Combined) or the Counter Rocket, Artillery, Mortar Program Directorate.
Navy:
* Chief of Naval Operations N81D;
* U.S. Fleet Forces Command;
* U.S. Pacific Fleet;
* Rapid Action Teams, led by a Chief of Naval Operations Sponsor;
* Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Expeditionary Warfare;
* Rapid Development and Deployment Office;
* PM or PEO,[A] such as PEO Littoral and Mine Warfare.
Marine Corps:
* Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration,
Capabilities Development Directorate;
* PM or PEO,[A] such as PM Light Armored Vehicles.
Air Force:
* Air Force Air Combat Command A8XM;
* Air Force Air Mobility Command A5QX;
* Requirements Policy & Process Division, Directorate of Operational
Capability Requirements;
* Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition;
* PM or PEO,[A] such as Aeronautical Systems Center.
Special Operations Command:
* Special Operations Command J8;
* Special Operations Research, Development, and Acquisition Center.
Source: GAO analysis of DOD data.
[A] Each military service has program offices responsible for specific
programs or portfolios of similar programs that may include solutions
to validated urgent need requirements. However, we have not identified
the universe of PMs/PEOs that are or have been involved in the
fulfillment of urgent needs.
[End of table]
We found that fragmentation and overlap exist among urgent needs
entities and processes. For example, there are at least eight
processes and related points of entry for the warfighter to submit a
request for an urgently needed capability, including through the Joint
Staff and each military service. Entities within these processes then
validate the submitted urgent need request and thus allow it to
proceed through their specific process. Moreover, our analysis showed
that overlap exists among urgent needs entities in the roles they play
as well as the capabilities for which they are responsible. For
example, at the joint level we found six entities involved in
facilitating urgent needs requests and five entities involved in
providing sourcing support for urgent needs requests.[Footnote 12]
Additionally, several entities have focused on developing solutions
for the same subject areas, such as counter-IED and ISR capabilities,
potentially resulting in duplication of efforts. For example, both the
Army and the Marine Corps had their own separate efforts to develop
counter-IED mine rollers.
DOD Does Not Have Comprehensive Guidance and Full Visibility to
Effectively Manage and Oversee Its Urgent Needs:
DOD has taken some steps to improve its fulfillment of urgent needs.
These steps include developing policy to guide joint urgent need
efforts, establishing a Rapid Fielding Directorate to rapidly
transition innovative concepts into critical capabilities, and working
to establish a senior oversight council to help synchronize DOD's
efforts. Despite these actions, the department does not have a
comprehensive approach to manage and oversee the breadth of its
activities to address capability gaps identified by warfighters in-
theater. Federal internal control standards require detailed policies,
procedures, and practices to help program managers achieve desired
results through effective stewardship of public resources.[Footnote
13] However, DOD does not have a comprehensive, DOD-wide policy that
establishes a baseline and provides a common approach for how all
joint and military service urgent needs are to be addressed--including
key activities of the process such as validation, execution, or
tracking. Additionally, we found that DOD has a fragmented approach in
managing all of its urgent needs submissions and validated
requirements. For example, the Joint Staff, the Joint Improvised
Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO), the military services,
and the Special Operations Command have issued their own guidance,
which varied, outlining activities involved in processing and meeting
their specific urgent needs.[Footnote 14]
DOD also lacks visibility over the full range of urgent needs efforts--
from funding to measuring results. Specifically, we found that DOD
does not have (1) visibility over the total costs of its urgent needs
efforts, (2) a comprehensive tracking system, (3) a universal set of
metrics, and (4) a senior-level focal point. The following summarizes
these key findings.
* DOD does not have visibility over total costs. DOD cannot readily
identify the cost of its departmentwide urgent needs efforts. Based on
the information submitted to us in response to our data request, the
total funding for the fulfillment of urgent needs is at least $76.9
billion from fiscal year 2005 through fiscal year 2010.[Footnote 15]
Because DOD does not have visibility over all urgent needs efforts and
costs, it is not fully able to identify the need for key process
improvements and adjust program and budgetary priorities accordingly.
* DOD does not have a comprehensive tracking system. DOD cannot
readily identify the totality of its urgent needs efforts as well as
the cost of such efforts because it has limited visibility over all
urgent needs submitted by warfighters--both from joint and service-
specific sources. Specifically, DOD and the services have disparate
ways of tracking urgent needs; some have formal databases to input
information while others use more informal methods such as e-mailing
to solicit feedback. For example, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and each
of the military services utilize electronic databases to track
capability solutions as they move through the urgent needs process.
However, more than a third of the entities involved in the process did
not collect or provide the necessary information for the joint or
service-based systems to track those solutions. Moreover, there was
confusion over whose role it was to collect and input data into these
tracking systems.
* DOD does not have a universal set of metrics. Our analysis found
that the feedback mechanisms across DOD, the Joint Staff, the military
services, JIEDDO, and the Special Operations Command are varied and
fragmented. In April 2010, we recommended that DOD develop an
established, formal feedback mechanism or channel for the military
services to provide feedback to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Joint
Rapid Acquisition Cell on how well fielded solutions met urgent needs.
The department concurred with the recommendation and stated that it
would develop new DOD policy and that the Joint Chiefs of Staff would
update the Chairman's instruction to establish requirements for
oversight and management of the fulfillment of urgent needs. However,
the majority of DOD urgent needs entities we surveyed for our March
2011 report said that they do not collect all the data needed to
determine how well these solutions are performing. Additionally, in
April 2010, we also recommended that DOD develop and implement
standards for accurately tracking and documenting key process
milestones such as funding, acquisition, fielding, and assessment, and
for updating data-management systems to create activity reports to
facilitate management review and external oversight of the process.
DOD agreed with these recommendations and noted actions it planned to
take to address them. However, our current analysis found that the
department lacked a method or metric to track the status of a
validated urgent requirement across the services and DOD components,
such as whether a requirement currently in development could be
applicable to another service.
* DOD does not have a senior-level focal point. DOD's lack of
visibility over all urgent needs requests is due in part to the lack
of a senior-level focal point (i.e., gatekeeper) that has the
responsibility to manage, oversee, and have full visibility to track
and monitor all emerging capability gaps being identified by
warfighters in-theater. At present, the department has not established
a senior-level focal point to (1) lead the department's efforts to
fulfill validated urgent needs requirements, (2) develop and implement
DOD-wide policy on the processing of urgent needs or rapid
acquisition, or (3) maintain full visibility over its urgent needs
efforts and the costs of those efforts. We have previously testified
and reported on the benefits of establishing a single point of focus
at a sufficiently senior level to coordinate and integrate various DOD
efforts to address concerns, such as with counterterrorism and the
transformation of military capabilities.[Footnote 16]
Opportunities Exist for Consolidating Urgent Needs Processes and
Entities:
In addition to not having a comprehensive approach for managing and
overseeing its urgent needs efforts, DOD has not conducted a
comprehensive evaluation of its urgent needs processes and entities to
identify opportunities for consolidation. Given the overlap and
potential for duplication we identified, coupled with similar concerns
raised by other studies, there may be opportunities for DOD to further
improve its urgent needs processes through consolidation. GAO's
Business Process Reengineering Assessment Guide establishes that such
a comprehensive analysis of alternative processes should be performed
to include a performance-based, risk-adjusted analysis of benefits and
costs for each alternative.[Footnote 17] In our current report, we
identified and analyzed several options, aimed at potential
consolidations and increased efficiencies, in an effort to provide
ideas for the department to consider in streamlining its urgent needs
entities and processes. These options include the following:
* Consolidate into one Office of the Secretary of Defense-level entity
all the urgent needs processes of the services and DOD, while allowing
the services' program offices to maintain responsibility for
developing solutions.
* Consolidate entities that have overlapping mission or capability
portfolios related to urgent needs, such as entities involved in the
development of solutions for biometrics.
* Establish a gatekeeper within each service to oversee all key
activities to fulfill a validated urgent need requirement.
* Consolidate within each service any overlapping activities in the
urgent needs process, such as the multiple entry and validation points
that exist in the Army.
The options we identified were not meant to be exhaustive or mutually
exclusive. DOD would need to perform its own analysis, carefully
weighing the advantages and disadvantages of options it identifies to
determine the optimal course of action. Additionally, it must be
recognized that many entities involved in the fulfillment of urgent
needs have other roles as well. However, until DOD performs such an
evaluation, it will remain unaware of opportunities for consolidation
and increased efficiencies in the fulfillment of urgent needs.
GAO Recommends That DOD Establish Comprehensive Guidance and Evaluate
Potential Options for Consolidation:
In the report we publicly release today, we make several
recommendations to promote a more comprehensive approach to planning,
management, and oversight of DOD's fulfillment of urgent needs. In
summary, we are recommending that:
* DOD develop and promulgate DOD-wide guidance across all urgent needs
processes that establishes baseline policy for the fulfillment of
urgent needs, clearly defines common terms, roles, responsibilities,
and authorities, designates a focal point to lead DOD's urgent needs
efforts, and directs the DOD components to establish minimum urgent
needs processes and requirements; and:
* DOD's Chief Management Officer evaluate potential options for
consolidation to reduce overlap, duplication, and fragmentation, and
take appropriate action.
DOD concurred with all of our recommendations and stated that specific
actions it will take to address these recommendations will be
identified in a report on its urgent needs processes that is required
by the Ike Skelton National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
2011 and due to Congress in January 2012.[Footnote 18] DOD also stated
that the Deputy Chief Management Officer, supported by the military
services' Chief Management Officers, will participate in this end-to-
end review and provide oversight and assistance in utilizing process
improvement techniques and tools.
Concluding Remarks:
Over the past several years we have identified significant challenges
affecting DOD's ability to rapidly respond to urgent needs of the
warfighter and effectively manage and oversee the breadth of its
urgent needs processes. It is noteworthy that DOD has recognized these
challenges and continues to take steps towards improving its programs.
However, until the department holistically examines the entirety of
its various urgent needs processes and entities, including evaluating
the need for consolidation, and establishes clear and comprehensive
policy, it will not be in a position to ensure the warfighter,
Congress, or the public that its processes are addressing the critical
needs of U.S. forces in the most timely, efficient, and effective
manner. Given the magnitude of the financial resources at stake,
coupled with the need to field urgent need solutions as rapidly as
possible to prevent loss of life or mission failure, it is imperative
that DOD's senior leadership make it a top priority to reform its
urgent needs process.
Mr. Chairman, this concludes my statement. I would be happy to answer
any questions you or other members of the subcommittee may have at
this time.
Contacts and Acknowledgments:
For further information regarding this testimony, please contact
William Solis at (202) 512-8365 or solisw@gao.gov. In addition,
contact points for our Offices of Congressional Relations and Public
Affairs may be found on the last page of this statement. Individuals
who made key contributions to this testimony are Cary Russell,
Assistant Director; Usman Ahmad, Laura Czohara, Lonnie McAllister,
John Ortiz, Richard Powelson, Steve Pruitt, Ryan Stott, Elizabeth
Wood, Delia Zee, and Karen Zuckerstein.
[End of section]
Footnotes:
[1] GAO, Defense Acquisition: DOD's Requirements Determination Process
Has Not Been Effective in Prioritizing Joint Capabilities, [hyperlink,
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-08-1060] (Washington, D.C.: Sept. 25,
2008).
[2] GAO, Warfighter Support: DOD's Urgent Needs Processes Need a More
Comprehensive Approach and Evaluation for Potential Consolidation,
[hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-273] (Washington, D.C.:
Mar. 1, 2011).
[3] GAO, Warfighter Support: Improvements to DOD's Urgent Needs
Processes Would Enhance Oversight and Expedite Efforts to Meet
Critical Warfighter Needs, [hyperlink,
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-460] (Washington, D.C.: Apr. 30,
2010).
[4] GAO, Opportunities to Reduce Potential Duplication in Government
Programs, Save Tax Dollars, and Enhance Revenue, [hyperlink,
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-318SP] (Washington, D.C.: Mar. 1,
2011).
[5] Report of the Defense Science Board Task Force on the Fulfillment
of Urgent Operational Needs (Washington, D.C.: Office of the Under
Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, July
2009); Report of the Defense Science Board 2008 Summer Study on
Capability Surprise, vol. I: Main Report (Washington, D.C.: Office of
the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and
Logistics, September 2009).
[6] Pub. L. No. 111-383, § 804 (2011).
[7] [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-460].
[8] [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-460].
[9] [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-460].
[10] S. Rep. No. 111-201, at 160 (2010).
[11] [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-273].
[12] Through our analysis, we identified several broad activities
involved in the processing of urgent needs. Facilitation refers to the
development and coordination of requirements, costs, potential
solution, funding, and other factors related to the course of action
to be taken for the fulfillment of an urgent need. Sourcing is the
approval of the proposed course of action and assignment of a sponsor
who will carry out that course of action.
[13] GAO, Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government,
[hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO/AIMD-00-21.3.1]
(Washington, DC: November 1999).
[14] Joint Staff: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction
3470.01 (July 15, 2005); Army: Army Regulation 71-9 (Dec. 28, 2009);
Navy: Joint Memorandum from the Assistant Secretary of the Navy
(Research Development and Acquisition) (July 19, 2007) and Secretary
of the Navy Notice 5000 (Mar.12, 2009); Marine Corps: Marine Corps
Order 3900.17 (Oct. 17, 2008); Air Force: Air Force Instruction 63-114
(June 12, 2008); Air Force Instruction 10-601 (July 12, 2010); JIEDDO:
Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization Instruction
5000.01 (Nov. 6, 2009); Special Operations Command: Special Operations
Command Directive 71-4 (June 9, 2009) and Special Operations Command
Directive 70-1 (Mar. 19, 2010).
[15] Our estimate includes funding for processing of urgent needs as
well as development of solutions and some acquisition costs. As our
data request was not exhaustive, the numbers reported are a lower
bound to the total amount spent on urgent needs rather than an upper
bound. Additionally, our funding data have been converted to base year
2010 dollars.
[16] GAO, Combating Terrorism: Comments on Counterterrorism Leadership
and National Strategy, [hyperlink,
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-01-556T] (Washington, D.C.: Mar. 27,
2001) and Military Transformation: Clear Leadership, Accountability,
and Management Tools Are Needed to Enhance DOD's Efforts to Transform
Military Capabilities, [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-05-
70] (Washington, D.C.: Dec. 17, 2004).
[17] GAO, Business Process Reengineering Assessment Guide, ver. 3,
[hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO/AIMD-10.1.15] (Washington,
D.C.: May 1997).
[18] Pub. L. No. 111-383, § 804 (2011).
[End of section]
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