Defense Science and Technology: Adopting Best Practices Can Improve Innovation Investments and Management
Fast Facts
Defense Science and Technology: Adopting Best Practices Can Improve Innovation Investments and Management
DOD plans to invest $12.5 billion on innovative technology in fiscal year 2017. We compared DOD's approach with how leading technology companies like Amazon and Dow manage their science and technology investments.
We found that DOD's ability to innovate is limited by its funding policies, as projects are planned up to 2 years in advance, which can slow innovation and limit lab directors’ autonomy. Additionally, DOD’s culture prioritizes developing technologies only for programs that already have the needed funding.
We recommended that DOD define a science and technology management framework that uses leading commercial practices.
Department of Defense Technology Management Process
Graphic showing progression from technology investment, through development, then deployment.
Highlights
What GAO Found
The eight leading companies whose practices GAO assessed take a disciplined approach to organizing and executing their technology development activities by grouping them into two portfolios: incremental and disruptive, as shown in the figure. Incremental development improves product lines whereas disruptive development is for riskier innovative and potentially market-shifting technologies.
Commercial Model Ensures Investments in Incremental and Disruptive Innovation
By separating these two portfolios, companies reported that they could promote existing product lines in the short term while exploring opportunities to remain competitive in the long term, and mitigate the financial risk associated with disruptive technology development. Moreover, GAO found that leading companies also ensure technologies will be relevant in the marketplace by engaging a wide range of internal stakeholders. These companies also reported that they gain leadership buy-in by prototyping technologies before committing to further development and product integration.
While some Department of Defense (DOD) practices closely mirror those of the companies GAO reviewed, DOD's ability to adopt leading commercial practices in its approach to managing science and technology (S&T) investments is limited by its funding policies and culture. Unlike the companies GAO reviewed, DOD leadership does not provide guidance on or assess the mix of incremental and disruptive innovation. As a result, officials reported that DOD labs struggle to find the right balance between these investment areas. Under DOD's budget policy, projects are planned up to 2 years in advance, which can slow innovation and limit lab directors' autonomy as compared to companies. Congress has provided a means for lab directors to initiate work outside of this lengthy process, but it has not been fully utilized. Additionally, responsibilities for technology versus product development also contribute to a culture that discourages collaboration and limits labs' ability to prototype. Yet these issues are not insurmountable, as pockets of each military department have demonstrated, such as through recent efforts to expand advanced prototyping in the labs. Further, Congress has required that by February 2018 DOD create a new Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E)), which will be charged with developing policies to improve innovation. This position creates an opportunity to develop policies that further promote adoption of leading commercial practices.
Why GAO Did This Study
DOD relies on innovative technologies to ensure the superiority of its weapon systems and planned to invest about $12.5 billion in fiscal year 2017 to achieve this aim. Recently, DOD's leadership role in fostering innovation has been supplanted by the commercial sector. This has changed DOD's approach to technology development by relying more on commercial innovation.
Conference Report 112-329 included a provision for GAO to review DOD's S&T enterprise. This report assesses (1) the practices leading companies employ to manage technology development and (2) the extent to which DOD can incorporate these practices into its own. GAO interviewed eight large, profitable, leading technology companies (Amazon, Dow Chemical, Honeywell, General Motors, IBM, Qualcomm, Siemens AG, and Valvoline) to identify practices they used to manage, prioritize, and assess their technology portfolios. GAO also met with DOD organizations that manage and execute S&T funds to identify their practices.
Recommendations
GAO recommends that DOD annually define and assess the mix of innovation investments and define, in policy or guidance, an S&T management framework that comprehensively employs leading commercial practices. DOD did not agree with the recommendations, citing its ongoing deliberations on the new USD R&E's role, but did identify some planned actions. GAO believes its recommendations are valid as discussed in the report.
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense |
Priority Rec.
To ensure that DOD is positioned to counter both near and far term threats, consistent with its S&T framework, the Secretary of Defense should direct the new Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering to annually define the mix of incremental and disruptive innovation investments for each military department. |
As of July 2024, DOD partially agrees with this recommendation. DOD reported that it intends to fund a study in fiscal year 2025 -- to be completed by July 31, 2025 -- conducted by a Federal Funded Research & Development Center (FFRDC) or University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) to evaluate the advantages and risks associated with defining a mix of incremental and disruptive innovation investments. Although a study is a step in the right direction, until DOD implements our recommendation it risks being ill positioned to ensure USD(R&E) and the military services are making appropriate investments to counter both near and far term threats. DOD's position on this recommendation has evolved over the past 7 years. In June 2017, DOD stated that implementing our recommendation would be premature, since the Secretary of Defense had not made final decisions on the role of the new Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E). However, in July 2018, DOD finalized the organizational structure, roles, and responsibilities for the new Under Secretary, and yet DOD continued to not take action on this recommendation. Later, in the December 2022 Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, the congressional armed services committees summarized their views regarding risk information in DOD's research portfolio. Among other things, the Statement noted that DOD does not group research and development activities into incremental and disruptive efforts. Absent this practice, the Statement noted that DOD lacks visibility into the balance of risk versus payoff in its research and development portfolio, especially with regard to the potential to provide the cutting-edge technology needed to combat future and emerging threats. The Statement directed the USD(R&E) to provide a briefing to the congressional armed services committees by July 31, 2023, on how DOD assesses, manages, and balances risk within its research and development portfolio. According to the Statement, the briefing was to include an update on how DOD is implementing this recommendation and others from GAO-17-499. As of July 2024, DOD has yet to provide this briefing to the congressional armed services committees. Instead, in July 2024 DOD reported that it intends to rely on the results of its planned FFRDC/UARC-led study to inform an eventual briefing to these committees. DOD's latest plans also expressed the view that the USD(R&E) should not specify to the military services the proportion of their S&T investments for incremental and disruptive efforts because DOD anticipates that any such targets would be subjective.
|
| Department of Defense |
Priority Rec.
To ensure that DOD is positioned to counter both near and far term threats, consistent with its S&T framework, the Secretary of Defense should direct the new Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering to annually assess whether that mix is achieved. |
As of July 2024, DOD partially agrees with this recommendation. DOD reported that it intends to fund a study in fiscal year 2025 -- to be completed by July 31, 2025 -- conducted by a Federal Funded Research & Development Center (FFRDC) or University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) to evaluate the advantages and risks associated with defining a mix of incremental and disruptive innovation investments. Although a study is a step in the right direction, until DOD implements our recommendation it risks being ill positioned to ensure USD(R&E) and the military services are making appropriate investments to counter both near and far term threats. DOD's position on this recommendation has evolved over the past 7 years. In June 2017, DOD stated that implementing our recommendation would be premature, since the Secretary of Defense had not made final decisions on the role of the new Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E). However, in July 2018, DOD finalized the organizational structure, roles, and responsibilities for the new Under Secretary, and yet DOD continued to not take action on this recommendation. Later, in the December 2022 Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, the congressional armed services committees summarized their views regarding risk information in DOD's research portfolio. Among other things, the Statement noted that DOD does not group research and development activities into incremental and disruptive efforts. Absent this practice, the Statement noted that DOD lacks visibility into the balance of risk versus payoff in its research and development portfolio, especially with regard to the potential to provide the cutting-edge technology needed to combat future and emerging threats. The Statement directed the USD(R&E) to provide a briefing to the congressional armed services committees by July 31, 2023, on how DOD assesses, manages, and balances risk within its research and development portfolio. According to the Statement, the briefing was to include an update on how DOD is implementing this recommendation and others from GAO-17-499. As of July 2024, DOD has yet to provide this briefing to the congressional armed services committees. Instead, in July 2024 DOD reported that it intends to rely on the results of its planned FFRDC/UARC-led study to inform an eventual briefing to these committees. DOD's latest plans also expressed the view that the USD(R&E) should not specify to the military services the proportion of their S&T investments for incremental and disruptive efforts because DOD anticipates that any such targets would be subjective.
|
| Department of Defense |
Priority Rec.
To ensure that DOD is positioned to more comprehensively implement leading practices for managing science and technology programs, the Secretary of Defense should direct the new Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering to define, in policy or guidance, an S&T management framework that includes emphasizing greater use of existing flexibilities to more quickly initiate and discontinue projects to respond to the rapid pace of innovation. |
As of July 2024, DOD agrees with this recommendation and has identified new actions the agency plans to take to implement it. Specifically, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) reported its intent to provide its perspective to Congress on potential new authorities Congress could grant to promote more rapid adoption of innovative capabilities by DOD. OUSD(R&E) further reported its view that the best approach to improving the speed of incorporating innovation would be to focus on addressing administrative barriers. The plan reported that DOD intends to fund a study in fiscal year 2025 -- to be completed by July 31, 2025 -- conducted by a Federal Funded Research & Development Center (FFRDC) or University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) to evaluate the advantages and risks associated with defining a mix of incremental and disruptive innovation investments. OUSD(R&E) officials communicated that this study will also include a section on recommended policies for an S&T management framework using existing flexibilities to more quickly and discontinue projects. Although a study is a step in the right direction, until DOD implements our recommendation it risks missing opportunities to quickly pivot its innovation investments from less promising research efforts to more promising ones -- in support of DOD's acquisition goal to develop and deliver new and essential warfighting capabilities at the speed of relevance. Further, DOD's position on this recommendation has evolved over the past 7 years. In June 2017, DOD stated that implementing our recommendation would be premature, since the Secretary of Defense had not made final decisions on the role of the new Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E). However, in July 2018, DOD finalized the organizational structure, roles, and responsibilities for the new Under Secretary, and yet DOD continued to not take action on this recommendation. Later, in the December 2022 Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, the congressional armed services committees summarized their views regarding risk information in DOD's research portfolio. Among other things, the Statement noted that DOD does not group research and development activities into incremental and disruptive efforts. Absent this practice, the Statement noted that DOD lacks visibility into the balance of risk versus payoff in its research and development portfolio, especially with regard to the potential to provide the cutting-edge technology needed to combat future and emerging threats. The Statement directed the USD(R&E) to provide a briefing to the congressional armed services committees by July 31, 2023, on how DOD assesses, manages, and balances risk within its research and development portfolio. According to the Statement, the briefing was to include an update on how DOD is implementing this recommendation and others from GAO-17-499. As of July 2024, DOD has yet to provide this briefing to the congressional armed services committees. Instead, in July 2024 DOD reported that it intends to rely on the results of its planned FFRDC/UARC-led study to inform an eventual briefing to these committees.
|
| Department of Defense |
Priority Rec.
To ensure that DOD is positioned to more comprehensively implement leading practices for managing science and technology programs, the Secretary of Defense should direct the new Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering to define, in policy or guidance, an S&T management framework that includes incorporating acquisition stakeholders into technology development programs to ensure they are relevant to customers. |
In June 2017, the Department of Defense (DOD) disagreed with our recommendation, stating that it would be premature to get ahead of the Secretary of Defense's final decisions on the role of the new Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E)) until that position is established, as required by law. In July 2018, the Department issued a memorandum finalizing the organizational structures, roles, and responsibilities for USD(R&E), but did not require that office to define, in policy or guidance, a science and technology framework that includes incorporating acquisition stakeholders into technology development programs. In December 2019, a senior official within the Office of the USD(R&E) reported that USD(R&E) actively partners with acquisition stakeholders to ensure technology development programs are relevant to customers. The official cited Rapid Prototyping Programs (RPPs), Joint Capability Technology Demonstrations (JCTDs), and Emerging Capability Technology Development (ECTD) programs as examples where management frameworks in which technology managers actively partner with (1) operational managers from the Combatant Commands or military departments and (2) technology transition managers from the military departments to ensure programs are relevant to customers. In March 2021, a senior official with the Office of the USD(R&E) provided documentation showing that the ECTD and Quick Reaction Special Projects (QRSPs) programs have convened quarterly small group review meetings that include approximately 200 customer representatives who provide input on proposed projects as part of the funding approval process. These customers include representatives from across DOD, including the Combatant Commands and the military departments. Further, RPPs and other rapid prototyping efforts obtain customer feedback prior to funding decisions through the use of a prototyping senior steering group.
|
| Department of Defense |
Priority Rec.
To ensure that DOD is positioned to more comprehensively implement leading practices for managing science and technology programs, the Secretary of Defense should direct the new Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering to define, in policy or guidance, an S&T management framework that includes promoting advanced prototyping of disruptive technologies within the labs so the S&T community can prove these technologies work to generate demand from future acquisition programs. |
In June 2017, the Department of Defense disagreed with our recommendation, stating that it would be premature to get ahead of the Secretary of Defense's final decisions on the role of the new Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E)) until that position is established, as required by law. In July 2018, the Department issued a memorandum finalizing the organizational structures, and roles and responsibilities for USD(R&E), but did not require it to define, in policy or guidance, a science and technology framework that includes promoting advanced prototyping of disruptive technologies within the labs. In December 2019, a senior official within the Office of the USD(R&E) reported that the Emerging Capability Technology Development (ECTD) program is one framework USD(R&E) uses to promote the prototyping of disruptive technologies within the labs. Under this framework, USD(R&E) co-funds and co-sponsors projects with Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs), and the military department laboratories. An integrated management team leads the evaluation and demonstration of technologies and connects technology managers with acquisition programs in the Combatant Commands and the military departments. The senior official further reported that USD(R&E) leverages Rapid Prototyping Funds (RPFs) and Rapid Prototyping Programs (RPPs) to promote and prove advanced demonstrations in military department laboratories. In March 2021, a senior official with the Office of the USD(R&E) provided documentation showing that the Office, through its Rapid Reaction Technology Office (RRTO), manages Quick Reaction Special Projects (QRSPs), RPP, RPF and ECTD programs. The primary tenet of RRTO is to promote emerging and disruptive innovation. In addition to the prototyping efforts funded directly by the RRTO, the office accepts proposals from across DOD--to include the military department laboratories--and assists in maturing the technologies and acting as an advocate to ensure transition to a customer in the acquisition community.
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