Defense Management: Opportunities Exist to Improve Implementation of DOD's Long-Term Corrosion Strategy
GAO-04-640
Published: Jun 23, 2004. Publicly Released: Jun 23, 2004.
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Highlights
Each year, the Department of Defense (DOD) spends an estimated $20 billion to repair the damage to military equipment and infrastructure caused by corrosion. Furthermore, corrosion profoundly impacts military readiness as well as the safety of military personnel. In the Bob Stump National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003, Congress directed that DOD develop a long-term corrosion strategy, including specific requirements, and that GAO assess it. DOD submitted its strategy in December 2003. This report assesses the potential of the corrosion strategy (in terms of three elements--resources, performance metrics, and policy guidance) to effectively prevent and mitigate corrosion and its effects on military equipment and infrastructure.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | To provide better assurances that the Department of Defense's long-term corrosion strategy is successfully implemented as envisioned by Congress, the Secretary of Defense should instruct the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, in consultation with the DOD Comptroller, to establish a date to complete the corrosion baseline study well before its original estimated completion date of 2011 in order that cost-effective resource priorities and results-oriented performance measures can be established to monitor progress in reducing corrosion and its impacts on equipment and infrastructure. |
Closed – Implemented
In April 2007, we reported that DOD completed the Army ground vehicles and Navy ships cost study segments in 2006, planned to complete the DOD facilities, Army aviation and missiles, and USMC ground vehicles segments in 2007. The remaining segments --Navy and Marine Corps aviation and Coast Guard aviation and ships -- are planned to be completed in 2008. As of March 2019, since 2006, a DOD contractor has been issuing recurring cost-of-corrosion reports that, among other items, identify corrosion costs of DOD aviation, missile, ground, vessel, and other equipment assets.
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| Department of Defense | To provide better assurances that the Department of Defense's long-term corrosion strategy is successfully implemented as envisioned by Congress, the Secretary of Defense should instruct the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, in consultation with the DOD Comptroller, to establish a funding mechanism to implement the corrosion strategy that would be consistent with the strategy's long-term focus. |
Closed – Implemented
Starting in FY 2006, the Corrosion Prevention and Control Oversight Office submits its annual funding requests through the planning, programming and budgeting, and execution (PPBE) process. These funding requests are identified in a separate Office of the Secretary of Defense Program Element.
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| Department of Defense | To provide better assurances that the Department of Defense's long-term corrosion strategy is successfully implemented as envisioned by Congress, the Secretary of Defense should instruct the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, in consultation with the DOD Comptroller, to submit to Congress, as part of the fiscal year 2006 budget submission, a report identifying the long-term funding and personnel resources needed to implement the strategy, a status report of corrosion reduction projects funded in fiscal year 2005, and the status of a baseline study. |
Closed – Implemented
As part of the FY 2006 budget submission, DOD submitted a report identifying the long-term funding and personnel resources needed to implement the strategy. A list of candidate corrosion reduction projects was included, as was the status of the baseline study. In addition, the May 2005 Corrosion Prevention Report to Congress also addresses this recommendation.
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| Department of the Air Force | To provide better assurances that the Department of Defense's long-term corrosion strategy is successfully implemented as envisioned by Congress, the Secretaries of the military services should establish policy guidance that would include the review of the corrosion prevention and control plans of non-major weapons systems and infrastructure programs. |
Closed – Implemented
DFARS 207.105(b)(13)(ii), dated 9/16/04, directs corrosion prevention considerations in every acquisition plan over $5M. This Corrosion Protection and Mitigation Notice of Change Ruling adds corrosion prevention and mitigation to the areas that agencies must address in acquisition plans. The DFARS change implements Section 1067 of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 03, which requires DoD to prevent and mitigate corrosion during the design, acquisition, and maintenance of military equipment.
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| Department of the Navy | To provide better assurances that the Department of Defense's long-term corrosion strategy is successfully implemented as envisioned by Congress, the Secretaries of the military services should establish policy guidance that would include the review of the corrosion prevention and control plans of non-major weapons systems and infrastructure programs. |
Closed – Implemented
DFARS 207.105(b)(13)(ii), dated 9/16/04, directs corrosion prevention considerations in every acquisition plan over $5M. This Corrosion Protection and Mitigation Notice of Change Ruling adds corrosion prevention and mitigation to the areas that agencies must address in acquisition plans. The DFARS change implements Section 1067 of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 03, which requires DoD to prevent and mitigate corrosion during the design, acquisition, and maintenance of military equipment.
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| Department of the Army | To provide better assurances that the Department of Defense's long-term corrosion strategy is successfully implemented as envisioned by Congress, the Secretaries of the military services should establish policy guidance that would include the review of the corrosion prevention and control plans of non-major weapons systems and infrastructure programs. |
Closed – Implemented
DFARS 207.105(b)(13)(ii), dated 9/16/04, directs corrosion prevention considerations in every acquisition plan over $5M. This Corrosion Protection and Mitigation Notice of Change Ruling adds corrosion prevention and mitigation to the areas that agencies must address in acquisition plans. The DFARS change implements Section 1067 of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 03, which requires DoD to prevent and mitigate corrosion during the design, acquisition, and maintenance of military equipment.
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| Joint Chiefs of Staff | To provide better assurances that the Department of Defense's long-term corrosion strategy is successfully implemented as envisioned by Congress, the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff should direct the Focused Logistics Capabilities Board to include corrosion prevention issues in its sustainability assessments of military weapon systems. |
Closed – Implemented
The Vice-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the vice-chair for the Defense Acquisition Board (DAB), and as such, considers the corrosion prevention issues associated with all programs requiring DAB reviews. In addition, the Joint Chiefs of Staff Focused Logistics Capabilities Board has agreed to consider corrosion planning when it performs sustainability assessments of military weapon systems. According to the DOD Office of Corrosion Oversight and Policy, the Joint Chiefs of Staff Focused Logistics Capabilities Board now includes corrosion planning as a standard discussion topic during its deliberations, meetings and assessments.
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Topics
Combat readinessEquipment maintenanceFacility maintenanceCorrosionMilitary budgetsMilitary cost controlMilitary facilitiesMilitary materielPerformance measuresProperty and supply managementProperty damagesStrategic planning