Defense Research: Improved Management of DOD's Technical Corrosion Collaboration Program Needed
Highlights
What GAO Found
The Department of Defense's (DOD) Office of Corrosion Policy and Oversight (Corrosion Office) has documented some, but not all, key procedures for the Technical Corrosion Collaboration (TCC) program. For civilian institutions, the Corrosion Office documented procedures for selecting projects, but has not done so for approving these projects. In addition, for military academic institutions, the office has not documented procedures for selecting and approving projects. Corrosion Office officials stated that procedures for some aspects of the TCC program are not documented because the program is still evolving and they would like flexibility to enable innovation in determining how to manage the program. However, without fully documenting its decision-making procedures for selecting and approving projects, the Corrosion Office cannot demonstrate how projects were selected and approved for the TCC program.
Corrosion Office officials provided data on the amount of funds spent on the TCC program for fiscal years 2008 through 2013, but in some cases the data were not readily available and were inconsistent for the same time frame. As a result, it is unclear what the Corrosion Office has spent on the TCC program. Section 2228 requires the Corrosion Office to include a description of the amount of funds used for the TCC program in its annual corrosion budget report to Congress. However, because the Corrosion Office does not track and maintain accurate records, it is unable to determine the amount of funds spent. In the absence of fully documented funding data that are readily available for examination, Corrosion Office officials cannot ensure that they will accurately account for and report TCC costs in the annual budget report to Congress.
DOD has set goals for the TCC program, but has not developed a process to transition demonstrated results from projects to military departments. According to the DOD Corrosion Prevention and Mitigation Strategic Plan , TCC program goals are to: (1) develop individuals with education, training, and experience who will form the future core of the technical community within DOD and private industry; and (2) produce solutions that will reduce the effect of corrosion on DOD infrastructure and weapon systems. To track the goal of developing people, the Corrosion Office cited, among other things, the research papers that have been produced as a result of the TCC program. Section 2228 requires that the Corrosion Office coordinate a research and development program that includes a plan for the transition of new corrosion-prevention technologies to the military departments. To track the goal to produce solutions that will reduce corrosion, the Corrosion Office monitors TCC projects' results; however, the office has not established a process to transition demonstrated results of the research projects to the military departments. Corrosion Office officials stated that it is difficult to transition results because outputs of TCC research are in the early stages of technology evolution and thus are not mature enough to be used by the military departments. Therefore, Corrosion Office officials acknowledge the need to establish a process to transition TCC results to the military departments. Until the Corrosion Office establishes a process to study and determine what, if any, TCC results could transition to the military departments, DOD will not be able to demonstrate the success of the TCC program and the extent to which TCC results are helping to prevent or mitigate corrosion.
Why GAO Did This Study
According to DOD, corrosion can significantly affect maintenance cost, service life of equipment, and military readiness by diminishing the operations of critical systems and creating safety hazards. Pursuant to Section 2228 of Title 10 of the U.S. Code, DOD's Corrosion Office is responsible for prevention and mitigation of corrosion of military equipment and infrastructure. To help identify technology to prevent or mitigate corrosion and educate personnel about corrosion prevention and control, DOD funds universities and military labs in the TCC program.
GAO was asked to review DOD's TCC program and its goals. In this report, GAO addressed the extent to which DOD (1) has established procedures for managing the TCC program, (2) can provide information on the amount of funds spent on the program to date, and (3) has established goals for the TCC program and transitioned demonstrated results from projects to military departments. GAO reviewed DOD policies and plans and met with DOD corrosion officials and TCC participants.
Recommendations
GAO recommends five actions to improve DOD's management of the TCC program. DOD partially agreed with two actions: to document procedures to select and approve labs, and to track and maintain accurate funding data. DOD did not agree with three recommendations to document procedures to select and approve projects, and to establish a process to transition project results to the military departments. GAO believes that these recommendations remain valid.
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics | To enhance DOD's ability to make consistent and informed decisions in its management of the TCC program in accordance with internal control standards, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics should require the Director, Corrosion Policy and Oversight Office, to document the procedures for approving projects within the TCC program for civilian institutions. |
DOD did not agree with the recommendation. In 2016, DOD's Corrosion Office consistently maintained that its existing process was adequately documented in the DOD Corrosion Prevention and Mitigation Strategic Plan and the Technical Corrosion Collaboration (TCC) Definitions Document. However, GAO maintained that DOD could enhance its oversight of corrosion projects by documenting how it approves projects for civilian institutions. In 2019, DOD decided to implement this recommendation. Specifically, the Corrosion Office planned to include information on documenting procedures for approving projects in a new DOD manual on corrosion. As of the end of calendar year 2020, the Corrosion Office had decided it would no longer create a DOD manual on corrosion. Instead, the Corrosion Office has drafted a standard operating procedure that includes information about approving TCC projects for civilian institutions. According to the Corrosion Office, it has not finalized the draft standard operating procedure document because it is not currently selecting and approving new TCC projects. Therefore, we are closing this recommendation as not implemented.
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| Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics | To enhance DOD's ability to make consistent and informed decisions in its management of the TCC program in accordance with internal control standards, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics should require the Director, Corrosion Policy and Oversight Office, to track and maintain accurate records that include amounts of funds used for the TCC program, and have them readily available for examination to ensure that funding data will be accurately accounted for and reported in future reports, such as the annual budget report to Congress. |
DOD partially concurred with our recommendation. As of August 2018, the Corrosion Policy and Oversight office has transitioned all Technical Corrosion Collaboration (TCC) funding transactions to the DOD Washington Headquarters Service Financial Management Directorate Defense Agencies Intuitive (DAI) Portal System. Each Technical Corrosion Collaboration project is individually funded through a Military Interdepartmental Purchase Request that is accurately accounted for and readily available for examination.
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| Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics | To better ensure that DOD can demonstrate the success of the TCC program and the extent to which TCC results will help to prevent or mitigate corrosion, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics should require the Director, Corrosion Policy and Oversight Office, to establish a process for transitioning demonstrated results of TCC projects to the military departments as required by the Section 2228 of Title 10 of the United States Code. |
DOD did not agree with the recommendation. DOD's Corrosion Office has consistently maintained that the process for transitioning demonstrated results of Technical Corrosion Collaboration (TCC) projects to the Military Departments is appropriately developed and documented in the DOD Corrosion Prevention and Mitigation Strategic Plan and the Technical Corrosion Collaboration Definitions Document. We maintain that the Corrosion Office should establish a process for transitioning demonstrated results of TCC projects to the military departments to allow the office to demonstrate the success of the TCC program and the extent to which the program results will help prevent or mitigate corrosion. As of March 2019, DOD continues to non-concur with this recommendation. According to Corrosion Office officials, the Office does not have the authority to transition demonstrated TCC project results to the military departments. However, officials stated that the Office continues to disseminate project results to the military departments by involving department representatives in defining the research areas and monitoring progress; inviting the departments to participate in the annual TCC Research Review, where all projects are presented and discussed; and including these projects as a regular topic at Corrosion Forum meetings.
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| Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics | To enhance DOD's ability to make consistent and informed decisions in its management of the TCC program in accordance with internal control standards, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics should require the Director, Corrosion Policy and Oversight Office, to document the procedures for selecting and approving projects within the TCC program for military academic institutions. |
DOD did not agree with the recommendation. In 2016, DOD's Corrosion Office had consistently maintained that its existing process was adequately documented in the DOD Corrosion Prevention and Mitigation Strategic Plan and the Technical Corrosion Collaboration (TCC) Definitions Document. However, GAO maintained that DOD could enhance its oversight of corrosion projects by documenting how it selects and approves TCC projects for military academic institutions. In 2019, DOD decided to implement this recommendation. Specifically, the Corrosion Office planned to include information on documenting procedures for selecting and approving projects in a new DOD manual on corrosion. As of the end of calendar year 2020, the Corrosion Office had decided it would no longer create a DOD manual on corrosion. Instead, the Corrosion Office has drafted a standard operating procedure that includes information about selecting and approving TCC projects for military academic institutions. According to the Corrosion Office, it has not finalized the draft standard operating procedure document because it is not currently selecting and approving new TCC projects. Therefore, we are closing this recommendation as not implemented.
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| Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics | To enhance DOD's ability to make consistent and informed decisions in its management of the TCC program in accordance with internal control standards, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics should require the Director, Corrosion Policy and Oversight Office, to document the procedures for selecting and approving military research labs supporting civilian and military institutions in conducting projects within the TCC program. |
DOD partially concurred with our recommendation. As of August 2018, the Corrosion Policy and Oversight office was re-writing Appendix A of the "Technical Corrosion Collaboration (TCC)" document to include steps and grading criteria for decision makers when selecting and approving military research labs supporting civilian and military institutions conducting projects with the TCC program. The Corrosion Policy and Oversight office had planned to complete this re-write and the post procedures to their web site by November 30, 2018. In 2019, DOD decided to take a different action to implement this recommendation. Specifically, the Corrosion Office planned to include procedures for selecting and approving labs to support institutions in a new DOD manual on corrosion. As of the end of calendar year 2020, the Corrosion Office had decided it would no longer create a DOD manual on corrosion. Instead, the Corrosion Office has drafted a standard operating procedure that includes information about selecting and approving military research labs supporting civilian and military institutions in conducting projects within the TCC program. According to the Corrosion Office, it has not finalized the draft standard operating procedure document because it is not currently selecting and approving new TCC projects. Therefore, we are closing this recommendation as not implemented.
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