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Military Bases: Lessons Learned From Prior Base Closure Rounds

NSIAD-97-151 Published: Jul 25, 1997. Publicly Released: Jul 25, 1997.
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Highlights

GAO reported on lessons learned from the base realignment and closure (BRAC) rounds held in 1988, 1991, 1993, and 1995, focusing on: (1) lessons related to savings, costs, and economic impact and improvements needed in the Department of Defense's (DOD) process for identifying bases for realignment and closure; and (2) what legislative actions would be needed if further BRAC rounds were to be authorized.

Recommendations

Matter for Congressional Consideration

Matter Status Comments
If Congress considers legislation for future BRAC rounds, it may wish to model it on the 1990 BRAC legislation as a starting point.
Closed – Implemented
Congress has not been willing to authorize additional BRAC rounds.
If Congress considers legislation for future BRAC rounds, it may wish to pass such legislation early to allow the lead time needed for DOD and the Commission to organize their processes.
Closed – Implemented
Congress has not been willing to authorize additional BRAC rounds.
If Congress considers legislation for future BRAC rounds, it may wish to consider the relationship between new BRAC authority and section 277 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1996 pertaining to laboratories and test and evaluation facilities.
Closed – Implemented
Congress has not been willing to authorize additional BRAC rounds.

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense Whether or not Congress authorizes future BRAC rounds, DOD needs to improve its periodic updating and reporting of savings projected from prior BRAC decisions. This information is needed to strengthen DOD's budgeting process and ensure that correct assumptions are being made regarding expected reductions in base operating costs. Accordingly, the Secretary of Defense should provide guidance to ensure that its components have and follow a clear and consistent process for updating savings estimates associated with prior BRAC decisions.
Closed – Implemented
DOD stated in mid-1998 that it was taking steps to improve management oversight of BRAC costs and savings. One of the steps requires that the Budget Justification of the Biennial Budget Estimates is updated for savings and replace prior-year estimated savings with actual savings, to the maximum extent possible. However, GAO's review of FY 1999 and FY2000 DOD budget submissions show that the services are not routinely updating savings. The services have no accounting systems in place to track savings.
Department of Defense If Congress authorizes future BRAC rounds, the Secretary of Defense should work with the Task Force on Defense Reform and the National Defense Panel to address, in advance of any future BRAC round, the important organizational and policy issues in the various cross-service areas discussed to facilitate the process of making further infrastructure reductions.
Closed – Implemented
Congress continues to refuse to authorize additional BRAC rounds.
Department of Defense If Congress authorizes future BRAC rounds, the Secretary of Defense should convene a DOD joint working group, as soon as practical, to develop policy guidance, improve BRAC processes and decision-making tools, and ensure greater consistency among the services' processes.
Closed – Implemented
Congress continues to refuse to authorize additional BRAC rounds.
Department of Defense If Congress authorizes future BRAC rounds, the Secretary of Defense should use the current discount rate tied to the U.S. Treasury's borrowing rate to calculate the net present value of BRAC savings estimates.
Closed – Implemented
While DOD has agreed with GAO's recommendation, no action is possible at this time since Congress has not authorized any additional BRAC rounds.
Department of Defense If Congress authorizes future BRAC rounds, the Secretary of Defense should ensure full audit access to all parts of DOD's BRAC process.
Closed – Implemented
Congress continues to refuse to authorize additional BRAC rounds.

Full Report

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Topics

Base closuresBase realignmentsCost effectiveness analysisDefense cost controlDefense economic analysisDownsizingEmployee transfersFederal agency reorganizationMilitary basesObsolete facilitiesSurplus federal propertyEnvironmental cleanups