Test and Evaluation: Little Progress in Consolidating DOD Major Test Range Capabilities
NSIAD-93-64
Published: Apr 12, 1993. Publicly Released: May 12, 1993.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO evaluated the Department of Defense's (DOD) progress in consolidating similar test and evaluation capabilities at fewer locations to reduce the cost of its test ranges.
Recommendations
Matter for Congressional Consideration
| Matter | Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| If DOD does not take appropriate and timely actions to eliminate duplication of existing test capabilities, Congress should consider reducing test and evaluation funding to compel DOD to realize significant savings through consolidations. | Since the issuance of the report, the Senate Appropriations Committee has pressed DOD for reductions of the test and evaluation infrastructure by requiring DOD to come up with a long-term consolidation plan. In July 1995, Congress reduced funding for the test and evaluation infrastructure by $31.9 million. |
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | To strengthen the Reliance process for consolidating existing test capabilities, the Secretary of Defense should reaffirm the initial Reliance objective of aggressively pursuing the interservice consolidation of existing facilities. |
DOD disagreed with the basic premise of the report, namely, that the objective of the reliance program was to realize immediate consolidations and savings. Instead, DOD stated that the objective was to improve the test and evaluation capabilities within DOD by focusing investments at optimum locations. As opposed to reaffirming the initial reliance objective of aggressively pursuing the interservice consolidation of existing facilities, DOD still proposes to focus future investments at a reduced number of core test and evaluation locations. In GAO's view, DOD has steadfastly maintained the status quo and, therefore, its planned actions will not result in major test facility consolidations in the near term.
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| Department of Defense | To strengthen the Reliance process for consolidating existing test capabilities, the Secretary of Defense should ensure that plans to correct fundamental weaknesses in the study methodology are carried out. These plans should require that: (1) future test requirements be clearly identified and validated; (2) uniform capacity and use data be developed; and (3) cost-benefit analyses be conducted that justify savings available from consolidating existing test capabilities. |
DOD does not agree that any fundamental weaknesses exist in its Reliance process study methodology for consolidating test and evaluation facilities.
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| Department of Defense | To strengthen the Reliance process for consolidating existing test capabilities, the Secretary of Defense should establish interim time frames for planned consolidations to provide a means to gauge progress by the Reliance process. |
DOD still proposes to focus investments at a reduced number of core test and evaluation locations, as opposed to aggressively consolidating test capabilities. Time frames for individual consolidations are being established as specific issues at each location are addressed.
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| Department of Defense | To strengthen the Reliance process for consolidating existing test capabilities, the Secretary of Defense should provide a lead service in each Reliance area, with funding authority to serve as a single agent to help eliminate existing duplication of test capabilities. |
DOD does not plan to provide a lead service in each reliance area with funding authority to serve as a single agent to help eliminate existing duplication of test capabilities. Instead, a Board of Directors, composed of the vice chiefs of the services, has been chartered to manage the resources of the services as a pool. Although these boards are a step in the right direction, apparently they will only coordinate test and evaluation investment programs to increase interoperability, rather than focus on reducing duplication through consolidations.
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| Department of Defense | To strengthen the Reliance process for consolidating existing test capabilities, the Secretary of Defense should increase oversight of lead service efforts to realize the consolidation of test capabilities. |
DOD does not plan to increase oversight of lead service efforts to realize the consolidation of test capabilities. Instead, a Board of Directors and a Board of Operating Directors have been established to evaluate investment programs to increase interoperability. Again, DOD is focusing on investments at optimum locations as opposed to aggressively pursuing the interservice consolidation of existing facilities.
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