Since many DOD weapon systems remain in service for decades, military leaders need to do a better job on capturing the technical data rights they need to keep these weapons in the field and functioning at top efficiency, GAO auditors say. Acquiring data rights in major weapons procurements can add as much as $1 billion to the Pentagon's cost, yet the decision on whether to acquire these data rights can have far-reaching implications for DOD's ability to sustain and procure parts and services competitively for those systems, GAO says.
Access to technical data can help DOD officials control costs, maintain flexibility in acquisition and sustainment, as well as maintain and operate systems. Nevertheless, GAO auditors found that existing laws do not adequately address how program managers should assess their technical-data needs.
DOD officials recently added a requirement for program managers to conduct a business-case analysis for the long-term technical-data needs of weapon systems, yet the Pentagon has not issued policy or other internal controls that describe how to conduct this analysis, GAO auditors found.
Without instructions that describe how to conduct the business-case analysis, senior acquisition decision makers may not receive the information they need to decide whether to approve programs at major milestones in the acquisition process.
To rectify this problem, GAO recommends that DOD update policies to clarify its technical-data documentation requirements, and tell program managers which elements to include and the information to report for technical-data business-case analyses.
GAO auditors say that DOD leaders agree with their recommendations. For more information contact the GAO online at www.gao.gov.
