Key Issues > Transforming DOD's Business Operations
defense icon, source: [West Covina, California] Progressive Management, 2008

Transforming DOD's Business Operations

Weaknesses in key business operations within the Department of Defense (DOD) adversely affect DOD's efficiency and effectiveness, and hinder its ability to free up resources for higher priority needs.

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DOD spends billions of dollars each year to sustain key business operations intended to support the warfighter. At a time of growing fiscal constraints, transforming DOD’s business operations will be critical.

Many of DOD's key business operations are high-risk due to their vulnerability to waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement. Longstanding deficiencies have resulted in a lack of adequate accountability, causing DOD to experience cost growth and waste billions of dollars annually.

  • High-risk areas specific to DOD include its approach to business transformation, business systems modernization, support infrastructure management, financial management, supply chain management, weapon system acquisition, and DOD contract management.
  • In addition, DOD shares responsibility for several high-risk areas that are governmentwide in nature, such as managing federal real property management, strategic human capital management, and management of interagency contracting.

Common to all of DOD’s high-risk areas is the need for sustained, senior-level leadership and a more strategic decision-making approach to ensure that programs and investments are based on plans with measurable goals, clear objectives, validated requirements, prioritized resource needs, and performance measures to gauge progress.

Looking for our recommendations? Click on any report to find each associated recommendation and its current implementation status.

DOD Business Systems Modernization

Governance Mechanisms for Implementing Management Controls Need to Be Improved
GAO-12-685, Jun 1, 2012

Defense Inventory

Actions Underway to Implement Improvement Plan, but Steps Needed to Enhance Efforts
GAO-12-493, May 3, 2012

DOD Financial Management

Challenges in Attaining Audit Readiness and Improving Business Processes and Systems
GAO-12-642T, Apr 18, 2012

Defense Acquisitions

Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs
GAO-12-400SP, Mar 29, 2012

Defense Business Transformation

DOD Needs to Take Additional Actions to Further Define Key Management Roles, Develop Measurable Goals, and Align Planning Efforts
GAO-11-181R, Jan 26, 2011

More Reports

DOD Business Systems Modernization

Further Actions Needed to Address Challenges and Improve Accountability
GAO-13-557, May 17, 2013

Organizational Transformation

Enterprise Architecture Value Needs to Be Measured and Reported
GAO-12-791, Sep 26, 2012

Tactical Aircraft

Comparison of F-22A and Legacy Fighter Modernization Programs
GAO-12-524, Apr 26, 2012

Organizational Transformation

Military Departments Can Improve Their Enterprise Architecture Programs
GAO-11-902, Sep 26, 2011

Department of Defense

Further Actions Needed to Institutionalize Key Business System Modernization Management Controls
GAO-11-684, Jun 29, 2011

Defense Logistics

Additional Oversight and Reporting for the Army Logistics Modernization Program Are Needed
GAO-11-139, Nov 18, 2010

DOD Business Transformation

Improved Management Oversight of Business System Modernization Efforts Needed
GAO-11-53, Oct 7, 2010

Organizational Transformation

A Framework for Assessing and Improving Enterprise Architecture Management (Version 2.0) (Supersedes GAO-03-584G)
GAO-10-846G, Aug 5, 2010

Business Systems Modernization

Scope and Content of DOD's Congressional Report and Executive Oversight of Investments Need to Improve
GAO-10-663, May 24, 2010

Defense Logistics

Actions Needed to Improve Implementation of the Army Logistics Modernization Program
GAO-10-461, Apr 30, 2010
More...
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  • portrait of Janet St. Laurent
    • Janet St. Laurent
    • Managing Director, Defense Capabilities and Management
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