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Federal Civilian Agencies' Management of Their Aircraft and Related Services

Published: Sep 23, 1982. Publicly Released: Sep 23, 1982.
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Highlights

GAO discussed the results of its review on the management of aircraft by Federal civilian agencies. In 1977, GAO reported that Federal civilian agencies were acquiring, operating, and managing aircraft independently and without any Government-wide guidance. In a current review, GAO found that, although these agencies spent nearly $500 million to operate aircraft in fiscal year 1981, very little has changed in the way civilian agencies manage aircraft since the 1977 report. Agencies still are not using uniform methods or systems to accumulate and report aircraft costs. Agencies have spent millions to acquire aircraft without adequately justifying their purchases and without complying with the cost comparison provision in Office of Management and Budget Circular A-76. GAO believes that, if agencies are required to justify aircraft acquisitions with a bona fide Circular A-76 analysis, a high potential exists for reducing the number of aircraft in the Government inventory. The method civilian agencies use to acquire aircraft seems to depend largely on the amount of funds available to the agency, rather than on whether it results in the lowest overall cost to the Government. GAO believes that savings can be realized if aircraft are obtained on a departmentwide basis by consolidating procurements and by using the most effective acquisition methods. GAO found many cases where agencies were routinely using their aircraft to transport people when commercial service was more practical and less costly. Many agencies' aircraft are underused, and the agencies are not coordinating their aircraft programs and sharing aircraft and related services, even though some agencies perform similar missions. GAO believes that a focal point must be established before extensive sharing and consolidation efforts can be expected. In the opinion of GAO, even greater economies and efficiencies can be achieved if a single coordinating activity is established to operate a Government-wide management information system for aircraft services used by civilian agencies.

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