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Deficiencies in the St. Louis Defense Telephone Service Should Be Avoided in Future Consolidations

LCD-81-4 Published: Oct 27, 1980. Publicly Released: Oct 27, 1980.
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Highlights

The Department of Defense (DOD) has established a long-range program, the Defense Metropolitan Area Telephone System, to develop consolidated local area telephone systems for its activities. Discussions between DOD and the General Services Administration (GSA) are underway to create Government-wide consolidated local-area systems. DOD experience with consolidated systems is limited to the Defense telephone service in Washington, D.C., and in St. Louis, Missouri. The Washington system, which is unique in size and complexity, serves military users almost exclusively. The St. Louis system, modernized in April 1979, uses modern technology and serves both DOD and a growing number of Government civil agency subscribers. Thus, the St. Louis system is a more appropriate model for many proposed DOD consolidated systems.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of the Army The Secretary of the Army should devote the necessary resources to correct the design, operating, and management deficiencies of DTS-STL.
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
Department of the Army The Secretary of the Army should provide the DTS-STL Director with an operating charter, either under DMATS or independently, which is consistent with the system's technology and the community of interest being serviced by the system.
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should clarify and strengthen the role of the DMATS Director to make the position independent of local military command control to preclude conflict of interest, define the DMATS Director's responsibilities and authority over other military department and civil subscribers to the system, structure the position and supporting staff resources consistent with potential Government-wide metropolitan area consolidation.
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.
Office of Management and Budget The Director of the Office of Management and Budget should develop a policy for consolidation of local telephone service that assigns organizational responsibilities and contains implementing guidelines, procedures, and/or standards.
Closed
Please call 202/512-6100 for additional information.

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Topics

Cost effectiveness analysisLogisticsMilitary communicationSystems designSystems evaluationSystems managementTelecommunicationsTelecommunications equipmentTelephonesMilitary forces