Technology Reinvestment Project: Recent Changes Place More Emphasis on Military Needs

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed the Department of Defense's (DOD) Technology Reinvestment Project (TRP), focusing on: (1) how TRP differs from other DOD dual-use programs; (2) the military relevance of selected TRP projects; and (3) changes in TRP to place more emphasis on military needs. GAO noted that: (1) TRP projects must be competitively selected, include government-industry cost sharing requirements, and involve industry-led partnerships unlike other DOD dual-use programs; (2) Congress mandated that TRP must be capable of equipping the armed forces, sustaining production and repair operations, maintaining advanced military research and development activities, and developing military supplies; (3) of the 11 TRP projects reviewed, six projects were directly aimed at DOD military needs; and (4) growing concerns about the military relevance of TRP projects have caused Congress to mandate that the military services become more involved in emphasizing military needs when selecting TRP projects.