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- Addressed

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- Partially Addressed

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- Not Addressed

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- Consolidated or Other

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- Pending

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- Closed-Partially Addressed

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- Closed-Not Addressed

Year Identified: 2019

Area Number: 18

Area Type: Cost Savings & Revenue Enhancement

Action:

The Secretary of the Army should (1) finalize and implement a process to collect and monitor information on the extent to which all implemented intergovernmental support agreements (IGSA) have resulted in financial and nonfinancial benefits and (2) complete documentation of that process in Army IGSA policy or procedures.

Progress:

DOD concurred with GAO’s October 2018 recommendation, and, in response to it, finalized and implemented an Order directing the monitoring of any realized financial benefits of implemented IGSAs. While this Order does not specifically require the monitoring of realized nonfinancial benefits, a related Order on IGSAs states that it is essential for the Army to leverage public-public partnerships in order to, among other things, improve relationships with state and local communities. We believe that this meets the intent of our recommendation. By establishing and implementing this process and documenting it in guidance, the Army will have information decision makers can use when reviewing individual IGSAs for possible renewal and when deciding whether to develop and implement similar agreements in other locations.

Action:

The Secretary of the Navy should (1) establish and implement a process to collect and monitor information on the extent to which all implemented intergovernmental support agreements (IGSA) have resulted in financial and nonfinancial benefits and (2) document that process in Navy IGSA policy or procedures.

Progress:

DOD concurred with GAO’s October 2018 recommendation, and in March 2019 the Department of the Navy directed the Commander, Navy Installations Command, to establish policy or procedures, and implement a process, to collect and monitor information on the realized financial or nonfinancial benefits of all implemented IGSAs. In addition, the department directed that the information shall be provided to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations & Facilities) semi-annually. In June 2019, Commander, Navy Installations Command, issued the required guidance, and the Navy collected data on the financial and nonfinancial benefits of the Navy's implemented IGSAs in the 4th quarter of fiscal year 2019. By establishing and implementing this process and documenting it in guidance, the Navy will have information decision makers can use when reviewing individual IGSAs for possible renewal, and when deciding whether to develop and implement similar agreements in other locations.

Action:

The Commandant of the Marine Corps should (1) establish and implement a process to collect and monitor information on the extent to which all implemented intergovernmental support agreements (IGSA) have resulted in financial and nonfinancial benefits and (2) document that process in Marine Corps IGSA policy or procedures.

Progress:

DOD did not concur with GAO’s October 2018 recommendation, stating that the Marine Corps was within the Department of the Navy and that the recommendation was unnecessary. However, GAO made a similar recommendation to the Navy, with which DOD concurred. In March 2019, the Department of the Navy directed the Commander, Marine Corps Installation Command (MCICOM), to establish policy or procedures and implement a process to collect and monitor information on the realized financial or nonfinancial benefits of all implemented IGSAs. In June 2019, MCICOM issued the required guidance. By establishing and implementing this process and documenting it in guidance, the Marine Corps will have information decision makers can use when reviewing individual IGSAs for possible renewal, and when deciding whether to develop and implement similar agreements in other locations.

Action:

The Secretary of the Air Force should (1) establish and implement a formal process to collect and monitor information on the extent to which all implemented intergovernmental support agreements (IGSA) have resulted in financial and nonfinancial benefits and (2) document that process in Air Force IGSA policy or procedures.

Progress:

DOD concurred with GAO’s October 2018 recommendation, and has taken some steps to implement it. According to officials, the Air Force issues an annual data call for financial information on savings from each Air Force installation that has a completed IGSA. In addition, officials stated that the Air Force is producing a formalized document for IGSA policy and procedures. Until it completes documentation of the process in its IGSA policy and procedures, the Air Force may not have information that would help decision makers when they review individual IGSAs for possible renewal or consider similar agreements for other locations.

Action:

The Secretary of the Army should (1) finalize and implement a process to monitor whether Army installations are evaluating opportunities for using intergovernmental support agreements (IGSA) and to obtain explanations from installations on the outcome of their evaluations and (2) complete documentation of that process in Army IGSA policy or procedures.

Progress:

DOD concurred with GAO’s October 2018 recommendation and the Army finalized and implemented guidance to pursue cost savings at Army installations through use of IGSAs. Specifically, the guidance directs Army installations to coordinate with Army Installation Management Command headquarters to identify opportunities to develop and submit proposals for IGSAs with local or state governments, beginning with solid waste services. Army installations are also to develop other IGSA ideas and concepts in addition to the targeted solid waste service area. By finalizing and implementing this process and documenting it in guidance, the Army will have greater visibility of installations' pursuit of opportunities to reduce costs or enhance mission effectiveness through the use of IGSAs.

Action:

The Secretary of the Navy should (1) establish and implement a process to monitor whether Navy installations are evaluating opportunities for using intergovernmental support agreements (IGSA) and to obtain explanations from installations on the outcome of their evaluations and (2) document that process in Navy IGSA policy or procedures.

Progress:

DOD concurred with GAO’s October 2018 recommendation, and in March 2019 the Department of the Navy directed Commander, Navy Installations Command, to implement it. In December 2019, a Navy official told GAO that the Navy was drafting policy to implement the recommendation with a goal of having it in place by Spring 2020. Until the process is documented in its IGSA policy, the Navy will lack assurance that installations are pursuing opportunities to reduce costs or enhance mission effectiveness through the use of IGSAs.

Action:

The Commandant of the Marine Corps should (1) establish and implement a process to monitor whether Marine Corps installations are evaluating opportunities for using intergovernmental support agreements (IGSA) and to obtain explanations from installations on the outcome of their evaluations and (2) document that process in Marine Corps IGSA policy or procedures.

Progress:

DOD did not concur with GAO’s October 2018 recommendation. However, in written comments, DOD stated that the Department of the Navy would implement this recommendation and that it would be applicable to both the Navy and Marine Corps. In December 2019, a Navy official told GAO that the Navy was drafting policy to implement the recommendation with a goal of having it in place by Spring 2020. Until the process is documented in the Department of the Navy’s IGSA policy, the Marine Corps will lack assurance that installations are pursuing opportunities to reduce costs or enhance mission effectiveness through the use of IGSAs.

Action:

The Secretary of the Air Force should document in Air Force intergovernmental support agreement (IGSA) policy or procedures its process for monitoring whether Air Force installations are evaluating opportunities for using IGSAs.

Progress:

DOD concurred with GAO’s October 2018 recommendation. According to officials, the Air Force is in the process of working with installations to ensure that IGSA opportunities are evaluated, and developing a handbook to guide installations in doing so, with an estimated completion date of Spring 2020. Until the process is documented in its IGSA policy or procedures, the Air Force will lack assurance that installations are pursuing opportunities to reduce costs or enhance mission effectiveness through the use of IGSAs.