Battlefield Automation:
Better Justification and Testing Needed for Common Computer Acquisition
IMTEC-88-12: Published: Dec 31, 1987. Publicly Released: Feb 3, 1988.
Additional Materials:
- Full Report:
Contact:
(202) 275-8598
contact@gao.gov
Office of Public Affairs
(202) 512-4800
youngc1@gao.gov
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Army Command and Control System (ACCS) common hardware and software acquisition program to determine its cost-effectiveness for providing battlefield computer systems.
GAO found that the Army: (1) plans to use a consolidated acquisition strategy to procure computer hardware and software for four battlefield systems; (2) has not performed the required operational or cost-effectiveness analysis to justify its acquisition strategy; (3) assumes that readily available, off-the-shelf products will meet its needs; (4) plans to acquire its proposed common hardware and software system before fully testing it; and (5) has sufficient time to analyze its acquisition strategy and test the equipment before deploying it to the battlefield systems. GAO also found that several Army and independent studies questioned the operational and cost-effectiveness of the proposed acquisition strategy in terms of: (1) ability to meet individual battlefield systems requirements; and (2) potential consistency and coordination with current battlefield system development efforts.
Recommendations for Executive Action
Status: Closed - Implemented
Comments: The Army concurs with this recommendation and has taken action to comply with it.
Recommendation: The Secretary of the Army should complete a full operational and cost-effectiveness analysis, demonstrating the best strategy for meeting battlefield system requirements, before awarding a contract for common hardware and software.
Agency Affected: Department of Defense: Department of the Army
Status: Closed - Implemented
Comments: The Army concurs with this recommendation and has taken action to comply with it.
Recommendation: The Secretary of the Army should, if the operational and cost-effectiveness analysis shows that the common acquisition approach is the best strategy, conduct preaward testing that determines the ability of each vendor's common hardware and software to meet critical processing and communication requirements of the four battlefield systems.
Agency Affected: Department of Defense: Department of the Army
Status: Closed - Implemented
Comments: The Army concurs with this recommendation and has taken action to comply with it.
Recommendation: If, as a result of successful preaward testing, the Army proceeds with the acquisition, the Secretary of the Army should initially procure only those quantities needed for development and testing and defer production quantity commitments for deployment until operational testing shows that the common hardware and software enables the battlefield systems to meet their required operational capabilities.
Agency Affected: Department of Defense: Department of the Army
Explore the full database of GAO's Open Recommendations
»
Feb 26, 2021
-
Defense Transportation:
DOD Can Better Leverage Existing Contested Mobility Studies and Improve TrainingGAO-21-125: Published: Feb 26, 2021. Publicly Released: Feb 26, 2021.
Feb 25, 2021
-
Military Service Uniforms:
DOD Could Better Identify and Address Out-of-Pocket Cost InequitiesGAO-21-120: Published: Feb 25, 2021. Publicly Released: Feb 25, 2021.
Feb 24, 2021
-
Defense Budget:
Opportunities Exist to Improve DOD's Management of Defense SpendingGAO-21-415T: Published: Feb 24, 2021. Publicly Released: Feb 24, 2021.
Feb 22, 2021
-
Service Acquisitions:
DOD's Report to Congress Identifies Steps Taken to Improve Management, But Does Not Address Some Key Planning IssuesGAO-21-267R: Published: Feb 22, 2021. Publicly Released: Feb 22, 2021.
Jan 21, 2021
-
Close Air Support:
Actions Needed to Enhance Friendly Force Tracking Capabilities and Fully Evaluate TrainingGAO-21-99: Published: Jan 21, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 21, 2021.
Jan 19, 2021
-
GPS Modernization:
DOD Continuing to Develop New Jam-Resistant Capability, But Widespread Use Remains Years AwayGAO-21-145: Published: Jan 19, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 19, 2021.
Jan 14, 2021
-
Columbia Class Submarine:
Delivery Hinges on Timely and Quality Materials from an Atrophied Supplier BaseGAO-21-257: Published: Jan 14, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 14, 2021. -
Department of Defense:
Actions Needed to Improve Accounting of Intradepartmental TransactionsGAO-21-84: Published: Jan 14, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 14, 2021.
Jan 12, 2021
-
DOD Critical Technologies:
Plans for Communicating, Assessing, and Overseeing Protection Efforts Should Be CompletedGAO-21-158: Published: Jan 12, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 12, 2021.
Dec 10, 2020
-
Climate Resilience:
DOD Coordinates with Communities, but Needs to Assess the Performance of Related Grant ProgramsGAO-21-46: Published: Dec 10, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 10, 2020.
Looking for more? Browse all our products here