Military Logistics: Air Force's Management of Backordered Aircraft Items Needs Improvement
NSIAD-89-82
Published: Jun 02, 1989. Publicly Released: Jun 02, 1989.
Skip to Highlights
Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Air Force's management of back-ordered aircraft items to determine the: (1) effectiveness of back-order reconciliation and validation procedures and practices; and (2) Air Force's promptness in cancelling back-orders on items which were no longer needed.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of the Air Force | The Secretary of the Air Force should improve the Air Force's management of back-orders by: (1) strengthening existing procedures for monthly back-order validations at the base and depot supply levels by requiring that the accuracy of validated back-order listings be certified in writing by appropriate base and depot supply officials and subjected to independent accuracy checks; (2) requiring that transmittal letters accompanying the monthly listings of back-orders to be validated include detailed validation guidance; and (3) stipulating that the accuracy of the validation responses will be certified by the appropriate base or depot supply officials and will be subjected to independent accuracy checks. |
Closed – Implemented
DOD concurred with these recommendations and cited Air Force revisions to its policy directives, regulations, and instructions, which should bring about the needed improvement for the periodic detection and cancellation of invalid orders. Written certification is now required, monthly validation of depot orders has been accomplished, and publication of validation check requirements was completed.
|
| Department of the Air Force | The Secretary of the Air Force should improve the Air Force's management of back-orders by ensuring that base and depot supply personnel responsible for periodic back-order validation checks are adequately trained and fully understand the importance of this task. |
Closed – Implemented
This action was completed with the issuance of the June 2, 1989 change 3 to Air Force Regulation 67-23.
|
| Department of the Air Force | The Secretary of the Air Force should improve the Air Force's management of back-orders by directing that the San Antonio Air Logistics Center (ALC) depot maintenance activity perform monthly back-order validations in compliance with Air Force regulations. |
Closed – Implemented
San Antonio ALC depot maintenance personnel were directed on November 30, 1988, to perform monthly backorder validations in compliance with Air Force regulations. This was followed by an AFLC Regulation 66-53, published to all commands, emphasizing the requirement.
|
| Department of the Air Force | The Secretary of the Air Force should improve the Air Force's management of back-orders by ensuring that base and depot supply computer problems inhibiting the automatic cancellations of excess due-in quantities on stock replenishment orders are satisfactorily resolved. |
Closed – Implemented
The Air Force has taken action to correct the computer problems inhibiting automatic cancellation of excess due-in quantities. HQ AFLC stated that even though there are currently no outstanding deficiency reports against the retail depot supply system, it will continue research to determine if any system problems are precluding timely backorder cancellations.
|
| Department of the Air Force | The Secretary of the Air Force should direct the Commander, AFLC, to revise the policy for D062 stock-funded aircraft item requirement computations to apply depot supply level assets to applicable requirements. |
Closed – Not Implemented
The Air Force does not agree that depot supply level assets should be applied to offset wholesale requirements. GAO does not agree with the Air Force's reasons for not taking corrective action, therefore, GAO intends to follow-up on the reasons for not taking corrective action and report this finding as part of the FY 1991 review of the Air Force aircraft spares budget.
|
| Department of the Air Force | The Secretary of the Air Force should direct the Commander, AFLC, to eliminate the duplicate inclusion of due-out-to-maintenance back-orders from annual budget requirement computations for D041 system procurement appropriation-funded aircraft replenishment spares. |
Closed – Not Implemented
The Air Force does not agree that its system results in duplicative due-out-to maintenance requirements and does not intend to take any corrective action. GAO does not agree with DOD reasons for not taking corrective action, therefore, it intends to follow-up on DOD reasons for not taking action and to report this finding as part of the FY 1991 review of the Air Force aircraft spares budget.
|
| Department of the Air Force | The Secretary of the Air Force should direct the Commander, AFLC, to reemphasize to the air logistics centers the need for eliminating back-order data errors from requirements computations for D062 stock-funded items during the budget review process. |
Closed – Implemented
AFLC issued a letter to all air logistics centers on December 15, 1988 reemphasizing the necessity of backorder validation and then published a regulation (No. 66-53) on February 28, 1989, emphasizing the requirement.
|
Full Report
GAO Contacts
Office of Public Affairs
Topics
Air Force procurementAircraft componentsAircraft maintenanceInformation systemsInventory control systemsLogisticsMilitary cost controlMilitary inventoriesSpare partsMilitary forces