In response to a congressional request, GAO reported on the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) procurement of the Advanced Utility Simulation Model, an air quality model, specifically: (1) when and how it will be complete and fully operational; (2) why EPA used a cooperative agreement rather than a procurement contract; (3) why EPA did not require the delivery of an operational model and whether it had any recourse, given the contractor's failure to deliver; and (4) whether contracts for computer models include an enforceable obligation to deliver.

GAO found that: (1) EPA estimated that completion of the model will occur in fiscal year 1989 and will cost $5.2 million; (2) EPA stated that it used a cooperative agreement because of the broad national use of the model; and (3) although EPA did not address its failure to require delivery of an operational model, it did acknowledge that its cooperative agreement was not well suited to obtaining such a model. GAO also found that in: (1) nine cases where EPA used contracts to obtain computer models, there were enforceable delivery clauses and clauses precluding proprietary restrictions; and (2) four cases, EPA used interagency agreements that did not require the delivery of a model and potential proprietary problems have occurred.

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