Software Acquisition: Additional Actions Needed to Help DOD Implement Future Modernization Efforts
Fast Facts
To respond to evolving threats, DOD has to develop and deliver software-based weapon and IT systems quickly. DOD has started modernizing its software technologies, policies, and workforce to achieve this.
A few years ago, DOD's advisory committees on science and innovation recommended ways to improve its software development and acquisitions. DOD has at least partially implemented all of those recommendations. For example, DOD improved training, but hasn't fully established a workforce of software developers and acquisition professionals—a key piece of its modernization strategy.
Our recommendations are to help DOD meet its modernization goals.
Highlights
What GAO Found
The Department of Defense's (DOD) response to evolving threats is increasingly determined by its ability to rapidly develop and deploy systems that heavily rely on software, such as weapons or information technology (IT) systems. DOD has taken many steps in the past few years to modernize its approach to developing and acquiring software. DOD's efforts at least partially implement all 17 Defense Science Board (DSB) and Defense Innovation Board (DIB) recommendations, some of which include multiple recommended actions. For example, DOD substantially implemented two DIB recommendations by streamlining software acquisition processes and piloting a new funding approach to deliver software faster.
DOD Has at Least Partially Implemented All of the DIB and DSB Recommendations
However, for 13 of the 17 recommendations, DOD has yet to take certain actions outlined in the recommendations. For example, while DOD enhanced training for its software workforce, it has yet to establish a cadre of software developers. DOD officials stated that they have addressed the intent of the recommendations and do not plan to fully implement all recommended actions, in part, because certain actions may be impractical or outdated.
DOD has outlined transformational plans to continue software modernization. According to DOD, its plans will require a cohesive department-wide effort that will take time to fully implement. However, DOD has yet to take certain steps recommended by GAO's past work to position itself to effectively implement its planned reforms. For example, DOD has yet to finalize implementation plans for these efforts or conduct strategic planning for its software workforce to ensure it has the needed skillsets to implement reforms. Taking such steps would better position DOD to implement its planned reforms, which are aimed at helping achieve its goal of more rapidly delivering software to its users.
Why GAO Did This Study
DOD has made efforts to modernize its approaches to developing and acquiring software for its software-intensive systems—such as weapon and IT systems. However, it faces challenges executing approaches to rapidly deliver software. The DSB and DIB published reports in 2018 and 2019, respectively, which made recommendations to improve DOD's software practices.
Congress included a provision in statute for GAO to examine DOD's implementation of DSB and DIB recommendations. This report assesses (1) the extent to which DOD addressed DSB and DIB recommendations; and (2) the extent to which DOD is positioned to implement its future software modernization plans.
GAO reviewed DOD documents related to ongoing and future software reform initiatives and interviewed relevant officials. GAO then compared this information to DIB and DSB recommendations and key practices from past GAO work.
Recommendations
GAO is making seven recommendations, including that DOD finalize implementation plans for future software modernization efforts and develop a software workforce plan. DOD concurred with four recommendations and partially concurred with three recommendations. GAO continues to believe that all of its recommendations are warranted.
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should ensure that, as the Software Modernization SSG and other relevant entities develop performance measures for future software modernization efforts, these measures incorporate GAO's key attributes of successful performance measures, to the extent appropriate, to track progress towards achieving agency goals. (Recommendation 1) |
The Department of Defense (DOD) agreed with our recommendation. In March 2023, DOD published its Software Modernization Strategy implementation plan. Among other things, the implementation plan outlines tasks associated with the February 2022 Software Modernization Strategy goals and includes current and proposed metrics for assessing some of these tasks. The proposed metrics largely align with elements of GAO's key attributes for successful performance measures. However, the implementation plan also notes the need to develop additional measures for certain tasks moving forward. In January 2024, DOD stated that it was in the process of developing these measures. In August 2024, DOD told us that the Software Modernization SSG had met to discuss GAO's key attributes of successful performance measures and determined that the Software Modernization Strategy implementation plan would incorporate these measures to the extent possible. Moreover, DOD told us that it developed metrics and briefed the results to the Deputy Secretary of Defense to provide insight into software modernization progress. We have requested documentation of these metrics and will evaluate it upon receipt. As of August 2024, DOD has yet to publish the Software Science and Technology implementation plan, which DOD noted will establish performance measures to track progress towards achieving Software Science and Technology Strategy goals-a key department-wide strategy that establishes software modernization goals. In March 2023, DOD stated that this implementation plan is in draft and will, among other things, establish and define metrics for outcome-oriented goals.
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| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should direct the USD(A&S), USD(R&E), and DOD CIO to identify the resources needed, such as staffing and funding, to lead DOD's software acquisition and development reform efforts, and to address any related deficiencies these officials identify. (Recommendation 2) |
The Department of Defense (DOD) partially agreed with our recommendation. In March 2023, DOD published its Software Modernization Strategy implementation plan. Among other things, the plan identifies tasks aligned with key Software Modernization Strategy goals as well as the offices of primary and collateral responsibility for carrying out these tasks. In August 2024, DOD told us that the implementation plan had been coordinated across DOD, which implied acceptance by offices of primary responsibility of the need to identify and provide the resources for individual software modernization tasks under their purview. However, DOD has yet to determine whether the Software Modernization Senior Steering Group (SSG)-DOD's implementation team-will have the capacity and resources necessary to lead software modernization activities, as we recommended based on leading practices for successful implementation of reform efforts.
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| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should fully identify roles and responsibilities for leaders throughout the department for carrying out reforms included in key software strategies. (Recommendation 3) |
The Department of Defense (DOD) agreed with our recommendation. In March 2023, DOD published its Software Modernization Strategy implementation plan. Among other things, the plan identifies tasks aligned with key Software Modernization Strategy goals as well as the offices of primary and collateral responsibility for carrying out these tasks. In August 2024, the department stated that formal coordination of the implementation plan throughout the department indicated that leaders of these offices had accepted the responsibilities implicit in carrying out the tasks assign to them. In the report, we acknowledge that assigning lead offices is an important element in implementation planning. Yet, DOD's efforts to date have yet to fully identify the specific roles and responsibilities of leaders involved in transformational software reforms. Further, as of August 2024, DOD has yet to finalize the implementation plan for its Software Science and Technology Strategy, so leadership roles for related efforts have yet to be identified. As we noted in our report, until DOD fully identifies the roles and responsibilities for these leaders, DOD will likely be challenged to hold officials in charge of DOD's transformation accountable for implementation.
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| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should ensure the USD(A&S), USD(R&E), and DOD CIO finalize an implementation plan that includes key milestones and deliverables to track progress on implementing the Software Modernization Strategy. (Recommendation 4) |
The Department of Defense (DOD) agreed with our recommendation. In March 2023, DOD published the Software Modernization Strategy Implementation Plan. Among other things, the implementation plan includes key milestones and deliverables to track progress towards implementing DOD's February 2022 Software Modernization Strategy.
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| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should ensure the USD(R&E) finalizes an implementation plan that includes key milestones and deliverables to track progress on implementing the Software Science and Technology Strategy. (Recommendation 5) |
The Department of Defense (DOD) agreed with our recommendation. In January 2023, DOD told us the Software Science and Technology Strategy implementation plan was in draft and expected to be completed in fiscal year 2023. In January 2024, DOD stated that the implementation plan was updated to ensure alignment with DOD science and technology priorities and will be presented for final distribution once approved by the Software Modernization Senior Steering Group (SSG). In August 2024, DOD told us that the implementation plan is awaiting formal approval, which is expected to occur by October 2024.
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| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should direct the USD(A&S), USD(R&E), and DOD CIO to establish processes to collect the data necessary to effectively measure progress against outcome-oriented goals related to software modernization efforts. (Recommendation 6) |
The Department of Defense (DOD) partially agreed with our recommendation. The Software Modernization Strategy implementation plan, published in March 2023, largely includes metrics identified to measure progress against outcome-oriented goals related to software modernization efforts. In January 2024, DOD said that they will collect metrics and data related to each activity outlined in the implementation plan and lead an effort to normalize the metric for import into Advana, DOD's enterprise data platform. In August 2024, DOD told us that it developed metrics for the Software Modernization Strategy implementation plan and briefs the results to the Deputy Secretary of Defense monthly to provide insight into software modernization progress. We have requested documentation of data collection processes associated with these metrics and will evaluate upon receipt. In addition, as of August 2024, DOD has yet to publish the Software Science and Technology implementation plan, which DOD noted will establish performance measures to track progress towards achieving Software Science and Technology Strategy goals-a key department-wide strategy that establishes software modernization goals. In August 2024, DOD told us that the implementation plan is awaiting formal approval, which is expected to occur by October 2024.
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| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should ensure that, once the software workforce is identified, the USD(A&S), the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, and other relevant entities, use that information to develop a department-wide strategic workforce plan that identifies strategies tailored to address gaps in the critical skills and competencies needed to achieve software modernization goals. (Recommendation 7) |
The Department of Defense (DOD) partially concurred with our recommendation. In January 2024, DOD's Office of the Secretary of Defense issued a memorandum to senior DOD leadership on a department-wide initiative to assign and code work roles related to data, artificial intelligence (AI), and software engineering, otherwise known as DOD's digital workforce. However, in August 2024, DOD stated that while it continues efforts to identify the software workforce, it does not plan to use the information it obtains from that effort to develop a strategic workforce plan, as we recommended. It stated that a cyber workforce plan issued in 2023 is inclusive of the software workforce and so no separate plan for the software workforce will be pursued. However, as we discuss in our report, successful workforce planning is predicated on understanding the current workforce as a starting point to identify workforce gaps and strategies to address those gaps. Until DOD determines when and how it will conduct effective workforce planning for its software workforce based on data from its workforce identification effort, its ability to meaningfully transform its software acquisition practices as intended remains in question.
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