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Strategic Defense Initiative Program: Better Management Direction and Controls Needed

NSIAD-88-26 Published: Nov 27, 1987. Publicly Released: Nov 27, 1987.
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Highlights

In response to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Department of Defense's (DOD) Strategic Defense Initiative Organization's (SDIO) management of the Systems Analysis and Battle Management (SABM) Program.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should require the Director, SDIO, to place increased management attention on providing direction and oversight to the executing agencies associated with the SABM program. This should minimize inefficiencies and increase the usefulness of work package directives as the primary management document.
Closed – Not Implemented
The Director, SDIO, directed that the system and battle management architecture effort be integrated, and the content of work package directives be changed.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should: (1) ensure that SDIO implements an internal management control (IMC) program; and (2) report the SDIO material IMC weaknesses and describe the plans and schedule for correcting the weaknesses, in accordance with the Federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act of 1982.
Closed – Not Implemented
DOD stated that: (1) the SDIO internal management contract program is being implemented on schedule; (2) the fiscal year 1987 annual statement of assurance was prepared; and (3) material weaknesses discovered during the risk assessment process were disclosed.

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Aerospace researchAir defense systemsSoftwareContract terminationDefense capabilitiesMilitary research and developmentResearch program managementSystems designWeapons systemsMilitary forces