DOD Urged To Address Major Weapons' Operating-And-Support Costs

摘要

Lawmakers are urging the Defense Department to get a better grip on the operating-and-support costs for major weapons, which can account for as much as 70 percent of the total life-cycle cost of the systems. In its version of the fiscal year 2012 defense authorization bill, the Senate Armed Services Committee calls for the Pentagon to implement recommendations made by the Government Accountability Office and DOD's cost assessment shop to improve the management of operating-and-support costs. A congressional source said the language is the most important acquisition policy provision in the bill. The House version of the bill, meanwhile, directs DOD to review its methods for estimating the life-cycle costs of major weapons. The pressure from Congress comes as the federal government grapples with a massive deficit and as major DOD programs continue to struggle with cost overruns and schedule delays. Past reviews have found that inadequate visibility concerning operating and support (O&S) costs has hindered effective program management.