Defense Management: Observations on DOD's Analysis of Options for Improving Corrosion Prevention and Control through Earlier Planning in the Requirements and Acquisition Processes

摘要

The Department of Defense (DOD), through its costs of corrosion studies, has identified nearly $12 billion in annual corrosion costs (not including Air Force aircraft and missiles). Corrosion also affects equipment readiness and safety. For many years, DOD has recognized that earlier planning could lead to corrosion prevention and control benefits. For example, In 2003, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics issued a policy memorandum stating that corrosion prevention should be specifically addressed at the earliest phases of the acquisition process. DOD's 2003 Directive 5000.01 on the defense acquisition process states that program managers shall consider corrosion prevention and mitigation when making trade- off decisions that involve cost, useful service, and effectiveness. However, in 2007 we reported that most of the major acquisition programs we reviewed had not incorporated key elements of corrosion prevention planning. Section 1041 of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2009 requires the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Director of Corrosion Policy and Oversight, to submit a report on corrosion prevention and control (CPC). Specifically, the report should include: o comments and recommendations regarding potential improvements in CPC through earlier planning; o an evaluation and business case analysis of options for improving CPC in DOD's requirements and acquisition processes, including the impact of such potential improvements on system acquisition costs and life cycle sustainment; and an analysis of the following four options for including corrosion control and prevention.