Assessment of United States Army Environmental Quality Research, Development, andAcquisition (EQ RDA). Application of Opportunities from Defense and Army Acquisition Reforms

摘要

Over the next six years the Army expects to pay more than $8.7 billion dollars toremediate contaminated lands and to mitigate outdated industrial and troop installation operations. These high costs have had and will continue to have significant impact on the availability of resources for operations, modernization and procurement of critical warfighting materiel, and training lands. Environmental costs therefore represent significant opportunity losses for Army Readiness. The Secretary of the Army and the Chief of Staff of the Army promulgated the 'Army's Environmental Strategy into the 21st Century' to drive environmental sustainability as a tool for maintaining Army Readiness. However, serious limitations of available environmental technologies are hampering that Strategy. The Army has invested substantially in environmental quality research, development, and acquisition (EQ RDA) to modernize its environmental technologies. Unfortunately, that effort has had little strategic pay-off and the Army remains far from reaching its goal of environmental sustainability. This study represents a comprehensive assessment of the management practices the Army has used in the past to conduct EQ RDA. It contains the perspectives of key stakeholder elements of the Army Secretariat and Army Staff. Additionally, conclusions draw on the expertise available in the Tri-Service EQ RDA arena, the Defense Acquisition University, and the Office of the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Environmental Security. Several useful management tools proven highly effective in Defense and Army Systems RDA programs are recommended for EQ RDA implementation. These tools will ensure greater returns on Army RD investments and facilitate meeting Army sustainability goals.