Summary: GAO reviewed the Air Force's Critical Item Program to determine whether it was: (1) identifying parts shortages that seriously impaired mission capability; (2) quickly restoring supplies of mission-essential parts; and (3) identifying underlying causes of shortages to prevent recurrences.
GAO found that operating bases report: (1) each instance when a mission-essential part fails and cannot be replaced from base stock; and (2) the number of hours between the time the base requisitions a part and the time it receives the part. If a part accumulates more than 1,000 requisition-hours in a month, the Air Force adds it to the program. Five air logistics centers (ALC) are primarily responsible for implementing the program. GAO also found that ALC did not: (1) follow prescribed procedures for including qualified items in the program; (2) timely take physical inventories to verify purchase requirements and available stock; (3) timely process procurement requests; (4) timely receive bases' failed parts for repairs; or (5) accurately identify and timely correct underlying causes of critical parts shortages. In addition, GAO found that ALC generally did not adequately: (1) follow up and correct program deficiencies identified by Air Force auditors; (2) enforce minimum standards for reviewing and documenting critical item shortages; or (3) award contracts within a reasonable time.
