Summary: What GAO Found
The Department of Defense (DOD) continues efforts to establish a business enterprise architecture (a modernization blueprint) and transition plan and modernize its business systems and processes, in compliance with key provisions of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 and amendments. Nonetheless, long-standing challenges remain. The following table reflects the status of DOD’s actions to fulfill selected requirements of the act.
In addition, the Office of the Deputy Chief Management Officer has yet to determine and follow a strategic approach to managing its human capital needs, thus limiting its ability to, among other things, effectively address the act’s requirements. Collectively, these limitations put the billions of dollars spent annually on approximately 2,100 business system investments that support DOD functions at risk. GAO’s previous recommendations to the department have been aimed at accomplishing these and other activities related to the business systems modernization. However, to date, the department has not implemented 29 of the 63 recommendations that GAO has made in these areas.
According to DOD officials, recent turnover, changes to the act’s requirements significantly expanding the number of systems subject to certification, and the short time frame for implementing the new investment review process contributed to the aforementioned weaknesses. Until DOD implements GAO recommendations and addresses the weaknesses described in this report, it will be challenged in its ability to manage the billions of dollars invested annually in modernizing its business system investments.
Why GAO Did This StudyGAO designated DOD’s multibillion dollar business systems modernization program as high risk in 1995, and, since then, has provided a series of recommendations aimed at strengthening DOD’s institutional approach to modernization and reducing the risk associated with key investments. The act requires the department to report on actions taken relative to its business systems modernization efforts and GAO to assess DOD’s actions to comply with the act. In evaluating DOD’s compliance, GAO analyzed, for example, the latest version of the business enterprise architecture and enterprise transition plan, investment management policies and procedures, and certification actions for its business system investments.
What GAO RecommendsGAO is making recommendations to help ensure that the department’s modernization program is fully compliant with provisions of the act and to improve the department’s architecture, transition plan, and business system investment management and human capital management within the Office of the Deputy Chief Management Officer. DOD concurred with two recommendations, partially concurred with three, and did not concur with three. GAO continues to believe its recommendations are warranted given the department’s need to more effectively manage its billions of dollars of business system investments and minimize or eliminate system overlap and duplication as appropriate.
For more information, contact Valerie C. Melvin at (202) 512-6304 or melvinv@gao.gov.
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