Tag Archives: acquisition

Our 2016 “Quick Looks” at DOD, NASA, and DHS

Every year, we review the federal government’s priciest and therefore riskiest acquisition programs through our “Quick Looks.” The 3 agencies we focus on are the Department of Defense, NASA, and Department of Homeland Security. While these agencies have very different … Continue reading

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Contracting during a Disaster: Lessons Learned from Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy

When disaster strikes, the Federal Emergency Management Agency can help. But FEMA doesn’t do it all on its own. The agency contracts for goods, like meals and cots for disaster survivors, as well as services, like translators and housing inspectors. … Continue reading

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Our Annual “Quick Look” at DOD’s Weapon Programs

Last week, we issued our annual review of the Department of Defense’s (DOD) major weapon programs. This review assessed 78 programs that will cost a combined $1.4 trillion to acquire. Read on for highlights of our latest DOD “Quick Look” … Continue reading

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GAO’s Acquisition and Sourcing Management Team

GAO’s workforce is organized largely by subject area, with most employees working in 1 of 14 mission teams, many of which we have highlighted on the WatchBlog. Today we’ll be putting the spotlight on the Acquisition and Sourcing Management (ASM) team, … Continue reading

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Controlling Costs for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

From acquisition to operations and maintenance, Department of Defense weapons programs are consistently of interest to the federal government and the public. Since 2000, we have been assessing DOD’s most costly weapons program, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The defense acquisition … Continue reading

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The Future of the Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship

Since 2004, the Navy has been working on acquiring a new class of ship intended to provide surface combat capabilities near the shore (the littoral zone). The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) was intended to have lower acquisition costs and to … Continue reading

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Podcast on F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Sustainment Planning Efforts

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is intended to replace a variety of existing aircraft in the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps within the next four years. Sustaining the F-35 program over its lifecycle carries an estimated cost of approximately … Continue reading

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Podcast on Department of Defense “Quick Look”

Each year, we publish an annual report titled, “Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs,” more commonly referred to as the “Quick Look.”  In addition to providing brief summaries of numerous U.S. defense programs, the report provides insights on the Department of … Continue reading

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How Gaps in Weather Satellite Data Could Affect You

Heck of a lot of weather we’re having lately, with the polar vortex and record cold temperatures across the country. People rely on the weather forecast to determine how to be safe outdoors. This can also be important during hurricane … Continue reading

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