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GAO-08-270R 1 (2008-03-11)

handle is hein.gao/gaocrptawfv0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 



  SpGAO

       Accountability * Integrity * Reliability
United States Government Accountability Office
Washington, DC 20548


         March 11, 2008

         The Honorable Maria Cantwell
         Chair
         Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard
         Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
         United States Senate

         The Honorable Olympia J. Snowe
         Ranking Member
         Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard
         Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
         United States Senate

         Subject: Status of Selected Aspects of the Coast Guard's Deepwater Program

         The Coast Guard is in the midst of the largest acquisition program in its history-one
         that has experienced serious performance and management problems. The
         Deepwater program is intended to replace or modernize the Coast Guard's fleet of
         vessels, aircraft, and information management capabilities in order to carry out its
         missions along our coastlines and farther out at sea. Deepwater incorporates
         acquisition of 15 major classes of new or upgraded assets-5 major classes each of
         vessels and aircraft, and 5 other projects, including command, control,
         communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR)
         systems. To carry out this acquisition, the Coast Guard contracted with a system
         integrator, Integrated Coast Guard Systems (ICGS).

         Since 2001, we have reviewed the Deepwater program and have informed Congress,
         the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Coast Guard of the risks and
         uncertainties inherent with such a large acquisition. In March 2004, we made
         recommendations to the Coast Guard to address three broad areas of concern:
         improving program management, strengthening contractor accountability, and
         promoting cost control through greater competition among potential subcontractors.'
         In April 2006 and June 2007, we issued follow-on reports describing efforts the Coast
         Guard had taken to address the recommendations.

         You asked us to determine (1) how decisions are made regarding whether to
         purchase assets under the contract with ICGS or directly with another vendor; (2) the
         costs and performance trade-offs, if any, associated with the Coast Guard's

         'GAO, Contract Management: Coast Guard's Deepwater Program Needs Increased Attention to
         Management and Contractor Oversight, GAO-04-380 (Washington, D.C.: Mar. 9, 2004)


GAO-08-270R Deepwater Program

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