About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

GAO-01-514R 1 (2001-03-20)

handle is hein.gao/gaocrptanep0001 and id is 1 raw text is: G AO ,Accountability * Integrity* Reliability United States General Accounting Office Washington, DC 20548 March 20, 2001 The Honorable Donald H. Rumsfeld Secretary of Defense Subject: Defense Planning: Opportunities to Improve Strategic Reviews Dear Mr. Secretary: For the past several years, the General Accounting Office (GAO) has reviewed the Department of Defense's (DOD) efforts to strategically plan for the nation's defense needs and prepare related budgets. In particular, we evaluated DOD's methodology for conducting the 1993 Bottom-Up Review and the 1997 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR), and its preparation of several Future Years Defense Programs (FYDP). As the Department begins a new effort to review its strategic priorities, consider alternatives to current forces, weapons programs, and support operations, and reach investment decisions, we would like to share some observations based on our past work for your consideration. In particular, these areas relate to the importance of 1) using realistic assumptions and integrated analyses to reach force structure and modernization decisions, 2) preparing FYDPs that clearly link strategy and resources, and 3) ensuring the Department's review efforts carefully scrutinize opportunities to reduce support infrastructure and improve business processes. USE OF REALISTIC ASSUMPTIONS AND INTEGRATED ANALYSES NEEDED TO FULLY ASSESS FORCE STRUCTURE AND MODERNIZATION ALTERNATIVES Our evaluation of the 1993 Bottom-Up Review and the 1997 QDR identified limitations in DOD's analytical approach to assessing defense needs and opportunities to strengthen future review efforts.' ' Bottom-Up Review: Analysis of Key DOD Assumptions (GAO/NSIAD-95-56, Jan. 31, 1995) and Quadrennial Defense Review: Oiortunities to Imrove the Next Review (GAO/NSIAD-97-144, June 25, 1998). GAO-01-514R Defense Planning Page 1

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Contact us for annual subscription options:

Contact Us

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most