|
Pentagon Restructuring
|
Unknown |
— |
Enhance Oversight of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Grantmaking
In 2010, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) funded an event that matched "rock, paper, scissors" players against robots who had been programmed to cheat. Reevaluating future such grants could ensure research funds do not go to wasteful or irrelevant projects. Permalink
|
|
|
|
— |
Enhance oversight of Department of Defense Grantmaking
In 2017, the Department of Defense granted $3.9 million for a study examining how distracting junk food was as compared to healthy foods such as carrots and kale. As Senator Joni Ernst noted in her "squeal report," it's questionable whether Defense dollars needed to be spent on such a topic, and evaluating future studies could save millions. Permalink
|
|
|
> $1 million annually |
— |
Enhance oversight of Air Force Grantmaking
In 2004, the United States Air Force paid paid $25,000 to "study the physics of teleportation" and released a report suggesting spending $7.5 million to conduct future experiments. While the future of teleportation remains unclear, it is clear that future safeguards could help save millions of dollars before they are spent in the future. Permalink
|
|
|
> $1 million annually |
— |
Enhance oversight of Office of Naval Research Grantmaking
In 2017, the Office of Naval Research granted $209,000 to a study examining the sociability of dogs. In 2014, the ONR began a study that would cost $3.85 million to study whether "Spidey Sense," or a "sixth sense" that can warn of danger, existed and could be identified and honed. As highlighted by Senator Joni Ernst, herself a combat veteran, such spending can direct resources away from critical troop needs, and strengthening oversight and reform could save millions. Permalink
|
|
|
Hundreds of millions |
— |
Improve the processes used to budget for and manage foreign currency fluctuations
In 2018, GAO recommended four separate options for the Pentagon to find the most cost-effective foreign currency rates when paying for goods and services overseas. DOD "generally concurred" with the recommendations but has yet to take action. Permalink
|
|
|
$7 billion+ annually |
S.1378 - Bonuses for Cost-Cutters Act of 2016 (Sen. Paul, R-KY) |
Stop punishing personnel for saving money
Ostensibly to save unnecessary funds, agencies are required to return unused funds at the end of the year, which can encourage waste and spending sprees at the end of the fiscal year. In recent years, GAO has estimated that "carryover" funds across the government were over $2 trillion across agencies, with several DoD agencies having balances of roughly $7 billion on average per year from 2007-2012. Various options exist for ensuring agencies are not penalized for finding cost savings, including a plan introduced in the Senate in 2016 that would send unused funds to Treasury to pay down deficits while awarding bonuses to employees who find savings. Further action is necessary to ensure full savings are achieved. Permalink
|
|
|
|
— |
Minimize overlapping and duplicative efforts when accounting for missing persons
There are eight organizations that play significant roles in recovering missing persons. These organizations should work together to minimize duplicative efforts and ensure they are using all their resources adequately.
In fall 2018, GAO reported that some progress had been made in dividing up responsibilities for accounting for missing persons, but that more work remained. Permalink
|
|
|
|
— |
Efficiently manage commissaries
Developing a plan for finding and implementing various reductions to appropriations will support DOD’s efforts to ensure the $2 billion cost savings target is attainable. DOD reported in November 2o18 that it had finalized such a plan but did not provide it to GAO, leaving remaining questions over whether its ultimate cost savings target is accurate and feasible. Permalink
|
|
|
|
— |
Establish formal mechanisms for coordination with the NOAA
The DoD can work to reduce the risks of gaps in weather satellite capabilities by working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and establishing principles that help with their constant coordination. This process could eliminate overlapping duties as well as missed opportunities.
DOD has formalized this coordination. Permalink
|
|
|
|
— |
Optimize business operations and systems
By implementing policies for managing and overseeing major automated information system (MAIS) business programs to adhere to leading information technology (IT) management practices, DOD can avoid duplication and waste. GAO reports it has begun to do so. Permalink
|
|
|
|
— |
Improve information sharing across advertising programs
Developing a more straightforward process for sharing marketing and advertising material across the different military branches would help rid the DOD of overlapping work.
At the end of 2018, GAO reported DOD had "made considerable progress in developing a formal process for coordination regarding DOD’s advertising program," but more work remained. Permalink
|
|
|
$1 billion per year |
— |
Require DOD buildings to have the same energy-efficiency as other federal agencies and the commercial sector
By metering energy consumption and focusing on energy investments that lower cost, the DoD can drastically improve on the price it pays for energy. Of the ten federal agencies that consume the most energy, the DoD has performed the worst at lowering its energy use per square foot, or Energy Use Intensity (EUI), signaling the ability for potential savings. DoD could be required to match private sector and other agency standards. Permalink
|
|
|
|
— |
Determine the value of DoD federal research and development programs
The US government provides research and development funds for a broad range of activities, but R&D funding is typically included along with other funding, making it impossible to tell how much specific R&D funds are being provided until after the fact. By more specifically classifying these funds, DoD can examine whether projects are important for the mission. While not specifically related, in 2019, Senator Joni Ernst introduced the "COST" Act, which would stipulate that “every project supported with federal funds [to] include a price tag with its cost to taxpayers," and such steps could help address this problem. Permalink
|
|
|
|
— |
Evaluate the effectiveness of Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP)
Funding for Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) has grown exponentially over the years. The DoD could save money by evaluating which of these are important to national defense and which can be reduced or shifted to other areas of government. Permalink
|
|
|
$579.7 million |
— |
Defund global health related activities
In order to consolidate duties and resources, the DoD could step back from administering global health funding to focus on defense and national security, while leaving health initiatives up to other departments that are focused on those issues. In 2017, President Trump's budget request suggested as much, but there has not been progress on the issue. Permalink
|
|
|
$150 billion over 10 years |
— |
Require annual reductions in DoD spending on programs and activities not advantageous to military capability
Creating a long-term plan that analyzes which programs are not fulfilling their duties could help find the cuts that are needed to sustain an effective national defense. By being required to examine each program every year, the DoD will have a better idea of what policies and departments are working well and which ones may need to be tweaked. Permalink
|
|
|
$251 billion over 10 years |
— |
Reduce the size of the military
If possible, lowering the number of troops could be spread across all branches of the military and be based on mission needs. The shrinking of size could satisfy the caps of the Budget Control Act and wouldn't require other adjustments. Permalink
|
|
|
|
H.R.3079 - Audit the Pentagon Act of 2017 (53 sponsors) |
Audit the Pentagon
In 2018, the Pentagon failed its first-ever audit, but establishing a regular audit schedule is an important step toward good governance and discovering ways in which DOD can save. Permalink
|
|
|
|
— |
Modernize and streamline military branches
The US currently maintains what could be considered duplicate forces: two armies (i.e., Army and Marine Corps.) and four air forces (the Air Force, Marine Corps aviation, Naval Air Forces, and the CIA’s fleet of aircraft and drones). Some have suggested streamlining duties and even branches themselves in order to make the fighting force more efficient and modernized. Permalink
|
| Show All |
|
|
Enhance Oversight of DARPA Grantmaking 
