What We Did
We conducted this audit in response to a request from then Senator Jim Webb. We determined whether the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) complied with Public Law 101-510, “Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990,” as amended. Specifically, we determined whether NGA complied with Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Recommendation 168, “National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Activities,” which required NGA to close the following sites and relocate all NGA functions to the new facility at Fort Belvoir, Virginia:
- Dalecarlia and Sumner sites, Bethesda, Maryland;
- Reston 1, 2 and 3, Reston, Virginia;
- Newington buildings 8510, 8520, and 8530, Newington, Virginia; and
- Building 213, South East Federal Center, Washington, D.C.
What We Found
NGA did not comply with BRAC legislation. Specifically, NGA:
- continued operations and made modifications to Newington 8520; and
- did not move all functions to the NGA Campus East (NCE) at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, as required.
This occurred because instead of implementing BRAC legislation requirements, NGA officials developed a flawed rationale to justify continuing operations at the Newington site. In addition, the Under Secretary of Defense, Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (USD[AT&L]) officials who were responsible for overseeing the BRAC planning process did not promptly determine that NGA’s actions were not compliant with the BRAC legislation. NGA could have minimized or avoided $11.4 million in total costs if they had incorporated the Newington site into the original plans for the NCE as required by BRAC legislation.
What We Recommend
USD(AT&L) should monitor NGA’s plans to relocate functions remaining at NGA’s Newington site to NCE, as required by the BRAC legislation. In addition, the Director, NGA, should:
- initiate negotiations with the contractor at the Newington site to ensure that NGA meets the BRAC’s statutory intent of eliminating excess physical capacity, and
- review the BRAC decisions made by NGA personnel and take administrative action as appropriate.
Management Comments and Our Response
We received comments from the Acting Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Installations and Environment) and the Director, NGA, that were not fully responsive to the recommendations. Therefore, additional comments are required.