Objective
Our objective was to evaluate DoD overarching quality management policies and procedures and Government-performed quality assurance oversight of defense acquisition programs. To evaluate DoD quality management practices across DoD, we evaluated top-level policies and procedures of DoD Components (that is, Military Departments, Defense agencies, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the combatant commands, and DoD field organizations).
Findings
DoD through the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (OUSD[AT&L]) has not established an overarching quality management policy to ensure the consistent application of quality management system requirements across DoD Components.
In addition, DoD and its Components do not have effective feedback mechanisms in place to evaluate the performance of quality management system and sufficiency of policies.
Recommendations
The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics should:
- Establish within OUSD(AT&L) a dedicated quality management function to provide leadership and oversight of quality management system requirements across DoD acquisition programs.
- Provide clear and concise quality management system definitions and policies for all DoD major acquisition programs that emphasize the importance of a robust quality management program throughout the entire acquisition life cycle.
- Establish quality assurance verification processes throughout the acquisition life cycle that promote effective program and supply chain quality management systems.
- Establish standardized reporting requirements for quality assurance metrics throughout DoD to obtain the information needed to detect trends, identify threats and opportunities, and evaluate program performance.
- Establish policy that ensures Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) policies and riskbased quality assurance oversight decisions are reviewed, understood, and agreed to by the program management offices.
Management Comments
On October 17, 2014, OUSD(AT&L) responded to our recommendations. OUSD(AT&L) partially concurred with three recommendations and did not concur with two recommendations. However, we determined that comments from AT&L do not meet the intent of our recommendations. We request that the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics provide additional comments in response to this report by December 5, 2014.