Establishing a Framework for the Oversight of Major Defense Acquisition Programs - a Historical Analysis
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View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by AFTI Scholar (Air Force Institute of Technology) Air Force Institute of Technology AFIT Scholar Theses and Dissertations Student Graduate Works 3-2004 Establishing a Framework for the Oversight of Major Defense Acquisition Programs - A Historical Analysis Diane I. K. Kuderik Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.afit.edu/etd Part of the Business Administration, Management, and Operations Commons Recommended Citation Kuderik, Diane I. K., "Establishing a Framework for the Oversight of Major Defense Acquisition Programs - A Historical Analysis" (2004). Theses and Dissertations. 3967. https://scholar.afit.edu/etd/3967 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Graduate Works at AFIT Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of AFIT Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ESTABLISHING A FRAMEWORK FOR THE OVERSIGHT OF MAJOR DEFENSE ACQUISITION PROGRAMS – A HISTORICAL ANALYSIS THESIS Diane I. K. Kuderik, Captain, USAF AFIT/GCA/ENV/04M-04 DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE AIR UNIVERSITY AIR FORCE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED. The views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the United States Air Force, Department of Defense, or the United States Government. AFIT/GCA/ENV/04M-04 ESTABLISHING A FRAMEWORK FOR THE OVERSIGHT OF MAJOR DEFENSE ACQUISITION PROGRAMS – A HISTORICAL ANALYSIS THESIS Presented to the Faculty Department of Systems and Engineering Management Graduate School of Engineering and Management Air Force Institute of Technology Air University Air Education and Training Command In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Cost Analysis Diane I. K. Kuderik, BS Captain, USAF March 2004 APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED. AFIT/GCA/ENV/04M-04 ESTABLISHING A FRAMEWORK FOR THE OVERSIGHT OF MAJOR DEFENSE ACQUISITION PROGRAMS – A HISTORICAL ANALYSIS Diane I. K. Kuderik, BS Captain, USAF Approved: ___________//Signed//__________________ 19 Feb 04 Michael A. Greiner, Maj, USAF (Chairman) date ___________//Signed//______________________ 19 Feb 04 John Driessnack, Lt Col, USAF (Member) date ___________//Signed//_______________________ 19 Feb 04 David R. King, Maj, USAF (Member) date AFIT/GCA/ENV/04M-04 Abstract The Department of Defense (DoD) has budgeted over $134.5 billion for Fiscal Year 2004 for Acquisition, yet little is written about the personnel responsible for managing and evaluating Major Defense Acquisition Programs (MDAP), that is those who perform Acquisition Oversight. The Acquisition Oversight process has not been studied in a disciplined manner. Congress, past Administrations, and the DoD Inspector General have commissioned several studies on the Acquisition Oversight Process. Recommendations were considered and implemented such that the process evolved to where it stands today. Over 40 years separate the first iteration with the latest version. Commission reports, countless studies, and historians agree on the need for oversight in military acquisitions; they agree that the system takes too much money, takes too long, and does not perform as well as most would wish; yet they disagree on who should perform oversight. This thesis reviewed relevant literature to model historical oversight hierarchies. Then expert opinions were gathered from the studies mentioned above, on how well the oversight process modeled preformed. As expected, the oversight process has improved over time but further improvements are currently being sought. Those seeking improvement would do well to study past processes and learn from their mistakes. -iv- Acknowledgments I would like to express my sincere appreciation to my faculty advisor, Maj Michael Greiner, for his guidance and support throughout the course of this thesis effort. The insight and experience was certainly appreciated. I would, also, like to thank my readers, Lt. Col John Driessnack from the Defense Acquisition University and Maj David King of SAF/AQP, for both the support and latitude provided to me in this endeavor. Mostly I would like to thank my family and church for their support and understanding. Diane I. K. Kuderik - v - Table of Contents Page Abstract .......................................................................................................................iv Acknowledgments .........................................................................................................v List of Figures ........................................................................................................... viii List of Tables .............................................................................................................. ix I. Introduction ...........................................................................................................1 Background.............................................................................................................1 Problem Statement..................................................................................................7 Research Objective .................................................................................................8 Scope.......................................................................................................................9 Assumptions..........................................................................................................10 Thesis Overview ...................................................................................................10 II. Literature Review.................................................................................................12 Introduction...........................................................................................................12 Role Definition (1947-1950) ................................................................................13 Decade of Reorganization (1950-1960)................................................................28 Era of McNamara (1961-1968).............................................................................39 Oversight Outgrowth (1969 – 1988).....................................................................44 Reducing Service Oversight (1977-1988) ............................................................52 Streamlining (1989-2003).....................................................................................61 Ongoing Pilot Studies ...........................................................................................70 Summary...............................................................................................................71 III. Methodology........................................................................................................73 Introduction...........................................................................................................73 Criteria of Acquisition Oversight .........................................................................74 Data Source...........................................................................................................77 1949 Oversight......................................................................................................78 1964 Oversight......................................................................................................85 1977 Oversight......................................................................................................92 1988 Oversight......................................................................................................99 Chapter Summary ...............................................................................................102 - vi - Page IV Conclusion ...........................................................................................................103 Review of Research Objectives ..........................................................................103 Discussion of Results..........................................................................................103 Recommendations for Future Research..............................................................104 V Bibliography ......................................................................................................106 - vii - List of Figures Figure Page 1. The Defense Acquisition Management Framework ...............................................3 2. Budget Pie Chart.....................................................................................................5 3. Model Key ..............................................................................................................9 4. National Military Establishment...........................................................................17 5. Air Force Acquisition Oversight Hierarchy of 1949 ......................................26, 78 6. Air Force Acquisition Oversight Hierarchy of 1955 ............................................33 7. Air Force Acquisition Oversight Hierarchy of 1959 ............................................39 8. Air Force Acquisition Oversight Hierarchy of 1964 ......................................43, 85 9. Air Force Acquisition Oversight Hierarchy of 1977 ......................................51,