Book Description

Several DOD organizations have issued coordinated plans for the execution of the drawdown, but DOD has yet to fully plan for requirements for contracted services needed during the drawdown. Since our September 2008 report, DOD created new organizations to oversee, synchronize, and ensure unity of effort during the drawdown and established goals and metrics for measuring progress. To date, DOD reports that its drawdown efforts have exceeded its goals. For example, as of January 2010, DOD reported that it exceeded its target figure for withdrawing rolling stock in Iraq?which includes wheeled and tracked combat vehicles, some construction equipment, and trailers?by over 2,600 pieces. However, a large amount of personnel, equipment, and bases remain to be drawn down. In addition, although DOD took some steps to plan for contracted services, limited operational planning for contracted support has challenged its ability to identify the full range of its needs for contracted services to support the drawdown; existing processes may not allow sufficient time for all contracted services needed to be put on contract in a responsible manner; and there exists a lack of clarity regarding the roles and responsibilities of various contract validation review boards. Without addressing these issues, DOD risks not having the right contracted services in place to meet drawdown timelines, which may lead to inefficient and wasteful practices as the drawdown continues.