Spectrum Management in Defense Acquisitions

DOD has taken initial steps to address this recommendation. In June 2004, in response to GAO's recommendations and subsequent Congressional direction, DOD revised and reissued DOD Directive 4650.1, "Policy for Management and Use of the Electromagnetic Spectrum." This directive requires that the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Networks and Information Integration (ASD/NII) develop and maintain a Strategic Plan for management and use of the spectrum that establishes goals, objectives, measures, and responsibilities to ensure DOD spectrum needs are met and that the Department is making the most efficient and effective use of available spectrum. In July 2004, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a memorandum to all DOD components that provided guidance on the development of component-level spectrum management implementation plans. These implementation plans were intended to achieve goals and objectives established in DOD's Electromagnetic Spectrum Management Strategic Plan, which was published in October 2002. The objectives and performance measures associated with achieving Goal 1 of this Strategic Plan--improve electromagnetic spectrum management and electromagnetic environmental effects business processes--were closely in line with the intent of GAO's recommendation. However, while these component-level implementation plans were to have been delivered by November 2004, they were never finalized or approved, and the associated progress updates that were to have been submitted to ASD/NII by September 2005 (and biannually thereafter) were never produced. In August 2006, DOD published its Net-Centric Spectrum Management Strategy which articulated the Department's long-term vision for the transformation of spectrum management policies and processes within the Department. In addition, DOD issued an updated Electromagnetic Spectrum Management Strategic Plan in 2007 that outlines the department's key objectives and strategies to improve spectrum management practices. According to the plan, DOD intends to develop appropriate implementation plans for each of the objectives. However, implementation plans have not yet been developed and progress toward meeting the key spectrum management objectives has not been determined.

In its final response to GAO's report, DOD partially concurred with GAO's recommendation that DOD should identify an official or officials within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (OUSD/AT&L) to be accountable for oversight and enforcement of spectrum management in the acquisition process. DOD agreed with the need to ensure spectrum supportability for all systems in the acquisition process, but noted that it believed expanding OUSD/AT&L's direct oversight function was not required. Rather, it believed that existing organizational responsibilities and mechanisms could be leveraged to accomplish the goals of GAO's recommendation. According to an OASD/NII representative, coordination of spectrum supportability issues between OUSD/AT&L and OASD/NII have improved greatly since we made this recommendation. In particular, OUSD/AT&L's reviews of system engineering plans - one of a program's key acquisition documents - have stressed the need to assess document spectrum supportability as part of the system engineering process. However, the Department has not changed its position on this recommendation; DOD does not believe that formal identification of an official or officials within OUSD/AT&L is necessary.

In its final response to GAO's report, DOD partially concurred with GAO's recommendation that DOD should identify an official or officials within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (OUSD/AT&L) to establish a mechanism to identify to the spectrum management community new systems that may ultimately require spectrum certification. DOD agreed with the need to ensure spectrum supportability for all systems in the acquisition process, but noted that it believed expanding OUSD/AT&L's direct oversight function was not required. Rather, it believed that existing organizational responsibilities and mechanisms could be leveraged to accomplish the goals of GAO's recommendation. According to an OASD/NII representative, while coordination of spectrum supportability matters between OUSD/AT&L and OASD/NII has improved greatly since we made this recommendation, the Department has not changed its position on this recommendation; DOD does not believe that formal identification of an official or officials within OUSD/AT&L is necessary.

In its final response to GAO's report, DOD partially concurred with GAO's recommendation that DOD should identify an official or officials within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (OUSD/AT&L) to establish a mechanism that provides the spectrum management community program schedule data for systems that may require spectrum certification, both to facilitate their prioritization of work effort, and enable measurement of process enforcement and responsiveness. DOD agreed with the need to ensure spectrum supportability for all appropriate systems in the acquisition process, but noted that an expanded OUSD/AT&L direct oversight function was not required. Rather, it believed that existing organizational responsibilities and mechanisms could be leveraged and emphasized to safeguard against systems progressing through development without timely and sufficient consideration of spectrum supportability. According to an OASD/NII representative, coordination of spectrum supportability issues between OUSD/AT&L and OASD/NII has improved greatly since we made this recommendation. In addition, spectrum supportability considerations have become an important element of the needs assessments conducted under the Joint Staff's Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS) - assessments which precede the development of new systems. However, the Department has not changed its position on this recommendation; DOD does not believe that formal identification of an official or officials within OUSD/AT&L is necessary.

In its final response to GAO's report, DOD partially concurred with GAO's recommendation that DOD should identify an official or officials within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (OUSD/AT&L) to establish a mechanism to ensure--in line with DOD Directive 4650.1--that programs requiring spectrum certification do not proceed beyond Milestone B of the acquisition process without approved spectrum certification unless the designated official (or officials) has granted the program a waiver based upon appropriate cause, risk mitigation strategy, and compliance deadline. DOD stated that it agreed with the need to ensure spectrum supportability for all appropriate systems in the acquisition process, but noted that an expanded OUSD/AT&L direct oversight function was not required. Rather, it believed that existing organizational responsibilities and mechanisms could be leveraged and emphasized to safeguard against systems progressing through development without timely and sufficient consideration of spectrum supportability. According to an OASD/NII representative, while coordination of spectrum supportability matters between OUSD/AT&L and OASD/NII has improved greatly since we made this recommendation, the Department has not changed its position; DOD does not believe that formal identification of an official or officials within OUSD/AT&L is necessary.