Operational Contract Support: Actions Needed to Enhance the Collection, Integration, and Sharing of Lessons Learned

Why GAO Did This Study DOD has spent billions of dollars on contract support during operations in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2002 and anticipates continuing its heavy reliance on contractors in future operations. Generally, OCS is the process of planning for and obtaining needed supplies and services from commercial sources in support of joint operations. GAO has previously identified long-standing concerns with DOD s efforts to institutionalize OCS. This report examines the extent to which 1 the geographic combatant commands and the services collect OCS issues to develop lessons learned, 2 DOD has a focal point for integrating OCS issues from the JLLP, and 3 DOD organizations use JLLIS to share OCS issues and lessons learned. GAO evaluated OCS and lessons-learned guidance and plans and met with DOD commands and offices responsible for OCS planning, integration, policy, and cocontractor managementunctions. What GAO Recommends GAO recommends, among other things, that DOD and the services 1 issue service-wide OCS lelessons learned guidance 2 establish an OCS training requirement for senior leaders 3 ensure the planned OCS joint proponent s roles and responsibilities include integrating OCS issues from the JLLP and 4 improve JLLIS s functionality. DOD concurred with three of these recommendations, but partially concurred with the third recommendation, stating the need to first evaluate its courses of action before establishing such a proponent. GAO believes this recommendation is still valid, as discussed in this report.