Saturday, April 22, 2006

More Waste

The Department of Defense (DOD) spends about $20 billion a year developing systems to use space to support military operations and gather information. Unfortunately, it does not spend that money wisely.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found projects costing almost twice the original estimate and being as much as six years late. It looks like a lot of the problem is due to hubris and poor project management. DOD starts more programs than it has the budget for and it starts them before ensuring that there is a reasonable chance that the program can be completed within budget and on time. Plus, if they get a good idea mid-project, they include it.

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