The Government Accountability Office found that the Department of Defense has initiated steps to implement 16 of the 30 recommendations made by the Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2011 but still needs to document progress in implementing those recommendations.
“By fully documenting the progress of the department's efforts to implement the recommendations, DOD could help achieve the Commission's vision for improving the oversight and management of contingency contracting operations,” GAO said in a report published Friday.
The commission was created in accordance with law to offer recommendations to improve contingency contracting.
The congressional watchdog recommended that DOD improve data on exercises, operations and other activities related to contingency operations in the Synchronized Predeployment and Operational Tracker-Enterprise Suite (SPOT-ES).
SPOT-ES is an information system that DOD uses to track and report data about contracts and contractor staff supporting contingency operations.
GAO said the Pentagon should designate an office that would provide oversight for tracking and reporting which activities listed in SPOT-ES are associated with “applicable contingency operations” and initiate actions to improve data accuracy and completeness.
