Contracting Practices at Air Force Laboratory Facilities
Contracting Practices at Air Force Laboratory Facilities

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 33

ISBN-13:

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Who Should Read This Report and Why? DoD procurement and contracting personnel involved with contracting at DoD laboratory facilities should read this report. This report discusses the need for contracting personnel to improve the award, administration, and monitoring of contracts at Air Force laboratories. Background. DoD laboratories are operated and managed by the Military Departments to conduct research and development and to support acquisition. One of the main functions performed by the DoD laboratories is science and technology research. Science and technology research includes basic research, applied research, and advanced technology development. Basic and applied research are broadly stated areas of scientific study. Advanced technology development includes concept and technology demonstrations of components and subsystems or system models. In FY 2006 the DoD budget for science and technology programs totaled $13.3 billion. The Air Force Research Laboratory is responsible for planning and executing the Air Force science and technology program budget ($2.4 billion in FY 2006) including basic research, applied research, and advanced technology development. The Air Force Research Laboratory was formed in 1997 through the consolidation of four former Air Force laboratories and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. This audit reviewed the management of research and development contracts at Air Force laboratories. We reviewed 20 contracts valued in excess of $828 million.

Air Force Service Procurement
Air Force Service Procurement

Author: Laura H. Baldwin

Publisher: Rand Corporation

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 68

ISBN-13: 9780833037145

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This research is based on a series of interviews with commercial sector purchasing professionals who are respected by their peers for their successful creation and implementation of what are widely accepted as best purchasing and supply management practices, particularly in the area of service acquisitions. The authors also examine such practices through conference participation and a review of the business literature. They find that commercial firms rely on results-oriented metrics that focus on how acquisition activities support corporate objectives to manage their service acquisition activities. While not a commercial firm, the Air Force can learn from commercial firms' experiences in managing its service acquisitions. The authors recommend a balanced portfolio of performance metrics for the Air Force based on the five major categories of results-oriented metrics that appeared most often in their research: cost, quality, supplier satisfaction, implementation of new initiatives, and special interest items. Commercial firms indicated that in addition to the results-oriented metrics, internal management metrics that track internal customer satisfaction, personnel training and retention, and ethics violations are also important. Selected metrics are reported to top-level executives on a regular basis.