GAO Report: "NASA: Assessments of Selected Large Scale Projects"

The Government Accountability Office released a new report today, ” NASA: Assessments of Selected Large-Scale Projects,” concluding that:

… 9 of the 10 projects that have been in the implementation phase for several years experienced cost growth ranging from 8 to 68 percent, and launch delays of 8 to 33 months, in the past 3 years. These 10 projects had average development cost growth of almost $121.1 million-or 18.7 percent-and schedule growth of 15 months, and a total increase in development cost of over $1.2 billion, with over half of this total-or $706.6 million-occurring in the last year.”

GAO added that:

Based, in part, on GAO’s previous recommendations, NASA has acted to adopt practices that would ensure programs proceed based on a sound business case and undertaken initiatives aimed at improving program management, cost estimating, and contractor oversight. Continued attention to these efforts and effective, disciplined implementation should help maximize NASA’s acquisition investments.”