IOU on GCV AOA

The Army still owes Congress a report with information about the analysis of alternatives crafted as part of the Ground Combat Vehicle program. As Inside the Army reports in this week's issue, quoting an Army spokeswoman, officials submitted an "interim response" to lawmakers on Jan. 15. That was the deadline day for a reporting requirement in the fiscal year 2011 National Defense Authorization Act.

As it turns out, that interim response amounts to very little. The one-page memo, which we obtained this week, simply states the report will be late. "The U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command completed a GCV AoA Executive Summary Briefing, containing a thorough and detailed listing of the AoA results, in response to an Army tasking in December 2010," Army Deputy Chief of Staff (G-3/5/7) Lt. Gen. Daniel Bolger wrote in the memo.

"That report is currently in staffing and the Army will forward the report to the committees no later than March 31, 2011, along with an explanation of any plans, if any, to adjust the requirements of the GCV program during the technology-development phase," Bolger wrote.

The delay means a provision on the authorization legislation takes effect, restricting the use of funds for the program. But don't expect the Army to get too worked up about that. As the three-month evaluation period of the GCV begins, no contract is due to be handed down anyway. And with the report scheduled for delivery in later March, Army officials can wait out the ensuing 30 days of congressional vetting mandated by law and still be able to spend money shortly after a milestone A decision, which is expected in late April.

Of course, there is also the question of how much money lawmakers would appropriate for GCV in a long-overdue defense spending bill in March, if they can agree on a budget bill for the remainder of FY-11 in the first place.