Senate lawmakers raise concerns over Navy's 'accelerated acquisition' programs

The Navy's use of accelerated acquisition programs has caught the eye of Senate appropriators who want to direct a handful of reports and certifications for such programs in their defense spending bill, according to a report accompanying the committee's bill.

The designation "accelerated acquisition" is given to a program by the chief of naval operations. By doing so, officials are given the authorities to quicken the traditional acquisition process. Former Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and CNO Adm. John Richardson each issued instructions in late 2016 and early 2017, respectively, about accelerating acquisition.

The Senate Appropriations Committee in the report accompanying its defense spending bill notes the Navy's $1.4 billion request to support such programs is "an increase of 150 percent over the amounts enacted in fiscal year 2018."

The committee also noted the Navy's ongoing efforts to reorganize internal processes related to requirements, acquisition strategies and budgets for accelerated acquisition programs.

Lawmakers offered support for such programs and recommended $1.2 billion for the efforts, but are "concerned by repeated instances in which the designation as an accelerated acquisition program has apparently led to imprudent program management decisions affecting contracting actions and funding execution."

Therefore, the committee would direct the Navy's acquisition executive and comptroller to provide a report to Congress within 30 days of the bill's enactment that details the acquisition strategy management and fiscal controls in place to ensure appropriate management of accelerated programs, according to the report.

Alongside the president's FY-20 budget request, the acquisition executive would have to detail the acquisition strategy for each designated accelerated acquisition program. At that same time, the Navy comptroller would have to "certify that the [FY-20 budget] fully funds such acquisition strategies, to include the associated test requirements identified in the test plan for each program," the report said.

Lastly, the acquisition executive would be required to identify to congressional committees any additional training requirements levied on the acquisition workforce associated with the execution of accelerated acquisition programs, according to the report.