Department defence strategic reform program

The aim of the SRP is to reform Defence business processes and practices over the next decade, allowing resulting savings to be reinvested within the Defence portfolio. The May publication which outlined the SRP, The Strategic Reform Program delivering Force , lists its three key elements: improved accountability, improved planning, and enhanced productivity. The SRP, which is now in its implementation phase, is a complex and ambitious program. The Savings Streams and their gross savings targets, are listed in the April publication.

The Non-Savings Streams aim for more efficiency and effectiveness rather than for direct cost reductions. They are described in detail in the and documents, as well as in the information sheets on the SRP webpage:.

However, the success of the SRP could be difficult to gauge, especially for those outside Defence. Over half of the initiatives are not targeting direct cost reductions, but aim to promote a cost-conscious and business-like cultural change across the Defence organisation. In coordinating its reform efforts, DOD has generally followed leading practices for collaboration, but there is a risk that this collaboration may not be sustained in light of any organizational changes that Congress or DOD may make.

This risk is increased because the Office of the Chief Management Officer OCMO and other offices have not formalized and institutionalized these efforts through written policies or agreements. Without written policies or formal agreements that define how organizations should collaborate with regard to DOD's reform and efficiency efforts, current progress may be lost, and future coordination efforts may be hindered.

DOD spends billions of dollars each year to maintain key business operations. DOD has also undertaken additional efforts to reform its operations in recent years. This report assesses the extent to which DOD has 1 established valid and reliable baseline cost estimates for its business operations; 2 established well-documented cost savings estimates reflecting its reforms; and 3 coordinated its reform efforts.