DOD Business Systems Modernization: Improvements to Enterprise Architecture Development and Implementation Efforts Needed

In 1995, the DoD business systems modernization program was designated as a high-risk program, and the program remains on the high-risk list today. A key to successful systems modernization is having and using an enterprise architecture as an authoritative frame of reference, or blueprint, for system investment decisions. To assist DoD in modernizing its business systems, Congress passed legislation consistent with prior recommendations for DoD to develop and implement a business enterprise architecture (BEA). In response, DoD developed a corporate BEA that it intends to federate, or extend, to the military depts. and defense agencies. This report evaluates the status of the Air Force, Navy, and Army architecture programs. Illus.

In 1995, we first designated the Department of Defense's (DOD) business systems modernization program as "high risk," and we continue to designate it as such today. To assist in addressing this high-risk area, Congress passed legislation consistent with prior GAO recommendations for Defense to develop a business enterprise architecture (BEA). In September 2006, DOD released version 4.0 of its BEA, which despite improvements over prior versions, was not aligned with component architectures. Subsequently, Defense issued a strategy for extending its BEA to the component military services and defense agencies. To support GAO's legislative mandate to review DOD's BEA, GAO assessed DOD's progress in defining this strategy by comparing it with prior findings and recommendations relevant to the strategy's content.

In 1995, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) first designated the Department of Defense's (DoD) business systems modernization program as "high risk," and they continue to designate it as such today. To assist in addressing this high-risk area, Congress passed legislation consistent with prior GAO recommendations for Defense to develop a business enterprise architecture (BEA). In September 2006, DoD released version 4.0 of its BEA, which despite improvements over prior versions, was not aligned with component architectures. Subsequently, Defense issued a strategy for extending its BEA to the component military services and defense agencies. To support GAO's legislative mandate to review DoD's BEA, GAO assessed DoD's progress in defining this strategy by comparing it with prior findings and recommendations relevant to the strategy's content. To assist DoD in its efforts to evolve and extend its BEA, GAO is augmenting a prior recommendation to the Secretary of Defense for developing an architecture development management plan by recommending that this plan incorporate details needed to execute DoD's Business Mission Area federation strategy. In comments, DoD largely disagreed with GAO's recommendation, noting that elements of it were either unnecessary or not appropriately focused.