These challenges, if they persist, will impede the implementation of NextGen, especially in light of the interdependencies among many acquisition programs, where cost increases or delays in one program can affect the costs and schedules of other programs.įor the four programs GAO selected to analyze in depth, FAA is not consistently following the characteristics of high-quality cost estimates and scheduling best practices that GAO previously identified.
#EXAMPLE FAA GRANT OVERSIGHT PROCESS SOFTWARE#
Specifically, these have involved (1) additional or unanticipated system requirements (2) insufficient stakeholder involvement (such as controllers input) throughout system development (3) underestimating the complexity of software development and (4) unanticipated events including funding shortfalls or work toppages. The 15 acquisitions that experienced schedule delays, of which 10 also had cost increases, ranged from 2 months to more than 14 years and averaged 48 months.Ĭost increases and schedule delays occurred due to several factors, many of which have been longstanding challenges for FAA. The 11 acquisitions that experienced cost increases account for over 60 percent of FAAs total acquisition costs ($11 billion of $17.7 billion) for the 30 programs. In a review of 30 major ATC acquisition programs, all of which will contribute to the transition to NextGen, GAO found that costs for 11 of the 30 programs have increased from their initial estimates by a total of $4.2 billion and 15 programs experienced delays.