Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle: Introducing Competition into National Security Space Launch Acquisitions Metadata

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Title

  • Main Title Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle: Introducing Competition into National Security Space Launch Acquisitions

Creator

  • Author: United States. Government Accountability Office.
    Creator Type: Organization

Publisher

  • Name: United States. Government Accountability Office.
    Place of Publication: Washington D.C.

Date

  • Creation: 2014-03-05

Language

  • English

Description

  • Content Description: Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) began the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program in 1995 to provide a new generation of launch vehicles to ensure affordable access to space for government satellites. In November 1997, based on commercial forecasts at that time, the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) approved maintaining competition between two contractors, and in 1998, DOD competitively awarded “other transaction agreements” to Boeing and Lockheed Martin for the development and the associated launch infrastructure to meet EELV program requirements. In 2005, DOD revised the EELV acquisition strategy to reflect the collapse of the commercial launch market and the ensuing erosion of the industrial base which DOD believed threatened its assured access to space. In acknowledging the government's role as the primary EELV customer, the new strategy maintained assured access to space by funding two product lines of launch vehicles. Shortly afterwards, Boeing and Lockheed Martin announced plans to consolidate their launch operations into a joint venture—United Launch Alliance (ULA). According to DOD, the EELV program was focused on mission success in the ensuing years, until 2010, when DOD officials predicted EELV program costs would increase at an unsustainable rate. In light of new EELV program costs estimates, DOD recognized the need to reorganize the way it acquired launch services. The 2011 EELV acquisition strategy advocated a steady launch vehicle production rate that would yield both economic benefits to the government through larger lot buys of vehicles, and a predictable production tempo over time to help stabilize the launch industrial base. It also introduced the government's intent to allow competition in the EELV program."

Subject

  • Library of Congress Subject Headings: Government accountability -- United States.
  • Keyword: national defense
  • Keyword: space
  • Keyword: evolved expendable launch vehicle
  • Keyword: testimony

Coverage

  • Place Name: United States

Collection

  • Name: Government Accountability Office Reports
    Code: GAORT

Institution

  • Name: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
    Code: UNTGD

Rights

  • Rights License: pd

Resource Type

  • Text

Format

  • Text

Identifier

  • Report No.: GAO-14-259T
  • Accession or Local Control No: 661336
  • URL: http://gao.gov/products/GAO-14-259T
  • Archival Resource Key: ark:/67531/metadc302661
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