Don’t Kill CAPE
The storied Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation office is invaluable to the Pentagon. Three former directors explain why.
CHRISTINE FOX, JAMIE MORIN and BOB DAIGLE | JUNE 22, 2023
In recently introduced legislation, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee has proposed to close the Defense Secretary’s team of independent analysts, the storied Office of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation. Along with directing the firing of the Director and her deputies, the draft legislation wipes out several laws written since 2009 that have charged the CAPE office with independent responsibilities for analyzing what sorts of major acquisition programs the military needs and what they are likely to cost.
While we are not familiar with the details of the apparent policy clash that has led to the chairman’s proposal, as former directors of the organization we do know that the disestablishment proposal is unwise and will undermine the efficiency and effectiveness of our national defense. The CAPE organization’s work is key for ensuring that resource decisions in the Department are strategy-driven, based on robust analysis, and informed by realistic cost assessments.
At a time when the national security challenges facing the Department demand joint solutions and creative responses to stiff competition from potential adversaries, CAPE provides valuable decision support to the Defense Secretary and other senior DOD leaders. In a typical year, each analyst in the office is responsible for reviewing an average of $30 billion in taxpayer funds, and develops an average of $1.5 billion in reallocation proposals for consideration by the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense along with their senior leadership team of military and civilian officials. Perhaps understandably, those who benefit from the status quo are often uncomfortable with this detailed scrutiny by a team of highly skilled and independent analysts, but it is indispensable to have a smart and effective defense in a rapidly changing world. That’s why several countries around the world have sought to create similar organizations to advise their defense leaders.
https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2023/06/dont-kill-cape/387777/
