Ryan Consaul

The Commission on Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) Reform asked the RAND Corporation for an independent analysis of PPBE-like functions in selected countries and non-Department of Defense federal agencies. This executive summary distills key insights from nine case studies of budgeting processes across comparative organizations, as detailed in three companion volumes.

The authors present lessons learned and observations from an effort to help inform future U.S. Marine Corps Joint Cyber Weapon program acquisition information requirements and educate Department of Defense Software Acquisition Pathway (SWP) program planning efforts. Programs can better use the SWP by prioritizing the acquisition artifact schedule, ensuring stakeholder communication, tailoring artifacts to program needs, and resourcing the program effectively.

Because of the widespread use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) for positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT), concerns have been expressed that a disruption of GPS might require a national investment in backup capabilities. The authors assess the costs associated with realistic threats to domestic, nonmilitary uses of GPS, and review possible additions to the PNT ecosystem in light of those costs.

This report adds two case studies of planning, programming, budgeting, and execution (PPBE) functions-in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and in the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration-to those of other U.S. federal government agencies presented in Volume 3, offering further insights for improving the U.S. Department of Defense's PPBE processes.

This report, part of a four-volume set, presents case studies of planning, programming, budgeting, and execution (PPBE) functions in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to provide insights for improving the U.S. Department of Defense's PPBE processes.