Federal Manager's Daily Report

DoD has taken several initial steps to carry out a mandate in the 2017 defense budget to foster collaboration and integration across the department, GAO has said.

The law required DoD to: provide training to its political appointees on leadership, modern organizational practice, collaboration, and the operation of cross-functional teams within three months of appointment; award a contract to study how to best implement cross-functional teams; and develop and issue an organizational strategy.

GAO said that in the six months after that mandate’s enactment, DoD has begun made plans to use existing training as well as develop additional training in conjunction with subject matter experts. Also, it has awarded a contract for the study on leading practices for cross-functional teams–although three months late, due to budgetary uncertainty–and is taking initial steps to develop an organizational strategy that it expects to be completed by September 1.

GAO did not make any recommendations.