Military Sealift Command Contracts: Contract Abuses Resulted in Poorly
Maintained Ships, Unqualified Crews, and Increased Cost to Government
(Testimony, 10/12/94, GAO/T-OSI-95-3).

The Navy depends upon a privately run sealift tanker fleet to transport
jet fuel and other petroleum products to ports worldwide. A GAO review
found understaffed and unqualified crews--some with felony records;
deteriorating vessels plagued by everything from massive oil leaks to
inoperable life boats; and poor oversight by the Military Sealift
Command. The lack of maintenance, which harmed the ships' safety and
mission readiness, ended up costing the federal government an additional
$20 million. Weaknesses in the Command's contract administration
included the absence of (1) a program manager, (2) a written designation
of departmental responsibilities for the program, and (3) a Contracting
Officer's Technical Representative to monitor the performance of the
contractor operating the nine tankers from 1990 until 1993.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  T-OSI-95-3
     TITLE:  Military Sealift Command Contracts: Contract Abuses 
             Resulted in Poorly Maintained Ships, Unqualified Crews,
             and Increased Cost to Government
      DATE:  10/12/94
   SUBJECT:  Ships
             Marine transportation operations
             Navy procurement
             Equipment maintenance
             Contract administration
             Contractor personnel
             Contract monitoring
             Contract noncompliance
             Cost overruns
             Contractor performance
IDENTIFIER:  Desert Storm
             
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