	JPDO Has Made Progress in Planning NextGen, but Faces Several Challenges

JPDO has made progress in planning NextGen by facilitating collaboration  among its partner agencies, working to finalize key planning documents,  and improving its collaboration and coordination with FAA. Among the  challenges JPDO faces are institutionalizing collaboration among the  partner agencies, and identifying and exploring questions related to which  entity will fund and conduct the research and development needed to meet  NextGen requirements. First, JPDO has taken several actions that are consistent with  practices that facilitate interagency collaboration—an important point  given how critical such collaboration is to the success of JPDO’s mission. The enterprise architecture follows from the concept of  operations and will describe the system in more detail (using the federal  enterprise architecture framework). The draft concept of operations has been  posted to JPDO’s Web site for stakeholder review and comment. According to JPDO, an expanded version of the enterprise architecture is  expected in mid-2007. Progress has also been made in improving the collaboration and  coordination between JPDO and FAA—the agency largely responsible for  the implementation of NextGen systems and capabilities. FAA has  expanded and revamped its Operational Evolution Plan (OEP)—renamed  the Operational Evolution Partnership—to become FAA’s implementation  plan for NextGen. The OEP is being expanded to apply to all of FAA and  is intended to become a comprehensive description of how the agency will  implement NextGen, including the required technologies, procedures, and  resources. Challenges for JPDO Include Institutionalizing Interagency Collaboration and Exploring Potential Gaps in Research and Development Needs for NextGen

Although JPDO has established a framework for collaboration, it has faced  a challenge in institutionalizing this framework. Still another challenge facing JPDO is ensuring that all relevant  stakeholders are involved in the effort. Successful implementation will depend, in part,  on how well FAA addresses its challenges of institutionalizing its recent  improvement in managing air traffic control modernization efforts,  addressing the cost challenges of implementing NextGen while safely  maintaining the current air traffic control system, and obtaining the  expertise needed to implement a system as complex as NextGen. FAA’s management improvements are relatively recent developments, and  the agency will have lost two of its significant agents for change—the  Administrator and the COO—by the end of September. This continued  commitment to change is critical over the next few years, as foundational  NextGen systems begin to be implemented. It is important to note that while FAA must manage the costs associated  with the NextGen transformation, it must simultaneously continue to fund  and operate the current national airspace system. 1). FAA Needs to Explore Whether It Has the Technical and Contract Management Expertise Necessary to Implement NextGen

In the past, a lack of expertise contributed to weaknesses in FAA’s  management of air traffic control modernization efforts, and industry  experts with whom we spoke questioned whether FAA will have the  technical expertise needed to implement NextGen.
Why GAO Did This Study

The skies over America are becoming more crowded every day. The consensus of opinion is that the current aviation system cannot be expanded to meet this projected growth. Recognizing the need for system transformation, in 2003 Congress authorized the Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO) and requires the office to operate in conjunction with multiple federal agencies, including the Departments of Transportation, Commerce, Defense, and Homeland Security; the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. JPDO is responsible for coordinating the related efforts of these partner agencies to plan the transformation to the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen): a fundamental redesign of the national airspace system. FAA will be largely responsible for implementing the policies and systems necessary for NextGen, while safely operating the current air traffic control system. GAO's testimony focuses on (1) the progress that JPDO has made in planning NextGen and some challenges it continues to face and (2) the challenges that FAA faces transitioning to NextGen. GAO's statement is based on our recent reports as well as ongoing work, all of which has been conducted in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards.

What GAO Found

JPDO has made substantial progress in planning NextGen, but continues to face several challenges. JPDO has established a framework to facilitate federal interagency collaboration and is involving nonfederal stakeholders in its planning efforts. JPDO has begun leveraging the resources of its partner agencies and is finalizing key planning documents such as the concept of operations and the enterprise architecture. The draft concept of operations has been posted to JPDO's Web site for public comment and the enterprise architecture is expected to be completed in the next few months. JPDO and FAA have improved their collaboration and coordination by expanding and revamping FAA's Operational Evolution Plan--renamed the Operational Evolution Partnership--which is intended to provide an implementation plan for FAA for NextGen. Among the challenges JPDO faces are institutionalizing the interagency collaboration that is so central to its mission, developing a comprehensive cost estimate, and addressing potential gaps in research and development for NextGen. In transitioning to NextGen, FAA faces several challenges. Although FAA has taken several actions to improve its management of current air traffic control modernization efforts, institutionalizing these improvements will require continued strong leadership, particularly since the agency will have lost two of its key agents for change by September 2007. Costs are another challenge facing FAA as it addresses the resource demands that NextGen will likely pose, while continuing to maintain the current air traffic control system. Finally, determining whether it has the technical and contract management expertise necessary to implement NextGen is a challenge for FAA.