Recently, the JWST program recognized significant cost growth and  schedule slippage. In addition, the program’s schedule slipped  nearly 2 years. JWST’s Revised Strategy Does Not Fully Incorporate a Knowledge-Based Approach That Could Reduce Risks and Better Inform Decision Making

The JWST program recently revised its acquisition strategy to conform to  NASA’s acquisition policies; however, the program still faces considerable  challenges. GAO best practices work has found that using a knowledge- based approach is a key factor in program success. When we initiated our  work and before the program’s recently revised acquisition strategy,  program officials intended to have NASA commit to the program and start  implementation with immature technologies, according to best practices,  and without a preliminary design. During our review, we discussed these  shortfalls with NASA officials, and they revised their acquisition strategy  to align their decision milestones in accordance with NASA acquisition  policy. In order to close the gaps between NASA’s current acquisition  environment and best practices on knowledge-based acquisition, we  recommended that NASA take steps to ensure that NASA projects follow a  knowledge-based approach for product development. Furthermore, the strategy does not fully incorporate a  knowledge-based approach that could address the program’s risks by  ensuring—through the use of exit criteria—that resources match  requirements in terms of knowledge, time, and money before program  start. This requires greater fidelity in the testing, even as early as  demonstrating the maturity of key technologies prior to program start. Given the severity of the  fiscal challenges our nation faces and the wide range of competing federal  programs, hard choices need to be considered across the government, and  NASA is no exception. Recommendations for Executive Action

To increase the JWST program’s chances of successful product  development, we recommend that the NASA Administrator take the  following actions:
Direct the JWST program to fully apply a knowledge-based acquisition  approach—to include incremental markers—that will not only ensure  that adequate knowledge is attained at key decision points, but also  hold the program accountable. Appendix I: Scope and Methodology

To assess the extent to which the JWST acquisition strategy follows NASA  policy and GAO best practices for ensuring readiness to proceed into  implementation, we reviewed NASA policy on program management and  compared the JWST project office’s management approach to NASA  policy. In  almost all cases, this is the end of the  last “bug fixing” aspects of true system  development.
Why GAO Did This Study

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is being designed to explore the origins and nature of the universe. It should allow scientists to look deeper into space--and thus farther back in time--than ever before. The program, however, has experienced cost growth of more than $1 billion and its schedule has slipped nearly 2 years. NASA recently restructured the program and now anticipates a launch no sooner than June 2013. Because of the cost and schedule problems, under the Comptroller General's authority, we reviewed the JWST program to determine the extent to which this procurement follows NASA acquisition policy and GAO best practices for ensuring that adequate product knowledge is used to make informed investment decisions

What GAO Found

Although the JWST program recently revised its acquisition strategy to conform to NASA's acquisition policies, the program still faces considerable challenges because it has not fully implemented a knowledge-based approach, which our past work has shown is often a key factor in program success. In a recent report, we made recommendations that NASA take steps to ensure that projects follow a knowledge-based approach for product development. NASA concurred and revised its acquisition policy. When we initiated our work and before the JWST program's recently revised acquisition strategy, program officials intended to have NASA commit to program start, which is the end of the formulation phase and the beginning of the implementation phase, with immature technologies, according to best practices, and without a preliminary design. During our review, we discussed these shortfalls with NASA officials, and they revised their acquisition strategy to conform to NASA policy. However, the current strategy still does not fully incorporate a knowledge-based approach which ensures that resources match requirements in terms of knowledge, time, and money before program start. If program officials follow the current plan, the maturity of key technologies may not be adequately tested prior to program start. In addition, it appears the program will not have sufficient funding resources to ensure the program's success. In light of the fiscally constrained environment the federal government and NASA will face in the years ahead, adopting a knowledge-based approach will not only increase the JWST program's chances for success but also lay the foundation for comparison between competing programs.