This is a program to acquire  166 Doppler radars. NWS reports that five of the six  mission-critical systems that interface with AWIPS are already Year 2000  compliant, on the basis of individual systems tests. Pursuing the Most Cost-Effective Alternatives for Acquiring NOAA’s Marine Data

NOAA has an aging in-house fleet of 15 ships that are used to support its  programs in fisheries research, oceanographic research, and hydrographic  charting and mapping. Although NOAA apparently has made progress in reducing the costs of its  fleet and outsourcing for more of its research and data needs, NOAA  continues to rely heavily on its in-house fleet and still plans to replace or  upgrade some of these ships. In summary, NWS faces significant challenges this year—both in deploying  the initial version of AWIPS and in addressing the Year 2000 problem. In the NOAA fleet area, continuing congressional  oversight of NOAA’s budget requests for replacement or upgraded ships is  needed to ensure that NOAA is pursuing the most cost-effective  alternatives for acquiring marine data.
Why GAO Did This Study

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed the: (1) status of the National Weather Service (NWS) systems modernization; and (2) most cost-effective alternatives for acquiring the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) marine data.

What GAO Found

GAO noted that: (1) although NWS is nearing completion of its systems modernization effort, two significant challenges face it this year: (a) deploying the final system of modernization; and (b) ensuring that all of its mission-critical systems are year 2000 compliant; (2) NWS has made progress on both fronts; (3) in the NOAA fleet area, NOAA now outsources for more of its research and data needs but plans to spend $185 million over the next five years to acquire four new replacement NOAA fisheries research ships; and (4) thus, GAO believes that continued congressional oversight of this area, as well as NOAA's budget requests for replacement or upgraded ships, is needed to ensure that NOAA is pursuing the most cost-effective alternatives for acquiring marine data.