	Background

NextGen is a multidecade, multiagency effort to transform the current  ATC system to the next generation air transportation system by moving  from relying largely on ground-based radars to using precision satellites;  digital, networked communications; and an integrated weather system. Often characterized as “curb to curb,” NextGen involves every aspect of  air transportation, from arrival at the airport to departure from the  destination airport, and it is expected to increase the safety and enhance  the capacity of the air transport system. JPDO was charged with  coordinating the research activities of the federal partner agencies with  the goal of developing a 20-year R&D agenda for NextGen. This requirement led JPDO to develop initial  versions of the Concept of Operations, Enterprise Architecture, and IWP. It is JPDO’s plan for achieving NextGen. Have the Views of Industry and Air Traffic Controllers Been Adequately Incorporated in NextGen Planning Documents? Some stakeholders expressed  concern that JPDO and FAA did not include their input in planning  documents and other products. FAA and JPDO have established mechanisms for obtaining stakeholder  views. However, given the large number of NextGen stakeholders and the  evolution of opportunities for participation in NextGen, we believe that  stakeholders will continue to differ on how adequately their views have  been incorporated in NextGen planning. Is the Current Version of IWP Sufficiently Detailed for Effective Use in Overseeing and Managing NextGen? Senior JPDO officials expect subsequent versions of IWP to include cost  information and more detail on which programs are responsible for  completing particular actions. How Confident Should Congress Be that IWP Will Provide a Sufficient Basis for Achieving NextGen’s Goals? The research, development, and testing activities set out in the current  IWP do not provide a sufficient basis for Congress to be confident that the  goals of NextGen will be achieved. However, the enhanced information  that is planned for inclusion in the upcoming version will provide a firmer  basis for congressional confidence. However, additional issues that are not part  of the current plan will have to be addressed to achieve NextGen goals,  such as obtaining the necessary funding, establishing the infrastructure to  support the scope of needed R&D, and filling the gap that may exist  between basic research and the research needed to bring technologies far  enough along for transfer to industry for further development. Can JPDO Continue to Be Viewed as an “Honest Broker” in Light of FAA’s Recent Restructuring? We  recognized that JPDO needed to counter the perception that it was a proxy  for ATO and, as such, was not able to act as an “honest broker” between  ATO and the partner federal agencies, but we also understood that JPDO  must continue to work with ATO and its partner agencies in a partnership  in which ATO is the lead implementer of NextGen. Finally, it is too early to tell if the reorganization of FAA’s management  structure addresses concerns that stakeholders have expressed about the  fragmentation of management responsibility for NextGen activities. What Needs to Be Done to Move JPDO from Proposing R&D to Articulating a Clear R&D Program with Defined and Prioritized Tasks? To articulate a clear R&D program with defined and prioritized tasks,  JPDO must continue to collaborate with its partner agencies—FAA, NASA,  DOD, DHS, and Commerce—to identify and prioritize the R&D needed for  NextGen. What Metrics Should Congress Use to Evaluate the Progress of NextGen? The first, an infrastructure challenge, is to implement NextGen plans for a  new configuration of ATC facilities and enhanced runway capacity. To manage the implementation of NextGen, FAA will need staff with  technical skills, such as systems engineering and contract management  expertise.
Why GAO Did This Study

To prepare for forecasted air traffic growth, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in partnership with other federal agencies and the aviation industry, is planning and implementing the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen), a new, satellite-based air traffic management system that is expected to increase the safety and enhance the capacity of the air transport system. NextGen will replace the current radar-based air traffic control (ATC) system. Within FAA, the Air Traffic Organization (ATO) is responsible for implementing the transition to NextGen, and ATO's Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO) is coordinating efforts to plan for this transition, including developing a 20-year research and development (R&D) agenda for NextGen. JPDO has drafted three basic planning documents for NextGen--a Concept of Operations, an Enterprise Architecture, and an Integrated Work Plan (IWP). This testimony responds to six questions about NextGen and JPDO raised by the House Committee on Science and Technology, and addresses two related challenges identified by GAO. The statement is based on recent related GAO reports and testimonies, including a report issued today that reflects GAO's analysis of interviews with 25 key NextGen stakeholders about progress and challenges involved in the transition to NextGen.

What GAO Found

Have the Views of Industry and Air Traffic Controllers Been Adequately Incorporated in NextGen Planning Documents? FAA and JPDO have established mechanisms for obtaining stakeholder views. However, given the large number of NextGen stakeholders and the evolution of opportunities for participation in NextGen, we believe that stakeholders will continue to differ on how adequately their views have been incorporated in NextGen planning. Is the Current Version of IWP Sufficiently Detailed for Effective Use in Overseeing and Managing NextGen? No. The current version lacks some needed information, but the next version, to be released this month, is to contain more detail, including schedule information, and is automated and searchable, making it more user friendly and useful for oversight. How Confident Should Congress Be that IWP Will Provide a Sufficient Basis for Achieving NextGen's Goals? The current plan does not provide a sufficient basis for Congress to be confident. The upcoming version will provide a firmer basis for confidence, but additional R&D issues that are not part of the plan will have to be addressed, including technology transfer issues. Can JPDO Continue to Be Viewed as an "Honest Broker" in Light of FAA's Recent Restructuring? The restructuring made JPDO a component of ATO rather than an independent office, but other federal agencies are reportedly still cooperating with JPDO, suggesting that they continue to view it as an honest broker. However, it is too early to tell if the restructuring addresses stakeholders' concerns about the fragmentation of management responsibility for NextGen activities. What Needs to Be Done to Move JPDO from Proposing R&D to Articulating a Clear R&D Program with Defined and Prioritized Tasks? The move is underway. JPDO needs to continue collaborating with its partner agencies to identify and prioritize R&D and leverage their R&D programs. It is too soon to assess the results of steps JPDO and the partner agencies have taken thus far. What Metrics Should Congress Use to Evaluate the Progress of NextGen? Schedule information in the upcoming version of IWP and cost information in the subsequent version will help provide Congress with metrics for evaluating NextGen's progress. Additional Infrastructure and Human Capital Challenges Identified by GAO. NextGen's implementation further depends on FAA's reconfiguring and maintaining its ATC facilities, expanding runways, and hiring staff with the engineering and contract management skills needed to provide oversight.