However, FAA’s order does not prescribe the (1) methods for considering human factors, (2) minimal standards for incorporating human factors, or (3) requirements for seeking guidance on human factors from specialists that the administrators and directors are to follow. Incorporating the Consideration of Human Factors in Acquisitions and Operations

Recent legislative and organizational changes may affect how the formal consideration of human factors is incorporated in the acquisition process and may strengthen the application of human factors in operations, such as safety. However, on April 1, 1996, in response to new legislation exempting FAA from most federal procurement statutes, FAA implemented the Federal Aviation Administration Acquisition Management System, which superseded FAA’s 1993 acquisition policy. According to the initial guidance provided for this new system, human factors may be formally considered at an earlier stage in the acquisition process than previously, but this early consideration is not required. Identifying Research Issues

To identify aviation-related issues in research on human factors, the Human Factors Division consults with FAA units and other members of the aviation community. Allocating and Coordinating Resources for Research

Although the Human Factors Division is primarily responsible for allocating and coordinating FAA’s resources for internal and external research on human factors, FAA’s other units are not required to coordinate their research with the division, whether their research is performed internally, by the units themselves, or externally, through interagency agreements or through contractors. FAA also contracts with the Department of Defense to conduct research on human factors. Unless FAA ensures that research will be administered through the Human Factors Division or until the agency establishes a documented process for coordinating research, we continue to believe that the possibility of duplication exists.
Why GAO Did This Study

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO examined the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) organizational structure for incorporating human factors into aviation-related research.

What GAO Found

GAO found that: (1) FAA has incorporated a human factors policy order, a Chief Scientific and Technical Advisor for human factors, and guidance for considering human factors in the acquisition process; (2) the order assigns responsibility for ensuring that human factors are considered in FAA research activities, but does not establish minimal standards for meeting this requirement; (3) recent legislative and organizational changes may affect the application of human factors research in FAA acquisitions and operations; (4) the FAA Acquisition Management System considers human factors at an earlier stage in the acquisition process, but there is no mention of the extent to which such factors should be considered; (5) the FAA Human Factors Division (HFD) consults with other members of the aviation community and participates in industry task forces and conferences to identify issues associated with human factors in aviation; (6) HFD solicits ideas for research from FAA acquisition and operating units and is responsible for internal and external coordination of FAA research; (7) HFD allocates most FAA funding for core research, and enters into interagency agreements with the National Space and Aeronautics Administration and the Department of Defense to coordinate the agencies' human factors research; and (8) the possibility of duplicating human factors research exists because FAA units are not required to coordinate their research activities.