GAO: Include SUPSHIP earlier

A recent report from the Government Accountability Office recommends the Navy's Supervisors of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair need to be included earlier in the shipbuilding process before contracts are awarded. In a Senate report accompanying the FY 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, Congress included a provision for GAO to review the SUPSHIPs’ oversight efforts. The report outlines challenges that the Navy has faced in meeting its shipbuilding goals, noting construction delays, billions of dollars in cost growth and performance shortfalls. SUPSHIP is the Navy’s on-site technical authority for the construction of Navy vessels at major private shipyards. However, the Navy isn’t taking “full advantage” of the Supervisors’ expertise, GAO said. GAO recommends the Navy, “take steps to ensure regular use of its quality program standard in shipbuilding contracts; provide the SUPSHIPs with direct representation in evaluation and decision-making processes prior to contract awards; and require the SUPSHIPs to report on the quality and readiness of each ship prior to the Chief of Naval Operations’ approval decisions for ship acceptance.” The Navy agreed with all of GAO’s recommendations. (Source: Inside Defense 04/12/22)

Gulf Coast Note: Supervisor of Shipbuilding locations: Gulf Coast, Pascagoula, Miss; Bath, Maine; Groton, Conn.; and Newport News, Va. SUPSHIP Gulf Coast is the Navy’s agency that administers shipbuilding and ship repair contracts with major shipbuilding contractors on the Gulf Coast. This military and civilian organization of 400 personnel, an activity of the Naval Sea Systems Command, provides engineering, quality assurance, contract management, and financial services required to streamline how our shipbuilding contractors provide ships and craft to our Navy. SUPSHIP Gulf Coast works with major shipbuilders like Huntington Ingalls in Pascagoula and Austal USA in Mobile, Ala.