Elinor Sloan
Professor, Political Science
The Question: Why are there delays in the delivery of military equipment and supplies?
The Research: Sloan reviewed government documents, focusing her efforts on 16 defence projects that are considered imperative for the Canadian Forces in the short to medium term and cost more than $100 million.
The Findings: Sloan identified five themes that help to explain why so many defence projects remain on the shelf, while forces in the field may lack the equipment and vehicles they need.
- The pursuit of ambitious developmental projects to fulfill requirements: DND often requests new products that are not yet developed.
- In-house preferences that are exposed as such once they leave DND: Statement of preferences are written with one vehicle or aircraft in mind, denying due process.
- Changing requirements as a result of battlefield experience.
- Rough order of magnitude costs that do not change over time: Cost estimates remain artificially low, leading to the rejection of bids.
- No single point of accountability: three federal departments oversee procurement decisions.
Quote: “It is evident in its Defence Procurement Strategy that the government is seeking both to maximize Canadian industrial opportunity…improve procurement outcomes and equip the CAF in a timely fashion,” wrote Sloan in the report, Something Has to Give: Why Delays are the New Reality of Canada’s Defence Procurement Strategy. “But some would argue that these two objectives are in tension.”
Friday, September 9, 2016 in Department of Political Science, Field Notes, FPA Voices, Policy, Politics
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