Regulations and Government
Washington Report: Costs, delays still plague FAA projects
Even though Congress exempted the FAA from standard procurement rules in 1996, the agency remains mired in cost overruns and schedule slippages on many of

Even though Congress exempted the FAA from standard procurement rules in 1996, the agency remains mired in cost overruns and schedule slippages on many of its major acquisitions, including the wide-area augmentation system (WAAS), standard terminal automation replacement system (Stars), local-area augmentation system (LAAS) and integrated terminal weather system (ITWS).

“Problems with acquisition efforts have serious consequences because they result in costly interim systems, a reduction in units procured, postponed benefits–in terms of safety and efficiency–or ‘crowding out’ other modernization projects,” said the Transportation Department’s inspector general in a report that covers 20 major programs that have a current combined estimated cost of about $14.1 billion.