The Logistics Management Institute (LMI) has authored and released an independent, comprehensive report directed by Congress entitled "Future Capability of DoD Maintenance Depots".  The report was required by Section 322 of the FY2009 National Defense Authorization Act. Further details are available at the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) website. A PDF copy of the report has also been posted on the Acquisition Community Connection Logistics Community of Practice (LOG CoP).

According to the authors of this report, "as the nation moves away from the current war footing, the high levels of organic depot maintenance activity will not be sustained. This is due to several factors, including a drawdown in combat operations and the replacement of older systems with newer ones. Potential reductions in the overall defense budget, and a likely elimination or large reduction in war-supplemental funding could further reduce depot activity. Several challenges complicate the organic depots' ability to respond to an uncertain future: an ambiguous statutory framework for depot maintenance, including a definition that is subject to interpretation; acquisition decisions that could be better connected to considerations of the organic depot system; an inconsistent application of the core determination process that could destabilize future capability; and oversight reporting that does not provide timely warning of eroding capability or workload. These factors identify significant challenges for the organic depot maintenance system." 

The report also makes specific recommendations summarized in Table ES-1. Summary of Major Conclusions and Recommendations on page V. Two of potential interest include:

"Closely link acquisition and sustainment policies and outcomes with regard to depot maintenance.

·            Designate completion of a core logistics analysis as a specific exit criterion for Milestone A review.

·            Make core requirements determination process and source-of-repair decisions early in the acquisition process.

Strengthen the core determination process.

·            Structure the revised core determination process so that it is visible and readily understood.

·            Align core and 50/50 in a single statute.

·            Require all contracts that include sustainment as part of the statement of work to provide an annual estimate of the amount of funding expended on depot-level maintenance."

This report was submitted directly to Congress by the authors, rather than from the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) or the Office of Management & Budget (OMB). Encourage you to read through this report if you have an interest in DoD Depot Maintenance.