Marine Corps Sourcing Competitions: Historical Performance and Directions for Improvement

Abstract : The United States Marine Corps (USMC) has long recognized the need to save money wherever possible. Indeed, the USMC prides itself on doing the most with the fewest resources. But, pressure is growing to do so even more. The USMC needs to find funds to modernize itself. With the deficit and growing entitlement programs continuing to exert budget pressures to reduce costs, budget increases are unlikely. Finding savings in the USMC's support infrastructure is one way to help fund USMC modernization. while the USMC needs to strive continually for efficiency, effectiveness is paramount. Thus, options for reducing costs must either sustain or improve the USMC's expeditionary capability. In addition, freeing up Marines from support activities for activities more directly related to their mission is another desirable outcome anticipated from USMC efficiency efforts. Sourcing competition, in which the cost and other performance metrics of internal USMC providers of services are compared with those of other DoD, government, or private-sector providers, can help achieve the efficiencies needed to obtain the above objectives and has been demonstrated as one promising way to reduce costs and improve performance. The USMC already uses outside providers for many of its services (e.g., support of Blount Island, a USMC installation). However, the capabilities of outside providers have grown and there are now many more opportunities to leverage the capabilities of high-performing non-USMC providers.