Chad Shirley

Examines the capabilities and costs of onboard technologies to divert missiles attacking commercial airliners. Given the significant uncertainties in the cost and effectiveness of countermeasures, a decision to install them should be postponed, and concurrent development efforts to reduce these uncertainties should proceed as rapidly as possible.

For the past several years, the U. S. Air Force has been using data from the Individual Contracting Action Report form, also known as the DD350, to analyze its goods and services expenditures. For this study, the authors collected data from Air Force contracting officers on a sample of fiscal year 2002 (FY02) DD350 records to assess the adequacy and accuracy of DD350 data for conducting expenditure analyses. The authors then extrapolated their findings from the sample to reflect all Air Force FY02 DD350 contract actions.

Discusses the complexities of, and recommends a methodology for, measuring changes in service costs incurred by the military. The 2002 National Defense Authorization Act set goals for the Department of Defense to achieve savings in service contract expenditures over a ten-year period through changes in contracting practices and improvements in management techniques. The authors of this report investigate ways to measure whether the Air Force is achieving these cost-reduction goals and discuss the primary steps in the measurement process.

"Urban transportation problems abound across America, including jammed highways during rush-hours, deteriorating bus service, and strong pressures to build new rail systems. Most solutions attempt either to increase transportation capacity (by building more roads and expanding mass transit) or to manage existing capacity (through HOV restrictions, exclusive bus lanes, and employer-based policies such as flexible work hours). This book develops an alternative solution to urban transportation problems based on economic analysis, but well aware of the political constraints on policymakers. The authors estimate that efficient pricing and service policies could save more than $10 billion in annual net benefits over current practices, but argue that powerful, entrenched political and institutional forces will continue to thwart efficient economic solutions to improve urban transportation. They believe, however, that some form of privatization would likely improve social welfare more than an efficient public sector system. Facing fewer operating restrictions, greater economic incentives, and stronger competitive pressures, private suppliers could substantially improve the efficiency of urban operations and offer services that are more responsive to the needs of all types of travelers. The authors conclude that policymakers have bestowed huge benefits on the public by allowing the private sector to play a leading and unencumbered role in the provision of intercity transportation. Public officials should take the next step and allow the private sector to play a leading role in the provision of urban transportation. "