Lessons Learned from Outsourcing the Pearl Harbor MK-48 Intermediate Maintenance Activity

Abstract

During the 1990s, active duty sailor resources were in large demand. In an effort to return sailors to the fleet, the operation of the Navy's Heavyweight Torpedo Intermediate Maintenance Activities (IMA), at Pearl Harbor, was competitively outsourced to Raytheon in 2001. The sailors that manned the facility were subsequently returned to the fleet. The purpose of this case study is to evaluate this effort and to show the applicability of market-based tools in the public sector and especially by the Department of Defense. It not only contains important lessons for those interested in learning about, as well as those responsible for, enhancing the efficiency of the government, but it also provides relevant insight into achieving improved and more productive cooperation between the public and private sector.