Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution in Comparative Organizations: Volume 1, Case Studies of China and Russia

Abstract

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) process is a key enabler for DoD to fulfill its mission. But in light of a dynamic threat environment, increasingly capable adversaries, and rapid technological changes, there has been increasing concern that DoD's resource planning processes are too slow and inflexible to meet warfighter needs. 1 As a result, Congress mandated the formation of a legislative commission in Section 1004 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 to (1) examine the effectiveness of the PPBE process and adjacent DoD practices, particularly with respect to defense modernization; (2) consider potential alternatives to these processes and practices to maximize DoD's ability to respond in a timely manner to current and future threats; and (3) make legislative and policy recommendations to improve such processes and practices for the purposes of fielding the operational capabilities necessary to outpace nearpeer competitors, providing data and analytical insight, and supporting an integrated budget that is aligned with strategic defense objectives. 2 The Commission on PPBE Reform requested that the National Defense Research Institute provide an independent analysis of PPBE-like functions in selected other countries and other federal agencies. This report, part of a four-volume set, analyzes the defense budgeting processes of China and Russia. Volume 2 analyzes the defense budgeting processes of allied countries and partners. Volume 3 analyzes the PPBE-like processes of other U.S. federal agencies. Volume 4, an executive summary, distills key insights from these three analytical volumes. The commission will use insights from these analyses to derive potential lessons for DoD and recommendations to Congress on PPBE reform. This report should be of interest to those concerned with the improvement of DoD's PPBE processes. The intended audience is mostly government officials responsible for such processes. The research reported here was completed in March 2023 and underwent security review with the sponsor and the Defense Office of Prepublication and Security Review before public release.