Can't We All Just Get Along

The Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) is the audit arm of the Department of Defense (and for other Executive Agencies). The Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) is the Contract Administration arm of the Department of Defense. DCAA issues audit reports to DCMA. DCMA is charged for resolving whatever issues the auditors raise. Sometimes DCAA doesn't like DCMA because the auditors feel that DCMA does not do a good job of sustaining their findings. Sometimes DCMA doesn't like DCAA because they feel the audit findings are not well conceived and therefore unsustainable. There have been several high-profile disagreements between the two organization during Congressional hearings.

On May 7th, 2010, the Directors of DCAA and DCMA jointly issued a memorandum to the employees of both organizations imploring them to get along. This memo has been pejoritively referred to as the Rodney King "Can't We All Just Get Along" memo by some of the staff. Some in DCAA have called the idea that everyone should cooperate at all cost, is a potential encroachment to their independence, a violation of generally accepted Government auditing standards and the kind of situation that the Agency got called out for in recent GAO and OIG audits.

You can download the joint memorandum here.