OTAs at Scale, Accountability in Flux: Why GAO’s 2025 Findings Matter to Federal Contractors

GAO’s 2025 report on DOD OTAs finds rising use but inadequate tracking of prototype-to-production transitions—especially when production shifts to FAR contracts. With new recommendations DOD accepts, contractors should expect tighter data reporting, greater transparency in consortia awards, and a continued need to make prototypes “FAR-ready” for production.