OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
4800 MARK CENTER DRIVE
ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA 22350-1500
July 14, 2025
MEMORANDUM FOR SECRETARY OF THE NAVY
UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR ACQUISITION AND
SUSTAINMENT
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE NAVY (RESEARCH,
DEVELOPMENT, AND ACQUISITION)
COMMANDER, NAVAL SEA SYSTEMS COMMAND
AUDITOR GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
SUBJECT: Evaluation of the U.S. Navy’s SUBSAFE Quality Assurance Maintenance of
Virginia-Class Submarines (Project No. D2025-DEV0PA-0132.000)
The purpose of this memorandum is to notify you that we plan to begin the subject
evaluation. The objective of this evaluation is to determine the effectiveness with which the U.S.
Navy implemented the submarine safety (SUBSAFE) quality assurance requirements for
Virginia-class submarine maintenance. We may revise the objective as the evaluation proceeds,
and we will also consider suggestions from management for additional or revised objectives. We
plan to perform this evaluation in accordance with the Council of the Inspectors General on
Integrity and Efficiency “Quality Standards for Inspection and Evaluation.”
We will perform the evaluation at the U.S. Naval Submarine Base Groton, Connecticut,
and the Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. We may identify additional offices and locations during
the evaluation.
We request that you designate
two points of contact for this evaluation within 5 days of
this memorandum. One point of contact should be a Government employee—a GS-15, pay band
equivalent, or military equivalent—who is knowledgeable of Virginia-class submarine
SUBSAFE maintenance. The second point of contact should be a member of the Senior
Executive Service or a General/Flag Officer who is familiar with Virginia-class submarine
maintenance and could serve as a point of engagement with DoD Office of Inspector General
senior leaders, if necessary. Send each contact’s name, title, grade/pay band, phone number, and
e-mail address to
The Inspector General Act of 1978, 5 U.S.C. §§ 401–424, as amended, authorizes us to
have access to personnel and materials as we determine necessary to perform our oversight in a
timely manner. You can obtain information about the DoD Office of Inspector General from
DoD Directive 5106.01, “Inspector General of the Department of Defense (IG DoD),” April 20,
2012, as amended, and DoD Instruction 7050.03, “DoD Office of Inspector General Access to
Records and Information,” November 13, 2024. Our website is www.dodig.mil.
