Most program managers and logisticians in the DoW ecosystem have heard about FIAR for years. Some may even assume the push has faded — that the 2010 Congressional mandate is old news, and attention has shifted elsewhere.
But ask any Comptroller shop, or catch wind of the latest OUSD/W(C) directives, and the message is clear: audit readiness is still a core expectation. Being able to prove accountability for every asset under your program’s control isn’t just compliance paperwork — it’s directly tied to funding credibility, leadership trust, and ultimately your program’s future.
Back in FY2010, Congress set a firm expectation: DoD inventory management systems had to be audit ready by 2017, aligned to FIAR (Financial Improvement and Audit Readiness) requirements. FIAR compliance was a milestone many assumed would drive transformation.
The reality? FIAR compliance has proven challenging. By the end of 2021, only two Air Force and three Space Force programs had fully achieved it — not for lack of effort, but because the process is genuinely difficult. Compliance requires a significant undertaking in serialized asset management, valuation, movement tracking, and automated ELMS reporting, all of which must be sustained over years. This challenge remains acute today, as evidenced by my awareness of approximately 30 AF/SF programs that committed to achieving FIAR compliance in 2025 — only 10 were successful.
And yet, compliance isn’t optional. Non-compliance risks aren’t abstract:
• Funding shortfalls: Programs that can’t prove accountability risk cuts or loss of reprogrammed funds.
• Surprise IG audits: Teams without up-to-date, defensible records can get blindsided by findings that ripple through leadership.
• Command visibility: Senior leaders demand confidence that assets supporting operational priorities are tracked and stewarded correctly.
It’s not uncommon to hear about units scrambling through nights and weekends to prep data for an unexpected audit — patching gaps manually that should have been systematically managed.
This isn’t just a financial compliance checkbox. Programs that lack tight serialized control often pay in readiness: ghost assets clog up inventories, critical items get missed, and field operations slow down because supply chains are chasing phantom records.
Far from a burden, being FIAR-compliant serves as a safeguard that also streamlines operations.
That’s why we built ScopeIMS, the software platform, and deliver it through Scope Mission Support, the expert-led service engagement. More than just another inventory tool, ScopeIMS is a fully supported capability designed from the ground up to make FIAR compliance practical.
ScopeIMS embeds automated ELMS connections, ensures serialized accountability down to the asset level, and maintains clean audit trails — all backed by our team of experts who understand exactly what OUSD/W(C) and IG teams look for.
So the next time FIAR is dismissed as an outdated concern, you’ll know better. The mandate didn’t go away — and neither did the operational and funding risks. Fortunately, with the right solution in place, audit readiness becomes a byproduct of how your team already manages inventory, not a last-minute scramble.
Nathan Plowman is the General Manager for Scope Mission Support at Focused Support and led the original development of the ScopeIMS platform.
