A large cost. they limit our ability to capitalize on the promise of information technology. i m directing an effort to consolidate these assets to take advantage of the department s significant economies of scale, thereby creating savings in acquisition, sustainment and manpower costs. it will allow the department common functions and improve our ability to defend defense networks against growing cyber threats. fifth, this department is awash in taskings for reports and studies. in 19 # 0, the pentagon produced a total of 37 reports for the congress, a number that topped off at more than 700 reports in last year s cycle. consider that as of 2009, the department had nearly 1,000 contractors working in some capacity producing reports for the congress of which more than 200 were working full time.