Critical Issues in the Defense Acquisition Culture
Author: J. Ronald Fox
Publisher:
Published: 1994
Total Pages:
ISBN-13:
DOWNLOAD EBOOKPosts
Defense Acquisition Reform: Status and Current Issues
Author: Valerie B. Grasso
Publisher:
Published: 2002
Total Pages: 0
ISBN-13:
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThe end of the Cold War and its impact on defense spending has created a strong need to reform the Department of Defense's (DoD) acquisition system. With procurement spending down, DoD expects to depend on savings from acquisition reform to help finance future force modernization. Policy makers believe that DoD should use more commercial products because, in many instances, they cost less and their quality is comparable to products built according to DoD military specifications. Many such reform proposals are based on the recognition that DoD regulatory barriers and a Cold War acquisition "culture" have inhibited the introduction of commercial products. The need to encourage greater interaction between the defense and commercial industries is considered vital to keeping U.S. military technology the best in the world -- a major objective of U.S. defense policy. Many high-technology commercial products (e.g., electronics) are state-of-the-art and changing so fast that DoD's military specifications, or "milspecs," system cannot keep pace. Congress has passed several important reforms, among them the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994, Federal Acquisition Reform Act of 1996, Defense Reform Act of 1997, and the Federal Activities Inventory Reform Act of 1998. DoD has lowered or abolished regulatory barriers; experts agree, however, that more work is required to make the system responsive to U.S. defense needs. Enacted reforms will mean greater freedom to innovate, make quicker decisions, and improve DoD program development -- running DoD more like a private sector operation. At issue is just how to change DoD personnel management policies, and introduce DoD's acquisition reform initiatives to the private sector. Although DoD has begun outsourcing some functions, expanding its use has been a major goal. Congress will continue to exercise a strong oversight role because of its longtime interest in streamlining DoD's acquisition processes.
Challenges to Doing Business with the Department of Defense
Author: United States. Congress. House. Committee on Armed Services. Panel on Business Challenges in the Defense Industry
Publisher:
Published: 2012
Total Pages: 114
ISBN-13:
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThe Panel found that small and midsize businesses face particular challenges in contracting with the DOD. In recent years, the DOD has been unable to meet its small business federal procurement goals. Furthermore, the Panel found that DOD lacks the ability to track small business participation at the lower subcontract tiers. The Panel also found that DOD lacks a culture that fosters small business participation where appropriate. In its work, the Panel concluded that the defense acquisition workforce has struggled to manage and execute programs in the midst of challenges in acquiring and retaining a professionally certified and competent defense acquisition workforce. Many described the defense acquisition workforce as part of a 'risk-averse' culture where program managers, in particular, have difficulty in balancing risks in managing cost, schedule and performance of acquisition programs. DOD has, in some cases, outsourced program management and divested itself of critical skills that are difficult to develop -- contracting officials, cost estimators, and systems engineers. This reliance on private contractors can create a potential conflict of interest and blur the lines between what work must be performed by federal employees and what work is permitted to be performed by private contractors. In addition, the Panel found that constantly changing regulations leads to unnecessary complexity, confusion, and poor execution, only furthering challenges for the acquisition workforce.
Defense Acquisition Reform, 1960-2009
Author: John Ronald Fox
Publisher: Government Printing Office
Published: 2012-03
Total Pages: 288
ISBN-13: 9780160866975
DOWNLOAD EBOOKCenter of Military History Publication 51-3-1. By J. Ronald Fox, et al. Discusses reform initiatives from 1960 to the present and concludes with prescriptions for future changes to the acquisition culture of the services, DoD, and industry.
Twenty-five Years of Acquisition Reform
Author: United States. Congress. House. Committee on Armed Services
Publisher:
Published: 2014
Total Pages: 168
ISBN-13:
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThe Culture of Military Innovation
Author: Dmitry (Dima) Adamsky
Publisher: Stanford University Press
Published: 2010-01-27
Total Pages: 368
ISBN-13: 0804773807
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThis book studies the impact of cultural factors on the course of military innovations. One would expect that countries accustomed to similar technologies would undergo analogous changes in their perception of and approach to warfare. However, the intellectual history of the Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA) in Russia, the US, and Israel indicates the opposite. The US developed technology and weaponry for about a decade without reconceptualizing the existing paradigm about the nature of warfare. Soviet 'new theory of victory' represented a conceptualization which chronologically preceded technological procurement. Israel was the first to utilize the weaponry on the battlefield, but was the last to develop a conceptual framework that acknowledged its revolutionary implications. Utilizing primary sources that had previously been completely inaccessible, and borrowing methods of analysis from political science, history, anthropology, and cognitive psychology, this book suggests a cultural explanation for this puzzling transformation in warfare. The Culture of Military Innovation offers a systematic, thorough, and unique analytical approach that may well be applicable in other perplexing strategic situations. Though framed in the context of specific historical experience, the insights of this book reveal important implications related to conventional, subconventional, and nonconventional security issues. It is therefore an ideal reference work for practitioners, scholars, teachers, and students of security studies.
Defense acquisition : improved program outcomes are possible
Author:
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
Published: 1998
Total Pages: 34
ISBN-13: 1428975535
DOWNLOAD EBOOKWe are pleased to be here today to discuss issues facing the Department of Defense (DOD) in its acquisition of weapon systems, related spare parts, and other goods and services. In response to the many changes that have been witnessed in the defense acquisition environment over the last few years, DOD has begun broad-based changes to its acquisition and contracting processes. However, weapon programs continue to have questionable requirements; unrealistic cost, schedule, and performance estimates; and strategies that begin production before adequate testing has been completed. This discussion of acquisition issues is well-timed, as DOD implements plans to increase its procurement budget to $60 billion in fiscal year 2001-a 40-percent increase over last fiscal year's budget. My testimony focuses on a different approach to improving weapon acquisition outcomes based on best commercial practices and an understanding of the acquisition culture. My testimony also includes some observations on (1) DOD'S management of its acquisition workforce and organization, (2) DOD'S experience with commercial pricing of spare parts, (3) the effectiveness of DOD'S mentor-protege pilot program, and (4) federal agencies' use of multiple award task- and delivery-order contracts.
Report of the Defense Science Board Acquisition Workforce Sub-Panel of the Defense Acquisition Reform Task Force on defense reform
Author:
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
Published: 1998
Total Pages: 168
ISBN-13: 1428981268
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThis report provides three policy recommendations, based on the overarching theme of more closely integrating DoD with industry. The Sub-Panel believes that improved integration with industry is the critical element that will enable the acquisition system to perform better, faster, and cheaper in support of the warfighter. The recommended policy initiatives are that DoD should: 1. Restructure its Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT & E) organizations and associated workforce to enable the Department to make better use of the capabilities of industry and other government agencies, to concentrate in-house capabilities in areas where there is no external capability, and to eliminate duplicative capabilities. 2 Expand the use of price-based forms of contracting to reduce the cost of doing business with Department of Defense (DoD) for existing Defense contractors and to give DoD access the segments of industry that currently choose not to do business with the Department because of the costs and complexities associated with cost-based contracts. 3. Expand the oursourcing of sustainment activities to eliminate duplicative capabilities between DoD and industry, to enable the Department to capitalize on industry's advancements in applying technology to these functions, and to provide better support to the user.
Defense Acquisition Reform: Status and Current Issues
Author:
Publisher:
Published: 2002
Total Pages: 20
ISBN-13:
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThe end of the Cold War and its impact on defense spending has created a strong need to reform the Department of Defense's (DoD) acquisition system. With procurement spending down, DoD expects to depend on savings from acquisition reform to help finance future force modernization. Policy makers believe that DoD should use more commercial products because, in many instances, they cost less and their quality is comparable to products built according to DoD military specifications. Many such reform proposals are based on the recognition that DoD regulatory barriers and a Cold War acquisition "culture" have inhibited the introduction of commercial products. The need to encourage greater interaction between the defense and commercial industries is considered vital to keeping U.S. military technology the best in the world -- a major objective of U.S. defense policy. Many high-technology commercial products (e.g., electronics) are state-of-the-art and changing so fast that DoD's military specifications, or "milspecs," system cannot keep pace. Congress has passed several important reforms, among them the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994, Federal Acquisition Reform Act of 1996, Defense Reform Act of 1997, and the Federal Activities Inventory Reform Act of 1998. DoD has lowered or abolished regulatory barriers; experts agree, however, that more work is required to make the system responsive to U.S. defense needs. Enacted reforms will mean greater freedom to innovate, make quicker decisions, and improve DoD program development -- running DoD more like a private sector operation. At issue is just how to change DoD personnel management policies, and introduce DoD's acquisition reform initiatives to the private sector. Although DoD has begun outsourcing some functions, expanding its use has been a major goal. Congress will continue to exercise a strong oversight role because of its longtime interest in streamlining DoD's acquisition processes.
Defense Technological Innovation
Author: Bharat Rao
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
Published: 2020-05-29
Total Pages: 200
ISBN-13: 178990210X
DOWNLOAD EBOOKDefense Technological Innovation describes the emerging paradigm for innovation at the US Department of Defense, and the consequent impacts on its stakeholders. Leveraging a combination of prior research, archival data, first-person observations and interviews, the authors identify practices and themes characterizing the key trends in defense innovation, describe current organizational approaches and practices, and develop a theoretical framework that elucidates the competencies required to underwrite defense innovation objectives. The findings therein are relevant to any large, technology-driven organization contending with the implications of rapid change in the high-tech landscape.
