It is known that after many “fixes,” the Defense Department’s acquisition system has not improved the time it takes to field “big ticket” goods and services, curtailed program costs, or promoted adherence to deadlines. Burdens imposed by this broken system inhibit innovation and prevent timely recapitalization of DoD’s capital stock. While it may not be precisely measurable, the cost burden of the acquisition system is real and significant. The problem is recognized by Deputy Secretary of Defense and the Under Secretary for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, both of whom have invited BENS’ scrutiny of the issue.
BENS proposes to pilot a defense acquisition governance project in cooperation with a major Defense Department agency to determine the cost burden that long-standing legislation and regulations have on the acquisition process. The proposed 6-month study would address four problem areas: legislative, regulatory, cultural, and organizational; and would culminate in a monograph that could become a blueprint for a much larger project focused on the entire Department of Defense.
