FROM THE AAE FROM THE ARMY ACQUISITION EXECUTIVE THE HONORABLE KATRINA MCFARLAND


Stakes, HIGH Reward


HIGH +


Strong partnerships with industry are more important than ever as R&D funding declines and need for innovation grows


I


n recent years, Army AL&T magazine has covered various facets of the Better Buying Power pro- gram that provide a framework to help us improve how we conduct business, including leveraging


small business innovations, revamping acquisition and strengthening tradecraft of the acquisition workforce. Tis issue highlights another aspect of the program that remains integral to our mission: effective partnerships with industry. While the dynamics of our relationship with industry may evolve with the changing acquisi- tion landscape, the fundamental need for a collaborative exchange of ideas with industry remains constant.


One of the hallmarks of the Army acquisition enterprise is our unwavering commitment to innovation. We welcome innovation from all sources, not just our own. For exam- ple, while we constantly strive to develop breakthrough technologies in our labs and research, development and engineering centers, we also encourage the development of innovative solutions from industry partners, including


small businesses. Tis respect for innovation regardless of origin is what keeps the Army in the top ranks of small business obligations among the services. In Army acquisition, we also work closely with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and welcome its expansion to form ARL-West. Tis partnership between ARL and the Institute for Creative Technologies at the University of Southern California will leverage the subject matter expertise and innovation in the region’s technical centers.


COMMUNICATING IS KEY Our collaboration with industry ensures that we safeguard our technological superiority against our adver- saries. However, with the considerable mutual advantage of industry collaboration comes increasing responsibility to maintain efficiency and professionalism throughout the acquisition life cycle. One way we accomplish this is by maintaining consistent and thorough dialogue with industry partners.


ASC.ARMY.MIL


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FROM THE AAE


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