Reverse auctions turn sellers into bidders and drive competition. by Ms. Stacy Watson In January 2016, Computer Hardware Software and Solutions (CHESS) launched its reverse auction capability through the CHESS…
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RDECOM explores new ways of using 3-D printing to meet Soldiers’ needs quickly and inexpensively while minimizing the logistics footprint. by Argie Sarantinos-Perrin A Soldier heads back to camp, grabs…
Brig. Gen. Karl Gingrich looks at acquisition through the eyes of an operations research analyst to bring clarity to the readiness, fielding and operations of the Army’s tactical network by…
‘Be a leader regardless of what position you’re in’ Ms. Susan L. Follett Like most members of the Army Acquisition Workforce, a desire to give back sparked Kristy Tierney’s career….
The president and CEO of Bell Helicopter draws on the company’s decades of defense experience to provide insights for the way ahead. by Mr. Mitch Snyder Bell Helicopter is honored…
COMMAND/ORGANIZATION: U.S. Army Contracting Command – Orlando TITLE: Policy Branch chief YEARS OF SERVICE IN WORKFORCE: 16 DAWIA CERTIFICATIONS: Level III in contracting EDUCATION: MBA, Monmouth University; B.A. in psychology…
All programs are ACAT I, with all the bureaucracy and paperwork that implies, even when they’re ACAT II or III—except when they’re ‘tailored to the characteristics of the product being…
Acquisition ‘reform’ is on the table again, as it has been at least once in each decade since the end of World War II, such that it seems like ‘Groundhog…
The bottom line for winners of the Maj. Gen. Harold “Harry” J. Greene Award? Support the Soldier by Mr. Brian Beall A lifesaving medical device, a mobile app that improves…
William J. Perry, secretary of defense during the Clinton administration, discusses acquisition reform, program managers and his worries about a nuclear catastrophe. When President Bill Clinton asked William J. Perry…
By valuing individual and group potential, the Human Capital Strategic Plan points the way to success for the Army Acquisition Workforce From the Director, U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center Human…
COMMAND/ORGANIZATION: Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology TITLE: Department of the Army systems coordinator YEARS OF SERVICE IN WORKFORCE: 12 DAWIA CERTIFICATIONS: Level…
The Human Capital Strategic Plan: What does it mean for you? by Ms. Joan L. Sable Shaped by two important factors—the Army priority of readiness and the Army acquisition executive’s…
From the Director, Acquisition Career Management Lt. Gen. Michael E. Williamson To deliver complex capabilities to the warfighter takes a lot of different players, all focused on the same mission….
Building on lessons from OIF and OEF and taking a page from an Air Force playbook, the Army is creating a Rapid Capabilities Office to address new threats. by Mr….
BICOASTAL TEAM PROVIDES KEY WAVEFORMS FOR RADIOS by Ms. Argie Sarantinos-Perrin When a Soldier needs to communicate, he picks up his radio and starts talking. He doesn’t think about how…
Overcoming acquisition reform challenges with cost-saving solutions From The Army Acquisition Executive The Honorable Katrina McFarland Following his confirmation as secretary of the Army in May 2016, the Hon. Eric…
By Michael Bold FORT BELVOIR, Va. (Oct. 3, 2016)—From our country’s earliest days, dissatisfaction with the defense acquisition system has been a recurring theme. Commission after commission and study after…
One-size-fits-all spending rules don’t always serve the unpredictable needs of contingency contracting. Here’s one simple fix. by Lt. Col. William C. Latham Jr. (USA, Ret.) “You may ask me for…
For the Hon. Frank Kendall, there is no magic called ‘acquisition reform.’ His objective is ‘acquisition improvement,’ and it starts with hard work and critical thinking about Better Buying Power….
Ordered to attend the yearlong resident course at CGSC, an acquisition officer thought his career advancement was totally derailed. Instead, the course was life-altering, providing unexpected insight—and a determination to…
Integration, both a process and a mindset, holds the key to addressing a range of threats to the U.S., from the near-peer to the low-tech. by Dr. Richard Nabors and…
Vendors share prototypes for weapon sights in a new mix-and-match approach to building interoperability into integrated Soldier systems for the best overall performance at the best overall price. by Maj….
An Army acquisition officer assigned to a stint with Amazon sees firsthand where the consumer giant’s corporate values and those of the military merge and diverge. by Lt. Col. Steven…
Construction contracting in Qatar provides a user-level view of acquisition reform, its possibilities and its challenges. by Maj. Michael J. Carroll and Capt. Sarah Lark Acquisition reform generally happens at…
Piggybacks and workarounds: The Acquisition Lessons Learned Portal contains a wealth of information on new ways to use existing processes to get weapons to warfighters in less time. by Ms….
Acquisition is a slow process by nature; always has been, always will be. Or is it? Could the remedy be as simple as getting out of our own way? In…
The Army and General Dynamics collaborate to help sustain the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant against market and fiscal pressures. by Ms. Melissa Markos Much has changed since the 15-acre Scranton…
From the Carlucci initiatives of the 1980s to BBP 3.0 today, reform is a central theme of acquisition by Michael Bold Thirty-five years ago, defense acquisition reform dominated the cover…
Providing strong, clear direction in the face of ambiguity is vital to an acquisition program’s success. by Col. Luke Cropsey and Mr. Peter Burke There is an old adage about…
The 413th CSB works to strengthen teamwork between CCOs and attorneys—a relationship that’s becoming more important as the military’s operational focus shifts to the Pacific. by Capt. James S. Kim…
Army AL&T News On Wednesday, the Colombian government and the country’s largest rebel group announced an agreement to end their 52-year civil war. What’s not making today’s headlines is the…
Army PNT program uses open systems architecture, competitive prototyping to spur continuous innovation. by Mr. Kevin Coggins While acquisition reformers debate changes intended to put programs on the path to…
Army acquisition reform starts with inspiring the workforce. A deep dive into a handful of surveys sheds light on how to do that. by Mr. Nicholaus Saacks As dialogue intensifies…
USAMMA finds efficiencies in medical materiel procurement, fielding and sustainment to reduce the logistical footprint and optimize readiness with limited resources. by Col. David R. Gibson In the Army, we…
CSTC-A’s Capabilities Development Directorate helps Afghan officers learn how to build, employ and resource units. by Col. Garrett D. Heath and Lt. Stephen E. Webber On Camp Resolute Support in…
