Michael Duffey, under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, has issued a memorandum establishing a review and approval process for contracts or task orders for IT consulting, management services and advisory support.
The June 23 memo implements a directive that Pete Hegseth, secretary of the Department of Defense and a 2025 Wash100 awardee, issued in May. The DOD secretary’s memo directs DOD components to secure approval from the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, before executing IT consulting and management services contracts or task orders.
Hegseth’s directive seeks to establish policies to leverage in-house capabilities to streamline operations and promote fiscal responsibility. It also complies with an executive order aimed at implementing the president’s DOGE cost-efficiency initiatives.
Data Capture Elements in Submissions for DOGE Contract Review Process
Effective immediately, DOD components must seek approval from DOGE by submitting supporting documents through go.mil/dogecontractreview before awarding unclassified contracts or task orders for IT consulting and managed support and advisory and assistance services, according to Duffey’s memo.
Submissions must include several data capture elements, including deliverables, total ceiling value and estimated initial obligation. Cost-benefit analysis, justification that contract work cannot be sourced within DOD or procured from a direct service provider and evidence of evaluation of alternatives should also be attached to the submission.
If DOGE does not respond within three business days, DOD components may presume approval and proceed with the acquisition process.
Contract Requirements Excluded From DOGE Review & Approval Process
The DOD acquisition chief’s memo excludes from the DOGE review and approval process contract requirements that are to be carried out by direct service providers and those in direct support of defense weapon system programs and associated sustainment activities.
The new policy does not cover advisory and assistance service contract requirements for system engineering and technical services in support of systems architecture, acquisition program management or sustainment services backing major defense acquisition programs.
An IT consulting and management service contract worth less than $10 million and an advisory support contract under $1 million are also excluded from the DOGE approval process.
“My staff will monitor compliance with this approval process by conducting intermittent reviews. Any awards identified as noncompliant will be subject to termination,” Duffey wrote in the memo.
