The Department of Defense is seeking a new budget category under research and development funding to focus on the software acquisition lifecycle, Fedscoop reported Tuesday. Jeff Boleng, special assistant for software acquisition at DoD, said at a Software Engineering Institute event that the Office of Management and Budget has supported the department’s intent to pursue pilot programs under the proposed Budget Activity 8.
Boleng noted that the Pentagon seeks to simplify the budget process while increasing visibility and accountability on the funding process. He added that the pilot projects would involve the entire software acquisition process from development to sustainment and that he encourages enterprise-based programs to avoid conducting repetitive procedures.
DoD plans to issue a legislative proposal by fall ahead of plans to launch pilot efforts in fiscal 2021. Ellen Lord, undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment and 2019 Wash100 Award winner, said during a recent press conference that the Pentagon is calling on Congress to “provide explicit and specific authorities†for software acquisition.
