- NRO is seeking greater visibility into lower-tier suppliers
- The agency wants contractors to identify potential supply chain weak points
- NRO uses supply chain illumination and due diligence tools to review suppliers
The National Reconnaissance Office is collaborating with prime contractors to gain greater visibility into lower-tier suppliers and identify potential security and other risks in its supply chain, Federal News Network reported Thursday.
How Is NRO Addressing Supply Chain Risks?
According to Darwyn Banks, director of the NRO’s systems engineering directorate, the agency is urging prime contractors and second-tier subcontractors to better understand the vendors and suppliers involved in their programs.
The effort is intended to identify risks, such as foreign vendors or manufacturers, that could become single points of failure. Banks said the goal is to know where such risks exist so the agency can manage them.
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NRO has also included an acquisition clause in its Federal Acquisition Regulation supplement addressing supply chain requirements. Banks said the clause has been in place for three years and has been included in newer contracts.
What Tools Is the NRO Using?
The agency has a supply chain-focused acquisition clause in its Federal Acquisition Regulation supplement, which Banks said has been in place for three years and is now being applied as newer contracts come online.
Program offices leverage in-house supply chain illumination and due diligence tools to evaluate potential issues with a given subcontractor or supplier during the proposal process. The agency also uses business intelligence contracts to understand the supplier market better.
Banks said he would grade the agency’s supply chain efforts a B or B-minus, while noting he has been encouraged by how thoroughly industry partners manage their own supply chains.
