The Government Accountability Office has found that the number of weapon programs under the Defense Department’s portfolio of defense acquisitions rose from 78 in 2014 to 79 in 2015. GAO said in a report published Friday that DoD’s planned investments in weapons programs under the 2015 portfolio dropped to $1.44 trillion compared with $1.45 …
Read More »Incoming Administration Seeks to Re-Establish National Space Council
President-elect Donald Trump proposed to reintroduce during his presidential campaign a National Space Council that would manage the U.S. space policy and would likely be led by Vice President Mike Pence under the president’s executive office, Space.com reported Thursday. Leonard David writes Pence said during a pre-election speech in Florida …
Read More »IT Alliance for Public Sector Asks Trump to Build Up Govt Cybersecurity Through IT Modernization, Acquisition Reforms
A division of the Information Technology Industry Council has provided President-elect Donald Trump with several recommendations to help build up the cybersecurity posture of federal agencies. The IT Alliance for Public Sector asked Trump in a letter published Thursday to direct agencies to develop an inventory of information technology systems, software and …
Read More »Katrina McFarland, Lt. Gen. Michael Williamson Talk Army’s Acquisition Reform Efforts, Procurement Priorities
Katrina McFarland, acquisition chief at the U.S. Army; and Lt. Gen. Michael Williamson, principal military deputy to the service branch’s acquisition chief; have discussed acquisition reform initiatives and procurement priorities at the military branch, Defense News reported Wednesday. McFarland told Defense News reporter Jen Judson in an interview about the involvement …
Read More »Senate OKs FY 2017 Defense Policy Bill in 85-13 Vote
The Senate voted 85-13 to pass a bill that would authorize $602 billion in defense budget for fiscal year 2017, Defense News reported Tuesday. Joe Gould writes the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act contains acquisition reform provisions, including a measure that would limit cost-plus contracts and a proposal to remove …
Read More »Eric Fanning Cites Acquisition Reform, Emerging Threats as Immediate Priorities for US Army
U.S. Army Secretary Eric Fanning has said the lack of stable and predictable budget is one of the major challenges the service branch faces, the Army Times reported Sunday. Fanning told Army Times reporter Michelle Tan in an interview that the military branch needs stable funding in order to train …
Read More »Report: House Committee-Approved Fiscal 2017 NDAA Contains ‘Open Systems’ Provision
A defense policy bill the House Armed Services Committee approved two weeks ago contains a provision that would require the Defense Department to implement open architecture-based weapon systems “to the maximum extent practicable,” Federal News Radio reported Wednesday. Jared Serbu writes an earlier version of the committee’s 2017 National Defense Authorization Act had called for …
Read More »Report: Frank Kendall Drops Push for Defense M&A Oversight Legislation
Defense Department acquisition chief Frank Kendall has decided to withdraw his legislative proposal seeking greater agency oversight of merger and acquisition activities between defense companies, Defense News reported Tuesday. Aaron Mehta writes Kendall made the decision after the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department verified his office’s scope of authority on industry consolidation efforts. He …
Read More »Federal News Radio: DoD’s Services Acquisition Reform Could Take 12 More Years
The Defense Department‘s efforts to reform its services acquisition system could take another 12 years to reach full implementation, Federal News Radio reported Monday. Scott Maucione quotes Ken Brennan, DoD deputy director of services acquisition, who said the department is three years into a potential 15-year reform plan that aims to enhance the …
Read More »Reports: Mac Thornberry to Unveil Weapons Acquisition Reform Bill
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) plans to introduce a bill that seeks to reform the Defense Department‘s processes for acquisitions of weapons systems, Defense News reported Tuesday. Joe Gould writes Thornberry will likely integrate the proposed legislation with the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act that he plans to introduce in April. That …
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