Contracts delayed by too many cooks in the kitchen
The larger the acquisition involved, the more people get involved. Just to get the RFP [Request for Proposal] out the door on the government side, […]
Month: May 2019
Panel discussion on maximizing defense innovation
In this episode of Acquisition Talk, we’ll listen in on a panel discussion hosted by the Lincoln Network that focuses on defense acquisition, called, “From […]
What does the V-280 show after 40 years of tiltrotor development?
I just watched a YouTube video of the Bell V-280 tiltrotor conducting some kind of low speed agility demonstration… The aircraft can rock back and […]
Pushing immature technology to meet requirements
Let me being by offering three propositions. First, that successful new military weapons routinely derive from proven technology and virtually never emerge from efforts to […]
Thorny questions about Air Force’s pronounced 100 years of savings
The U.S. Air Force has stripped 100 years out of the schedules of its acquisition programs, the service’s top civilian announced Thursday. “The Air […]
Acquisition Headlines
The (apparent) winner-take-all JEDI cloud contract creates tension — and micromanagement: “The House Appropriations Committee’s version of the 2020 Defense spending bill would prohibit DoD […]
Does the DOD have monopsony power in defense markets?
Although the DoD has great influence in the United States economy, it does not experience the pricing power that many expect in the markets for […]
Will DIU finally make contract awards in 60 days?
The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), an agency created in 2015 to accelerate the adoption of commercial technology to solve national security problems, is trying to […]
Biotech business lessons for acquisition
In the multibillion dollar biotech and pharmaceutical sectors, R&D is an integral requirement to be part of the industry. The FDA does not contract with […]
Rich-contextual capitalism and blockchain transparency
I am of the perspective that what we currently have is information-poor capitalism. We all agree that markets are really good at making decisions, but […]
Disastrously risk-averse government funded R&D
U.S. universities have attracted great young scientists and engineers from all over the world, many of whom choose to remain in the country, strengthening our […]
The Air Force’s eternal reluctance for attack aircraft
But while the Air Force considers whether it needs a light-attack capability, SOCOM Commander Gen. Richard Clarke said a light-attack platform is essential for its […]
Acquisition Headlines
“Hours after top Navy officials explained to skeptical lawmakers why they would retire the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier 25 years early, Vice President Mike […]
How long does it take to get through a DAB milestone review?
Programs we surveyed spent on average over 2 years completing the steps necessary to document up to 49 information requirements for their most recent acquisition […]
DOD scandal of the week: taking candy from a baby
A review of a sample of parts TransDigm Group sold the military revealed the company made excess profit ranging from 17% to 4,451% on 46 of 47 […]