NEED TO KNOW

Acquisition Research Program Newsletter

September 23, 2022       —       Issue 118

This week's top story is that the Small Business Innovation Research program is on its way to being reauthorized for 3 years.

• The Senate passed the bill and it heads to the House next week.
• The new authorization has a few changes, including requiring each DoD component to have one open topic at least once a year and for agencies to report on "adversarial military and foreign influences" in the programs. 

In other Congress news, the Senate's version of the continuing resolution is still being drafted, with the promise that it will include a controversial provision from Sen. Manchin about permitting reforms for energy projects.

• Senate vote is expected next week, and it doesn't look good for this version of the bill to get passed. Standby for last-minute funding theatrics. 

In acquisition news, there's an update on the Navy's procurement fraud soap opera: Fat Leonard has been apprehended in Venezuela, trying to get to Russia, after escaping U.S. custody in San Diego.

• He may get his time on the stand after all. 

The Defense Innovation Unit is working to speed up production of hypersonics, with a current initiative aiming to deliver prototypes in 12-24 months.

In case you missed it, Defense Pricing and Contracting issued a new Source Selection Guidebook that includes appendices explaining topics including debriefings, best value tradeoff, and lowest price technically acceptable. 

We have several news stories from this week's Air Force Association conference, including a few looking at how space acquisition may proceed with a lean/agile focus.

• This event is also where the Space Force official song was previewed to a notably tepid reaction. 

This week's biggest news is, of course, that we are accepting proposals for next year's Acquisition Research Symposium, which will be held in Monterey, California. We've heard your requests for a hybrid event that brings the best of both online and in-person events. We can't wait to welcome you back to Monterey! 

Finally, check out our latest panel on cybersecurity, which includes research on intellectual property, digital engineering, and protecting critical technologies. 

This Week's Top Story 

Senate pulls SBIR back from brink of sunsetting
Jason Miller, Federal News Network

The Small Business Innovation Research program is a big step further away from ending.

The Senate passed a three-year authorization of SBIR and the Small Business Technology Transfer Research program by unanimous consent on Sept. 20.

Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), chairman of Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, introduced and the full body passed the SBIR and STTR Extension Act of 2022 on Wednesday after several months of delay because of concerns from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) about companies abusing the program.

The House is expected to take up the Senate’s bill on Sept. 28, according to a spokesman for the Small Business Committee.

ARP and NPS News

Call for Proposals: 20th Annual Acquisition Research Symposium

Present your research IN MONTEREY next May 10-11 as we celebrate 20 years of hosting the premier defense acquisition research event. The 2023 symposium will be offered as a hybrid event, with select presentations streamed for online attendees. Presenters must join us in person.

Panel #22: Ensuring Cybersecurity Across the Acquisition Ecosystem

Chair: Rear Admiral Kurt Rothenhaus, USN, Program Executive Officer, Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence

Papers/panelists:

Defensive Industrial Policy: Securing the Defense Industrial Base and Beyond

• Chad Dacus and Carl Horn, Air Force Cyber College

Evaluating Effectiveness of Digital Engineering for Cyber-Physical Systems

• Alfred Schenker and William Nichols, Carnegie Mellon,Tyler Smith, Adventium Labs

How Is DOD Positioning Itself to Better Protect its Critical Technologies?

• Erin Butkowski, Government Accountability Office

Work with us!

The Department of Defense Management (DDM) at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) seeks candidates for non-tenure track positions in defense acquisition management. Responsibilities include teaching graduate courses in program management, advising student theses and projects, conducting defense acquisition-related research, and managing course/curriculum development and administration.  Learn more. 

Acquisition and Innovation

INTERPOL: Fat Leonard Arrested in Venezuela Trying to Flee to Russia
Sam LaGrone, USNI News

SDA a ‘model’ that could shake up all space acquisition: Calvelli
Theresa Hitchens, Breaking Defense

The Defense Innovation Unit’s ‘Private Money’ Approach Aims to Produce Reusable Hypersonic Test Aircraft Fast
Eric Tegler, Forbes

GSA reveals 28 members of new acquisition policy advisory committee
Dave Nyczepir, Fedscoop

DOT, SBA and others team up to attract new entrants to the federal market
Chris Riotta, FCW

Air Force discloses procurement fraud probe, provides few details
Rachel S. Cohen, Military Times

Commentary: Congress Renews SBIRs. Yay!?
Ben Van Roo, Substack

Current Challenges to the Defense Industrial Base (Recorded Event)
Center for Strategic & International Studies

Research

Incentives for Motivating Workforce Agility and Innovation
Dr. Amanda Girth, Dr. Mike Rayo, Dr. Elizabeth Newton, Mr. Asher Balkin, Ms. Christine Jefferies, Ms. Priyanka Tewani  |  The Ohio State University
AIRC Incubator Report

Russia’s War in Ukraine: Military and Intelligence Aspects
Congressional Research Service

Sand in the silicon: Designing an outbound investment controls mechanism
Sarah Bauerle Danzman and Emily Kilcrease, Atlantic Council

Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress
Congressional Research Service

Information Environment: Opportunities and Threats to DOD's National Security Mission
U.S. Government Accountability Office

AIRC-DAU Quarterly Research Forum (Recorded Event)
Defense Acquisition University

Events

15th Annual Homeland Defense/Security Education Summit (2022)
The Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security
October 31-November 2, 2022

Policy

Ensuring Robust Consideration of Evolving National Security Risks by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (Executive Order)
Federal Register

S.4900 - SBIR and STTR Extension Act of 2022
Congress.gov

Department of Defense Source Selection Procedures
Defense Pricing and Contracting

Defense and Federal Government

Is Space Force moving fast enough for its Rapid Capabilities Office?
Courtney Albon, Defense News

Ship repair delays increased in 2022 due to labor, material challenges
Megan Eckstein, Defense News

Federal CISO: Software security memo is an enabler of the digital future
Jason Miller, Federal News Network

President’s science and tech advisors recommend launch of $500M fund for semiconductor startups
Dave Nyczepir, Fedscoop

Biden administration appoints six policy experts to lead CHIPS Act implementation
John Hewitt Jones, Fedscoop

Once again, lawmakers ask if it's time to codify the federal CIO role
Natalie Alms, FCW

Brown’s 5 Big Steps to Transforming His Air Force
John A. Tirpak. Air Force Magazine

Congress

Lawmakers are setting a tight schedule to avoid a government shutdown
Eric Katz, FCW

Senate to move Pentagon nominees amid critical minerals row
Bryant Harris, Defense News

Michelle V. J. Johnson, PhD
Communications Manager, Contractor Support
Acquisition Research Program at Naval Postgraduate School
 e: michelle.johnson.ctr@nps.edu

NEED TO KNOW

Acquisition Research Program Newsletter

September 16, 2022       —       Issue 117

This week's top story marks the next phase of GSA's development of an e-commerce portal for commercial products and services after a successful pilot program.

• Currently DoD is not participating in this pilot, which allows contracting officers to use online marketplaces similar to Amazon to make purchases under the micropurchase threshold of $10,000.
• Will DoD get on board with this cost- and time-saving use of commercial technology? We hope so!

The impact of inflation is in several headlines. Last Friday, Defense Pricing and Contracting released a memo on how to adjust firm fixed price contracts for inflation. 

• Dr. LaPlante has mentioned that DoD needs to work with industry to weather these price fluctuations with resilience.
• And multiple trade groups have sent a letter to Congress citing the predicted costs of inflation on defense contracts. 

Congress is back in session with plenty to accomplish before taking a break for midterm elections.

• On their to-do list: reauthorizing the small business innovation research program, set to expire on September 30, passing the National Defense Authorization Act, and passing a continuing resolution.... among other taskers. 

The Biden administration continues to take steps to shore up the technology supply chain from a national security perspective.

• This week saw an Executive Order on funding research and manufacturing for biotechnology, with another EO pending that would prohibit Chinese investment in sensitive technologies. 

In ARP news, we have one of the last videos from the symposium. This one is on acquisition data and shares research on topics including the use of natural language processing to harmonize data across acquisition databases and getting the right data to predict acquisition schedules. 

• Our NPS story details a newly developed course that orients senior leaders to what they need to know about artificial intelligence -- although who wouldn't want to sit in and learn more on this one? 

Happy reading and happy weekend to all!

This Week's Top Story 

GSA plans to scale up e-commerce program
Chris Riotta, FCW

The General Services Administration is scaling up a pilot program allowing government buyers to use purchase cards for small-scale acquisitions on federal versions of commercial platforms like Amazon and Overstock.

GSA is seeking feedback from commercial online providers offering business-to-business online commerce platforms who want to join the Commercial Platforms (CP) program, a federal purchasing initiative first established in 2018. The agency previously selected Amazon, Overstock and Thermo Fisher Scientific for a pilot version of the program as it expanded to include at least 25 agencies and 40,000 participants.

The agency wants information from providers about their abilities to accommodate various government requests around supply chain risk management and third party supplier management, as well as federal cybersecurity requirements. GSA also said it's prioritizing the user experience in establishing the CP program and seeks to award multiple contracts to platform providers "that own, operate and manage online, commercial platforms that are widely used in the private sector," according to a draft request for proposals the agency issued last week.

ARP and NPS News

Panel #26: Getting and Using the Right Acquisition Data

Chair: Mark E. Krzysko, Principal Deputy Director, Enterprise Information, Acquisition Data and Analytics

Papers/panelists:

Using Data Analytics to Detect Bridge Contracts
- David Gill, Internal Revenue Service

Improving the Quality of Federal Financial Data with Emerging Technology
- David Gill, Internal Revenue Service

Telling Time: Getting Relevant Data for Acquisition Schedule Estimating Relationships
- Charles Pickar, Naval Postgraduate School and Raymond Franck, United States Air Force Academy

Technical Data Package Independent Assessment
- Nicholas Haas, MITRE Corporation

NPS, Partners Develop Executive Course on AI/ML Foundations for Senior Leaders
Matthew Schehl, Naval Postgraduate School

The Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), in partnership with Stanford University and the Defense Innovation Unit in Silicon Valley, developed an intensive three-day course specifically for senior defense leaders on the emerging role of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) in the military.  Developed under the direction of the DOD’s Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO), the inaugural executive AI course, held June 7-9, provided approximately two dozen General and Flag Officers, Senior Executive Service (SES) and other senior executives with a foundational knowledge of AI/ML systems, including technical cornerstones, practical implications, ethical guidelines and DOD-specific problems and solutions. With the success and positive feedback of the initial event, additional courses are planned for November 2022 and February 2023.

Acquisition and Innovation

Department Moves Quick to Replenish Weapons Sent to Ukraine
C. Todd Lopez, DoD News

‘Extraordinary circumstances’: DoD eyes inflation relief for vendors
Joe Gould, Military Times

Biden to sign order blocking Chinese investment in US tech
Brad Dress, The Hill

Pentagon to pour $1.2 billion into ‘critical’ biomanufacturing industry
Lee Ferran, Breaking Defense

US Air Force warns of aging fighters, poor purchasing efforts
Stephen Losey, Defense News

After slow start, work now underway at key DOD budget reform commission
Tony Bertuca, Inside Defense

Space Force nominee supports expanding launch vendor base
Courtney Albon, Defense News

Podcast: What it takes in acquisition to deter China
Acquisition Talk - with Greg Grant, Matt MacGregor, and Pete Modigliani

Commentary: DoD Must Move Faster to Leverage Commercial Technology
Rep. Mike Gallagher, Real Clear Defense

Research

National Security Snapshot: Climate Change Risks to National Security
U.S. Government Accountability Office

Mid-Decade Challenges to National Competitiveness
Special Competitive Studies Project

Audit of DoD Other Transactions and the Use of Nontraditional Contractors and Resource Sharing (DODIG-2022-127)
DoD Inspector General

Events

Building the Future Supply Chain, with Rear Adm. Joseph D. Noble Jr., Director of Logistics Operations for Defense Logistics Agency
Salesforce and Defense News
October 28, 2022  |  10:00 am

Policy

Enhancing the Security of the Software Supply Chain through Secure Software Development Practices
Office of Management and Budget

Resource

A Digital Servant's Guide to U.S. Federal Information Technology Law and PolicyA Digital Servant's Guide to U.S. Federal Information Technology Law and Policy

Defense and Federal Government

Navy Gets New Top Enlisted Sailor Who Promises to Focus on Sailors' Needs and Their Families
Konstantin Toropin, Military.com

Defense and Commerce departments partner on space traffic management
Courtney Albon, C4ISRNET

GE adaptive engine for F-35 finishes testing, preps for new phase
Stephen Losey, Defense News

Navy adds information warfare communities to bachelor’s degree program
Diana Stancy Correll, Navy Times

U.S. trails China in key tech areas, new report warns
Patrick Tucker and Lauren C. Williams, FCW

US struggles to mobilise its East Asian ‘Chip 4’ alliance
Financial Times

Congress

Congress races to reauthorize innovation grants favored by Pentagon
Bryant Harris and Catherine Buchaniec, Defense News

Senators push to expedite replacement of US weapons sent to Ukraine
Bryant Harris, Defense News

Senate Republicans demand Schumer bring defense authorization bill to floor
Jordan Williams, The Hill 

Senate advances $6.5 billion Taiwan military aid bill
Bryant Harris, Defense News

Michelle V. J. Johnson, PhD
Communications Manager, Contractor Support
Acquisition Research Program at Naval Postgraduate School
 e: michelle.johnson.ctr@nps.edu

NEED TO KNOW

Acquisition Research Program Newsletter

September 9, 2022       —       Issue 116

Our top story this week brings the next chapter in the semiconductor supply chain saga: the Department of Commerce has prohibited U.S. companies from selling AI-enabling chips to China.

• This bold move follows the CHIPS Act passed in July. 

You're probably well aware of the really big acquisition news story this week: Fat Leonard, notorious for extensive fraud and corruption in Navy contracts, has escaped from home custody, weeks before he was scheduled to testify.

• Leonard's corruption scandal is notable for many things--not least how it brought the obscure business of acquisition to the attention of average Americans. 

In other acquisition news, we're thrilled to note that there is finally a nominee to lead Navy acquisition: Nick Guertin, currently Director, Operational Test and Evaluation--and long-time ARP research contributor.

• You may recall that last week's symposium video showcased Guertin as chair of the panel on machine learning. (If you missed it, head over to YouTube!) Congratulations to Nick and to the Navy on the smart choice!

As we advance toward the end of the fiscal year, details of the expected continuing resolution are being fleshed out.

• Both parties agree on funding through mid-December, but how much funding for contingencies like Ukraine aid and pandemic relief remain TBD. 

In ARP and NPS news, out latest symposium video brings research and insights on defense business processes--including some NPS faculty-student research on the effect of continuing resolutions. 

• We're also sharing a profile of current NPS student in the contract management curriculum, Master Sgt Kade Forrester, who is being recognized as one of the Air Force’s 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2022. 

Enjoy!

This Week's Top Story 

U.S. officials order Nvidia to halt sales of top AI chips to China
Stephen Nellis and Jane Lanhee Lee, Reuters

Chip designer Nvidia Corp (NVDA.O) said on Wednesday that U.S. officials told it to stop exporting two top computing chips for artificial intelligence work to China, a move that could cripple Chinese firms' ability to carry out advanced work like image recognition and hamper Nvidia's business in the country.

The announcement signals a major escalation of the U.S. crackdown on China's technological capabilities as tensions bubble over the fate of Taiwan, where chips for Nvidia and almost every other major chip firm are manufactured.

The U.S. Department of Commerce would not say what new criteria it has laid out for AI chips that can no longer be shipped to China but said it is reviewing its China-related policies and practices to "keep advanced technologies out of the wrong hands.

ARP and NPS News

Panel #24: Modernizing and Assessing Acquisition Business Processes

Chair: Lieutenant General Thomas H. Todd III, USA, Deputy Commanding General, Acquisition and Systems Management

Papers/panelists:

Leading Practices: Agency Acquisition Policies Could Better Implement Key Product Development Principles

• Erin Carson, Shelby Oakley, Christopher Durbin | Government Accountability Office

Business Models for Innovation in a MOSA Environment

• Gregory Sanders and Alexander Holderness, Center for Strategic and International Studies

An Assessment of the Impact of Federal Continuing Resolutions on the Pre-Approval Stage of Defense Acquisitions

• Spencer Brien, Naval Postgraduate School

Watch now.      Read the papers. 
 

NPS Foundation delivers collaborative national security research tool to the Naval Postgraduate School
NPS Foundation Press Release

The Naval Postgraduate School Foundation held a ceremony Sept. 6 symbolizing the transfer of Athena, a collaborative research tool, to the Naval Postgraduate School.  Athena empowers researchers, sponsors, and leaders across the Naval Education Enterprise to access and query information currently stored in numerous separate databases by use of keywords, topics of interest, service priorities and other filters. The application is built on Microsoft Azure and Microsoft Teams to assure security, enhance scalability, and deliver content across all devices. Read more. 

Outstanding Airmen of the Year: Master Sgt. Kade N. Forrester
Patrick Reardon, Air Force Magazine

Today, we honor Master Sgt. Kade N. Forrester, the infrastructure flight section chief for the 11th Contracting Squadron at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, D.C., one of the Air Force’s 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2022. Forrester’s acumen was exemplified when he launched a $111 million Simplified Acquisition Base Engineer Requirements (SABER) program. By finding creative solutions to source products and contractors, Forrester’s SABER plan slashed acquisition timelines by 70 percent on 24 highly visible projects and saved more than 1,000 labor hours across the wing. The plan was critical for getting the base to FOC by 2022. 

Forrester is currently on assignment at the Naval Postgraduate School pursuing a master’s degree in business administration and contracts and acquisitions. 

Work with us!

The Department of Defense Management (DDM) at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) seeks candidates for non-tenure track positions in defense acquisition management. Responsibilities include teaching graduate courses in program management, advising student theses and projects, conducting defense acquisition-related research, and managing course/curriculum development and administration.  Learn more. 

Acquisition and Innovation

Pentagon’s acquisition chief talks inflation, Ukraine, ‘Vampires’
Joe Gould, Defense News

Defense industry to launch inflation relief push in Congress
Joe Gould, Defense News

White House to Nominate DOT&E Head Nickolas Guertin as Navy Acquisition Chief
Sam LaGrone, USNI News

Space communications node offers DARPA model for rapid acquisition Courtney Albon, Defense News

GSA, CISA turning to AI tools, standards to help secure federal supply chains
Jason Miller, Federal News Network

NDIA Perspective: Energy Efficiency Is a Warfighting Imperative
Arun Seraphin, National Defense Magazine

‘Fat Leonard,’ set to finally be sentenced in long-running Navy bribery scheme, is on the lam
Kristina Davis and Greg Moran, The San Diego Union-Tribune

DOD to roll out new online marketplace to speedily buy AI-aligned tech
Brandi Vincent, Fedscoop

Procurement & the acquisition workforce (audio)
Tom Temin with Jeff Kozes, Federal News Network

Research

Coast Guard Cutter Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress
Congressional Research Service

Defense Primer: RDT&E
Congressional Research Service

The Congressional Budget Process Timeline
Congressional Research Service

Policy and Legislation

DoD Directive 3100.10:  Space Policy

Continuing Resolution Package
Office of Management and Budget

Defense and Federal Government

Pentagon suspends F-35 deliveries over Chinese alloy in magnet
Stephen Losey, Defense News

Naval research boss wants ‘experimentation czar’ powers
Megan Eckstein, Defense News

Dunford: American Innovation Is the Key to Deterring and Winning the Wars of the Future
Gen. Joseph F. Dunford, Jr. (Ret), Military.com

Franchetti sworn in as vice chief of naval operations
Geoff Ziezulewicz, Navy Times

US Army nominates new Futures Command chief
Jen Judson, Army Times

New DoD Space Policy avoids politically loaded language, echoes Obama-era
Theresa Hitchens, Breaking Defense 

Congress

Senate leans toward Dec. 16 stopgap funding bill
Aidan Quigley and Lindsey McPherson, Roll Call

Congress Quietly Debates New Sea-Based Nuclear Weapons amid China Tensions
Kevin Knodell, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser / Military.com

Michelle V. J. Johnson, PhD
Communications Manager, Contractor Support
Acquisition Research Program at Naval Postgraduate School
 e: michelle.johnson.ctr@nps.edu

NEED TO KNOW

Acquisition Research Program Newsletter

September 2, 2022       —       Issue 115

This week our top story brings an assessment of the defense acquisition landscape from Bill LaPlante, current Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment.

• He hits on the time-consuming--and unexpected--task the DoD has taken on in arming Ukraine in its self-defense against Russia.
• This segues into the need for an inherently adaptive acquisition system, which includes responsive relationships with industry. We appreciate that he connects this responsiveness to a "learning mentality," a shared priority we here at NPS support every day.  

In evidence of that shared mission, check out the latest article from NPS President VADM (Ret) Ann Rondeau, who makes a compelling case for a balanced understanding of technological leadership.

• As other leaders have pointed out, technology is only one part of the equation; the human thinker is the enabler of any technological innovation.
• Her nine recommendations for how to achieve this balance between the "art and science of war" includes one specific to acquisition: the need to integrate processes that build hardware with those that build networks, digital systems, and decision-advantage technologies.

One more leader rings in today on the need for -- and the challenge of -- cultural change. Air Force chief of staff CQ Brown has graded his performance over the past two years with a solid "C." 

• He notes the slow process of realizing his mission to foster a culture determined to "accelerate change or lose," and notes how long culture change takes.
• On a positive note, the article also offers some examples of how the change is already underway with airmen taking initiative to propose creative solutions to leaders. 

In acquisition news, Bill Greenwalt has penned an excellent (and scathing) reflection of what it means that Michael Brown is stepping down as Director of Defense Innovation Unit.

• He contextualizes DIU within the larger push from Congress for DoD to innovate its acquisition processes begun in 2015, and bemoans the fact that Brown leaves feeling defeated by the bureaucracy.
• One of the more biting critiques in the piece: "... the current Pentagon’s approach to finding a new DIU director speaks volumes about how the organization is currently valued.  An absolutely nonsensical formal notice and application process, reminiscent of how to fill a GS-9 analyst position, was recently announced by R&E to fill the spot."

In other acquisition news, Microsoft is protesting the latest giant tech award-- a $1 billion award for cloud computing to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. We also have updates on the continuing evolution of the cybersecurity maturity model certification process. 

In ARP news, our latest symposium video brings research and conversation on a perennially hot topic: earned value management and agile development.

• Chair LTG David Bassett, Director of DCMA, reflects on his own past experiences as a program manager with software development and from his current seat. He shared that he has talked about creating a companion to the adaptive acquisition framework -- an adaptive contract administration framework "so that we have multiple tools in our toolbox as we administer contracts."  Watch the video for the full conversation and to hear some solid research! 

Happy Labor Day weekend! Cheers to the end of summer. 

This Week's Top Story 

The Way Forward
Dr. William LaPlante

In this first of a series of columns, Dr. LaPlante discusses guiding principles for adopting a learning mentality, managing program risk, driving innovation, and making an impact.

Since I took on the role of Under Secretary in late April, A&S has remained at the forefront of a historic mission—supporting Ukraine in its fight against unprovoked Russian aggression. Every day, Ukraine is at the top of our list, and how we support this effort extends into everything we do.

We face tremendous challenges in determining which capabilities we’re going to draw down from U.S. inventories, what we can procure from industry directly, and how we can move rapidly on replenishment. While the fight evolves seemingly every couple of weeks, our defense acquisition workforce continues to answer the call. I applaud your professionalism and dedication to the mission. And with this administration’s leadership in concert with allies and partners, we will continue doing whatever is required to help Ukraine fight and win.

For nearly a decade, defense acquisition has emphasized developing new, more expedited authorities. The multi-domain, pacing threat posed by China now requires that we use those authorities to produce capability relevant to the high-end fight—both at scale and with the appropriate doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel, and facilities.

We must continue in a deliberate campaign to build the capacity, resilience, and acquisition tools to enable that capability delivery. This means that our efforts must be a series of coherently linked events aimed at a greater outcome. From experimentation to policy pathfinders, it’s all about learning and continuous improvement.

ARP and NPS News

Panel #21: Rethinking Earned Value Management in Incremental Acquisitions

Chair: Lieutenant General David G. Bassett, USA, Director, Defense Contract Management Agency

Papers/panelists:

AIRC Study - Third Party Business System Compliance Assessment - A Streamlined Approach

• Gordon Kranz, Acquisition Innovation Research Center

Improving Software Cost Estimating Methods in Defense Programs

• Nick Biancalana, Air Force Institute of Technology

Watch now. 

Rebalancing the Science and Art of War for Decision Advantage
VADM Ann Rondeau, USN (Ret.)  |  Proceedings

From NPS President Rondeau, a reflection on how (and why) to ensure intellectual overmatch in the Naval education and operational enterprises.

The paradox in warfighting is that while we prize, hail, and reward initiative, we organizationally expect initiative as a natural phenomenon, rather than as a deliberately leveraged manifestation of considering the human being the decisive element. The further paradox is that as we pursue technologies such as unmanned systems, we distance the human from the system while also counting on the human to design, intuit, and interact with the system. We expect and will demand accountability at the point of decision-making. As such, the local human element— properly equipped both technically and cognitively—is essential to achieving intellectual overmatch and gaining decision advantage.

So, how do we get to the optimal balance? The answer is in part by overhauling how we think about education, learning, and innovation at the enterprise level. Here are some suggestions.  Read more.

Work with us!

The Department of Defense Management (DDM) at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) seeks candidates for non-tenure track positions in defense acquisition management. Responsibilities include teaching graduate courses in program management, advising student theses and projects, conducting defense acquisition-related research, and managing course/curriculum development and administration.  Learn more. 

Acquisition and Innovation

DIU’s director tried to overcome a calcified defense innovation system. It beat him. Now what?
Bill Greenwalt, Breaking Defense

Amazon-Microsoft rivalry now turns to $1B NGA contract
Nick Wakeman, FCW

Mike Madsen to take helm as acting director of Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit
Brandi Vincent, Fedscoop

Cyber accreditation body says key CMMC document to face changes
Justin Doubleday, Federal News Network

DHS looks to cyber self-assessments over CMMC model
Natalie Alms, FCW

Steve Blank on Rebuilding the Department of Defense (Audio)
Solarpunk Podcast

DoD Announces $6.8 Million Defense Production Act Title III Agreement with Burlington Industries, LLC to Strengthen the Domestic Clothing and Textile Industrial Base
DoD Press Release

What's going on at NITAAC
Adam Mazmanian, FCW

Research

Expired and Expiring Authorizations of Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2022
Congressional Budgeting Office

Events

Acquisition Next
George Mason University Center for Government Contracting & DAU
November 4, 2022

Defense and Federal Government

Air Force top general gives himself a ‘C’ grade after two years on the job
David Roza, Task & Purpose

Hicks says Pentagon moving too slowly in transitioning DARPA tech to warfighters
Jon Harper, Fedscoop

Time to ‘block and tackle’: Draft strategy outlines Air Force’s future digital environment through 2028
Jaspreet Gill, Breaking Defense

Russia and China’s space weapon plans spur high-level Pentagon meeting
Joe Gould and Courtney Albon, Defense News

The US military is running low on ammo after sending so much to Ukraine
Nicholas Slayton, Task & Purpose

Much-hyped effort to help DHS land cyber talent is slow to make hires
Natalie Alms, Defense One

Navigating the Navy’s Future featuring Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Michael Gilday (video)
The Heritage Foundation

NEED TO KNOW

Acquisition Research Program Newsletter

August 26, 2022       —       Issue 114

Farewell to RADM (Ret.) James B. Greene, Jr. Friends, our top story this week is a sad one: RADM (Ret.) Jim Greene, founder of ARP, has passed away. Read more about his legacy at the Naval Postgraduate School and in the U.S. Navy in our blog post tribute.

In other news, the Biden administration is moving out on the CHIPS Act with an executive order, a website, and priorities to ensure that funding for semiconductor manufacturing companies is both transparent and geographically dispersed. In the near future, Silicon Valley stands to lose its eponymous connection to this core technology. 

In Acquisition news, we see the announcement of more research partnerships with universities. 

• Multiple universities are working on different aspects of hypersonics research, with awards managed by the University Consortium for Applied Hypersonics.
• Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab has been awarded an IDIQ worth up to $10.6 billion for research, development, test, & evaluation of technologies including submarine security and survivability; information technology; and simulation, modeling, and operations analysis.

In Research, check out the recent report on the State of the Space Industrial Base from the Scowcroft Center. One of their findings footstomps the need for DoD to rapidly acquire and constitute commercially-sourced space capabilities.

• We also have some cool research resources for you, including an app that turns PDFs into data files (!).

The Defense section includes a commentary from Steve Bleymaier on how digital engineering can help JADC2 achieve its tricky goal of creating a vastly complex network. It also serves as a great primer on digital engineering. 

In ARP and NPS news, we again have lots to share:

• Our latest symposium video features long-time ARP friend Nick Guertin--now Director of Defense Operational Testing and Evaluation--chairing a session on machine learning. Nick connects research on data uncertainty, AI, and natural language processing to the testing and evaluation process.
• NPS has won an award for our contracting management education program
• ARP-supported research from Johnathan Mun demonstrates the ROI of graduate education for military officers, evaluating case studies of NPS and ARP. Spoiler alert: it's a great investment!
• And last week we welcomed to campus Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy and NPS alum, whose speech came to the same conclusion as Mun: an NPS education is a uniquely valuable asset for the Navy, and one he intends to generously invest in. Thank you, sir!

This Week's Top Story 

Executive order will guide $52 billion in CHIPS Act funding
Chris Riotta, FCW

A new executive order begins to lay out a roadmap for federal agencies working to implement semiconductor funding featured in the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act, which aims to boost U.S. semiconductor research and development.

The executive order establishes an interagency steering council to guide the disbursement of the nearly $52 billion in manufacturing subsidies and research funding made available through the law Congress passed last month. It also establishes six top priorities around the implementation of the funding, including protecting taxpayer dollars, meeting economic and national security needs, ensuring long-term leadership across the sector, strengthening regional manufacturing and innovation clusters, catalyzing private sector investment and generating benefits for a broad range of stakeholders and communities.

The White House said the funding program will feature a "rigorous review of applications" and "robust compliance and accountability requirements," while seeking to establish a "dynamic, collaborative network for semiconductor research and innovation to enable long-term U.S. leadership in the industries of the future."

ARP and NPS News

Panel #20: Machine Learning: Challenges and Opportunities for the Acquisition Workforce

Chair: The Honorable Nick Guertin, Director, Operational Testing and Evaluation, Office of the Secretary of Defense

Papers/panelists:

• A System-of-Systems Approach to Enterprise Analytics Design: Acquisition Support in the Age of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence
  - Cesare Guariniello, Daniel DeLaurentis, Prajwal Balasubramani, Purdue University
• Tips for CDRLs/Requirements when Acquiring/Developing AI-Enabled Systems
  - Bruce Nagy, NAVAIR, China Lake
• Recommending Recommendations to Support the Defense Acquisition Workforce
  - Carlo Lipizzi, Stevens Institute of Technology

Watch now.  

Read research reports from the symposium.

Optimizing Warfighters’ Intellectual Capability: Return On Investment Of Military Education And Research
Johnathan Mun, Defense Acquisition Research Journal

The Department of Defense (DoD) sends a large number of officers to various military universities to obtain graduate degrees, perform academic research, and acquire the technical skills and nontechnical competencies highly valued in their respective billets.

• The question is whether the benefits of such education and research are indeed greater than the cost incurred by the DoD. 
• The research includes an examination of three short case studies that deal with the value of military research: (1) a return on investment (ROI) case study on the Naval Postgraduate School Acquisition Research Program (NPS ARP); (2) an ROI case study on the ROI of NPS education; and (3) an ROI case study on Defense Acquisition University.

The research findings indicate a statistically significant positive impact on the retention of graduating officers, lower attendance cost, and greater DoD control of the courses covered.

• Finally, the author concludes that the ROI of a training initiative might be intrinsic, unmeasurable, and subjective, rather than simple applications of specific knowledge or learned skill sets on the job.  Read more. 

Naval Postgraduate School won the Contract Management Education Award from the National Contract Management Association (NCMA) for the second time.

• ARP is thrilled to be a key part of how NPS improves the Contract Management profession through education--we support students and faculty throughout their research projects. 

NPS was recognized for its acquisition and contract management curricula, faculty expertise, students’ thesis research, and faculty published research.

• NPS acquisition and contract management degree programs were evaluated on degree graduation requirements, promotion of the contract management profession to its students, course alignment with the standard competencies outlined in the Contract Management Body of Knowledge, and the course impact on students’ understanding of contract management.

SECNAV Emphasizes Lifelong Learning as a ‘Strategic Imperative’ During NPS Guest Lecture
MC2 James Norket, Naval Postgraduate School

Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Carlos Del Toro spoke to Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) students, faculty, and staff about the value and importance of lifelong learning during the Secretary of the Navy Guest Lecture (SGL), Aug. 18.

• An alumnus of NPS, Del Toro earned a master’s degree in Space Systems Engineering from NPS during his 22-year career as a Naval officer. He talked at length about the importance of continuing education and how it keeps the United States on the cutting edge of warfighting.
• He also emphasized the Navy’s commitment to investing in and sustaining the future of NPS and other Department of Navy education programs and institutions.  Read more. 

Work with us!

The Department of Defense Management (DDM) at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) seeks candidates for non-tenure track positions in defense acquisition management.

• Responsibilities include teaching graduate courses in program management, advising student theses and projects, conducting defense acquisition-related research, and managing course/curriculum development and administration.  Learn more.

Acquisition and Innovation

Pentagon issues new awards to universities to work on hypersonics tech
Jon Harper, Fedscoop

New semiconductor law aims to create ‘Silicon Valleys’ across U.S.
Kery Murakami, FCW

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab lands Pentagon RDT&E contract worth up to $10.6B
Jon Harper, Fedscoop

The present and future of FedRAMP
Chris Riotta, FCW

Commentary: No Time to Waste: The Pentagon Needs an Innovation Overhaul
Melissa Flagg, National Interest

Resource: Acquisition Regulator Comparator (ARC)
New capability from Acquisition.gov compares up to 3 related regulations (e.g., FAR to DFARS to NMCARS)

Research

The Nature of the Defense Innovation Problem
Acquisition Innovation Research Center

State of the Space Industrial Base 2022 Report
Scowcroft Center, Atlantic Council

FY2023 NDAA: Active Component End Strength
Congressional Research Service

A Snapshot of Government-wide Contracting for FY 2021 (Interactive Dashboard)
U.S. Government Accountability Office

Resource: BYU Law Adds Full Congressional Record to its Law and Corpus Linguistics Corpora
PR Newswire

Resource: Tabula
This open source tool extracts data from PDFs into a CSV or Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. (Great news for researchers working with government documents!)

Policy

Department of Defense Source Selection Procedures
Defense Pricing & Contracting

Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Reauthorization and Improvement of Mentor-Protégé Program (DFARS Case 2020-D009)
Federal Register

FACT SHEET: President Biden Signs Executive Order to Implement the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022
The White House

Defense and Federal Government

Hicks wants more high-level oversight of Pentagon’s JADC2 efforts
Brandi Vincent, Fedscoop

Navy christens third ‘Overlord’ robot ship, with more on tap
Megan Eckstein, Defense News

White House launches new war on secrecy
Bryan Bender, Politico

Half of Air Force Advanced STEM Billets Go Unfilled or Require Waivers
Amanda Miller, Air Force Magazine

Commentary: Pentagon vision for synchronized forces hinges on digital engineering
Steve Bleymaier, C4ISRNET

Commentary: The Navy’s Navigation Plan is good, but Congress has some heavy lifting to do to make it work
Brent Sadler, Breaking Defense

Congress

Rep. Connolly launches bid for House Oversight Committee leadership
Dave Nyczepir, Fedscoop

Michelle V. J. Johnson, PhD
Communications Manager, Contractor Support
Acquisition Research Program at Naval Postgraduate School
 e: michelle.johnson.ctr@nps.edu

NEED TO KNOW

Acquisition Research Program Newsletter

August 19, 2022       —       Issue 113

This week's top story is commentary from former DoD comptroller Dov Zakheim, who argues for the merits of the Critical Munitions Acquisition Fund, which we pointed out in a previous newsletter was dismissed by the Senate Appropriations Committee in its FY23 budget report language. As readers know, and Zakheim explains, this continues the Congressional distrust of funding flexibility -- aka, working capital funds or slush funds -- despite their ability to enable real-time pivots by acquisition leaders to respond to changing threats and needs. This particular fund would help keep up with--and replenish--military supplies supporting Ukraine, unanticipated by previous  budget requests and appropriations. Zakheim's article goes into the historical cause of this Congressional distrust of flexibility, which stems from the DoD's M accounts and their mysteriousness to members of Congress over 30 years ago. It's a good lesson in how we got to here, especially useful as the PPBE reform commission gets underway.

An interesting (and continuing) trend in the news is the intensified need for the Air Force and Navy to divest legacy platforms--and the Congressional prohibition on doing so. In the Air Force, maintaining the F-22 presents a direct challenge to the next generation family of systems, which includes uncrewed aircraft. In the Navy, the service has released its list of 39 ships slated for decommissioning, 16 of which are blocked by currently drafted Senate or House provisions. 

As a counter to what feels like a bit of Congress-bashing, check out the final article in the Congress section, which details how remarkably functional this Congress has been--by bucking recent tradition and passing several bipartisan bills. This includes last week's CHIPS Act and this week's Infrastructure Act, both of which put historic amounts of funding into research and development We can only hope that such effectiveness carries over to the FY23 appropriations bills. 

In NPS news, we have two noteworthy campus visits to highlight. Last week we hosted the US Pacific Fleet Commander's Conference, reinforcing how NPS is a unique intellectual gathering place where Naval leaders can assess the current operational environment and discuss the fleet's priorities and challenges. This week we hosted the Navy's Chief Information Officer, who celebrated the installation of AT&T's 5G antenna and explored cybersecurity research NPS conducted in partnership with Rebellion Defense. 

In ARP news, we've got a short symposium video for you, with another student research presentation. This one demonstrates the impact of industrial base consolidation for suppliers of two Navy auxiliary systems. It's a great example of what our distance learning students can achieve with research inspired and informed by their "day jobs." 

This Week's Top Story 

Congress should reconsider Austin’s request to fund ‘critical munitions’
Dov S. Zakheim, The Hill

Perhaps it should come as no surprise that Senate appropriators shot down a Department of Defense (DOD) fiscal year 2023 budget request to create a $500 million Critical Munitions Acquisition Fund. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had argued that the fund would give the DOD flexibility to increase weapons production to assist Ukraine and to respond to any urgent needs arising from future crises.

In response, the Senate Appropriations Committee’s report for FY 2023 stated that “the Critical Munitions Acquisition Fund is narrowly focused on procurement of small amounts of certain munitions to be decided in the year of execution. By design, this approach does not address the broader challenges of strategic investment and management of the DIB [defense industrial base] and the supply chain.”

Appropriators, and especially many of their staffers, long have been suspicious of any new fund that would afford the DOD “flexibility” without detailed congressional oversight. Their opposition harks back three decades, when in 1989 the Air Force informed Congress that it planned to apply $1 billion from so-called “M accounts” to correct problems with the B-1 bomber’s avionics systems. The Air Force request for funds from these accounts came as a surprise to many legislators who had not been aware of the size of these accounts. Indeed, some lawmakers were not even aware of their existence.

ARP and NPS News

Student Research: Navy Auxiliary Systems Defense Industrial Base Analysis

Thesis research from Raymond Belko, ARP-supported student and engineer at the Naval Surface Warfare Center – Philadelphia, presented at the 19th Annual Acquisition Research Symposium. This study focuses on two Navy Auxiliary Systems: air conditioning and refrigeration (AC&R) and compressed air systems. Data gained through analysis of contracting history and from subject matter
experts (SME) and in-service engineering agents (ISEA) are used to perform a sector by sector, tier by tier (S2T2) fragility and criticality (FaC) assessment of AC&R and compressed air systems.  Watch the presentation.

Read the thesis.

U.S. Pacific Fleet Hosts Commander’s Conference at NPS
MC2 Lenny Weston  |  Naval Postgraduate School 

The Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) hosted the Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet (PACFLT) 2022 Commander’s Conference in Monterey, Aug. 8-9. The conference brought together senior-level commanders from across the Navy and Marine Corps to the NPS campus to assess the current operational environment and to discuss the fleet’s priorities and challenges, with a focus on the Indo-Pacific region. Read more. 

An experiment showed that the military must change Its cybersecurity approach
Patrick Tucker, FCW

Frequent, automated red-teaming reveals which vulnerabilities are the most dangerous, the easiest for an attacker to exploit with the highest impact—information they wouldn’t have otherwise, said Aaron Weis, the Navy’s chief information officer, or CIO, and Scott Bischoff, the command information officer at the Naval Postgraduate School. And it’s far more effective than the way the Defense Department currently handles cybersecurity: with checklists of steps taken, patches implemented, and so on. ... NPS’ Bischoff says the school lends itself to experimentation because it’s on the California research and education network, not a Navy network.  Read more. 

Work with us!

The Department of Defense Management (DDM) at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) seeks candidates for non-tenure track positions in defense acquisition management. Responsibilities include teaching graduate courses in program management, advising student theses and projects, conducting defense acquisition-related research, and managing course/curriculum development and administration.  Learn more. 

Acquisition and Innovation

If Congress blocks F-22 retirements, expect impact to Air Force drone programs: Hunter
Valerie Insinna, Breaking Defense

Three reasons why organizational conflict of interest is back in the spotlight Jason Miller, Federal News Network

With FMS, Air Force Looks to Integrate With Allies Earlier and in New Ways
Greg Hadley, Air Force Magazine

Key procurement trends at GSA (Audio)
Roger Waldron with Alan Thomas, Off the Shelf/Federal News Network

GSA’s Zvenyach leaving federal service
Jason Miller, Federal News Network

DHS Procurement Innovation Lab Yearbook 2021

Resource: Acquisition Guidebooks & References
Defense Acquisition University

The Defense Acquisition Guidebook is being retired and replaced by a modern set of guidebooks aligned with our new acquisition policies and functional areas.

Research

The Return of Great Power War: Scenarios of Systemic Conflict Between the United States and China
Timothy R. Heath, Kristen Gunness, Tristan Finazzo  |  RAND

Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress
Congressional Research Service

China's Choices: A New Tool for Assessing the PLA's Modernization
Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments

Events

State of the Space Industrial Base 2022: Advancing prosperity, sustainability, and US leadership in outer space
August 24, 2022
Atlantic Council

ACT-IAC Acquisition Community of Interest: The Future of 5G Acquisitions
September 8, 2022
ACT-IAC 

Annual Research Review
Acquisition Innovation Research Center
November 15, 2022

Policy

DoD Instruction 5205.85: Enhanced Security program to support the DoD Innovation initiative

Defense and Federal Government

Navy Wants to Decommission 39 Warships in 2023
Heather Mongilio, USNI News

Oak Ridge National Lab officials view new innovation push as modern day 'Manhattan Project'
Brandi Vincent, Fedscoop

Space Force Takes Over All Military Satellite Communications
Thomas Novelly, Military.com

HII Set to Install First Hypersonic Missiles on USS Zumwalt, USS Michael Monsoor During Repair Period
Sam LaGrone, USNI News

Advanced engine industrial base at risk of ‘collapse,’ Air Force says
Courtney Albon, C4ISRNET

White House crafting rules framework for emerging space activities
Valerie Insinna, Breaking Defense

Commentary: The Pentagon must prevent its mounting climate casualties
Rear Admiral (Ret.) Tim Gallaudet, The Hill

Congress

New York Democrats urge White House to invoke Defense Production Act for vaccines to treat monkeypox
Joseph Choi, The Hill

Defense innovation stymied as gridlock in Congress bars emerging tech
Catherine Buchaniec, Defense News

A Functional Congress? Yes.
David Leonhardt, The New York Times

Michelle V. J. Johnson, PhD
Communications Manager, Contractor Support
Acquisition Research Program at Naval Postgraduate School
 e: michelle.johnson.ctr@nps.edu

NEED TO KNOW

Acquisition Research Program Newsletter

August 12, 2022       —       Issue 112

This week President Biden signed into law the CHIPS and Science Act, investing billions in semiconductor manufacturing as well as R&D on technology that supports national security. We have two articles analyzing the impact of the law as well as the fact that it may only scratch the surface of the investments truly needed. We also have a summary of the law for those looking for details. Our perusal discovered that it gives the Department of Commerce other transaction authority "to enable efficient execution of CHIPS awards."

Last week we shared the inevitability of a continuing resolution. This week brings predictions that the National Defense Authorization Act will also be delayed, potentially until after the November elections or even not until the new Congress is in place in 2023. See the CRS primer on this year's NDAA progress for background, plus the article by Greg Hadley.

Speaking of continuing resolutions, the Air Force is maneuvering to keep on track its planned acquisition of E-7 Wedgetail aircraft, a new start that would otherwise be on hold in a CR.  In other fun Air Force news, the service is buying Starlink internet services, which proved so adaptable and effective in Ukraine.

The Defense News Top 100 was released this week, ranking the major global defense contractors. This year the top five remain unchanged from last year. And as Joe Gould points out, revenues in the industry grew despite challenges from covid, supply chain issues, and other global disruptions.

Our top story covers the ongoing legislative drama over whether SBIR and STTR authorities will be renewed -- and if so, what changes might be in store to protect against awarding too many contracts to so-called SBIR mills. Check out the viewpoint piece by Kea Matory providing more background on how this reauthorization has been moving through Congressional politics.

Our ARP and NPS news section is jam-packed this week. As you've come to expect, we have the latest symposium panel video. Check out the research on agile program management alongside commentary from chair James Day on the holistic transformation agile management has required in his office, PEO IWS.  NPS also announces two big partnerships connecting our research and educational enterprise with the latest commercial technologies. We'll soon be launching Athena, a tool providing visibility of previous, ongoing, and potential research that meets Naval mission needs. And our partnership with Resilinc brings visibility into supply chain management, integrating new technology into courses and projects in acquisition and contracting management curricula. Finally, we say farewell to professor Keith Snider, who was principal investigator for ARP for 15 years. 

This Week's Top Story 

Lawmakers propose changes to SBIR as program renewal deadline nears
Jaspreet Gill, Breaking Defense

Lawmakers on the Hill are proposing major changes to the structure of a program used widely within the Defense Department to spur innovation, even as officials from DoD and industry are sounding the alarm that the US will lose ground to China in the competition over critical technologies if the program isn’t reauthorized by the end of next month.

According to correspondence between the Hill and the Pentagon obtained by Breaking Defense, even if the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) federal-funded Innovation Research (SBIR) and Technology Transfers (STTR) program is reauthorized in the short term, some lawmakers are looking at major changes to how the program is currently being run, in order to address concerns about whether taxpayers are being taken advantage of.

DoD is the primary user of the SBIR and STTR program, which was established in 1982 and is set to expire Sept. 30. The program has a total budget of over $3 billion.

The program has come under the microscope of lawmakers on both the House and Senate small business committees, according to legislative proposals on SBIR/STTR benchmarks shown in a July 12 response letter to the committees, obtained by Breaking Defense, from Heidi Shyu, undersecretary of research and engineering.

ARP and NPS News

Panel #19: Agile Practices in Software-Intensive Programs

Chair: James L. Day Jr., Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems, Director for Production, Deployment and Fleet Readiness

Platform Infrastructure for Agile Software Estimation
- Nicholas Wagner, Institute for Defense Analyses

Automating DevSecOps Development Data
- William Nichols, Carnegie Mellon

New Effort and Schedule Estimation Models for Agile Processes in the US DoD
- Raymond Madachy, Naval Postgraduate School

Watch now.

Wisdom and Warfare – Athena Sets Sail at NPS to Solve Fleet Operational Problems
MC2 James Norket, Naval Postgraduate School

Aptly named after the ancient Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare, Athena is an innovative collaboration tool intended to accelerate NPS research into capabilities by illuminating the totality of prior and current work at NPS. Athena will increase NPS impact by creating a dynamic, real-time resource for connecting fleet and joint force needs to prior NPS work, our students, faculty and other researchers across the Naval Research and Development Establishment (NR&DE).  Read more. 

Defending Supply Chains: Resilinc and Naval Postgraduate School Partner to Advance Supply Chain Education and Research
Global News Wire

Resilinc, the world’s leading supply chain risk-monitoring, mapping and resiliency solution, is collaborating with the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) to offer supply chain risk tools and instruction to students focusing on improving the resilience of Department of Defense supply chains.  Under the CRADA, Resilinc will provide NPS students with supply chain risk monitoring training, platform licenses, and data; NPS will design coursework, build case studies and research projects related to real-world events, and provide feedback to Resilinc on how to serve the DoD supply chain better.  Read more. 

Longtime NPS Professor Snider Retires, Honored with Superior Service Award
NPS Office of University Communications

Dr. Keith F. Snider, Professor of Public Administration and Management in the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) Department of Defense Management, was presented with the Department of the Navy’s Superior Civilian Service Award, July 28, as he officially retires from the university following nearly 26 years of service to the institution.  Snider was the principal investigator of the NPS Acquisition Research Program for its first 15 years, which “has become a premier provider of scholarship in the defense acquisition sciences,” Provost Scott Gartner said.  Read more. 

Acquisition and Innovation

Defying fiscal disruption: Defense revenues on Top 100 continue to climb, despite supply chain turmoil
Joe Gould, Defense News

FTC activism and Ukraine signal a new era for the US defense industrial base
Bill Greenwalt, Breaking Defense

US Air Force moves to shield Wedgetail acquisition from continuing resolution
Courtney Albon, Defense News

Pentagon’s R&E enterprise confronts emerging tech manufacturability gaps
Brandi Vincent, Fedscoop

Viewpoint: Small Business Programs at Risk As Congress Debates Merits
Kea Matory, National Defense

NDIA head David Norquist on Pentagon communications and handling inflation
Aaron Mehta, Breaking Defense

Research

GPS Alternatives: DOD is Developing Navigation Systems but is Not Measuring Overall Progress
U.S. Government Accountability Office

FY2023 NDAA: Status of Legislative Activity
Congressional Research Service

First Five Steps to a Modern Defense Budgeting System
Matt MacGregor, Greg Grant, and Peter J. Modigliani  |  MITRE

Events

Defense News Conference
September 7, 2022

Blockchain and Beyond: National Security Symposium
The Naval Postgraduate School
September 12-13, 2022

Legislation

CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 Section-by-Section Summary
Senate Commerce Committee

Defense and Federal Government

Multiple Air Force Units Buy SpaceX’s Starlink Satellite Internet Service
Greg Hadley, Air Force Magazine

The CHIPS Act has passed. Now comes the hard work.
Alan R. Shaffer, Mike Fritze, and Bob Hummel  |  Breaking Defense 

CNAS Responds: CHIPS and Science Act Signed Into Law
Martijn Rasser, Emily Kilcrease, Megan Lamberth, Carisa Nietsche, and Alexandra Seymour  |  Center for New American Security

Ban on sand exports, fruit and fish imports: How China is punishing Taiwan for hosting Nancy Pelosi
Firstpost

US Navy injects first-of-kind unmanned experiments into multinational exercise
Megan Eckstein, Defense News

Congress

Time Is Already Running Short for Congress to Pass 2023 NDAA, Spending Bills
Greg Hadley, Air Force Magazine

Senate committee approves AGILE Procurement Act for IT and communications tech
Kirsten Errick, Fedscoop

Citing routine cost jumps, Senate appropriators add to Middle Tier authority concerns
Aaron Mehta and Theresa Hitchens, Breaking Defense

Dozen Pentagon nominees stalled as Senate leaves for August recess

Bryant Harris, Defense News

Commentary: Congress should allow Pentagon to work with start-ups on needed innovation
Andrew Powell, Defense News

Michelle V. J. Johnson, PhD
Communications Manager, Contractor Support
Acquisition Research Program at Naval Postgraduate School
 e: michelle.johnson.ctr@nps.edu

NEED TO KNOW

Acquisition Research Program Newsletter

August 5, 2022       —       Issue 111

The theme this week is Congress, reflecting work completed or in progress as the Senate joins the House for August recess. House majority leader Steny Hoyer has admitted what we've already come to expect: a continuing resolution is basically "inevitable," which explains why the House isn't pushing harder to get appropriations bills finalized. In other funding news, Hoyer is pushing for more money in the Technology Modernization Fund, which the Senate zeroed out in its appropriations bill. There is a wide range of appetites for revolving funds, as discussed in last week's newsletter. The Senate is not a fan, while House members seem more appreciative of their value. Despite the skepticism of funds like the TMF, three new projects were recently awarded from existing money. 

Our top story is the AGILE Procurement Act of 2022, a bill introduced last week in the Senate to mandate that the federal government procure more commercial products and services, specifically technology, and to support the acquisition workforce in doing so. This short bill is somewhat light on specifics and reads like a collection of good ideas, such as identifying and removing barriers to entry for small/nontraditional technology businesses.  On the workforce front, it pushes for more training on IT acquisition and innovative procurement methods, plus new paths for hiring junior and mid-career acquisition professionals. One specific detail worth noting is the proposed expansion of commercial solutions opening, which would expand the agencies able to use the authority, raise the threshold to $25 million, and remove its status as a "pilot" program.

In research, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute has released its yearbook of data analyzing global defense spending. For the first time, the total is over $2 trillion. 

We have several interesting acquisition headlines for you to peruse, but want to highlight that there's a job opening for the Director of DHS's Procurement Innovation Lab.  And we at NPS are also hiring for an innovative acquisition leader to lead in the classroom and through research! 

Our latest symposium panel video covers contracting strategies, chaired by John Tenaglia, Principal Director of Defense Pricing and Contracting. 

This Week's Top Story 

Bill to streamline federal agency tech acquisition introduced in Senate
John Hewitt Jones, Fedscoop

Senate lawmakers introduced a new bipartisan bill intended to improve agile technology acquisition within the federal government.

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Gary Peters, D-Mich., and Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, Wednesday introduced the AGILE Procurement Act.

The legislation would require the Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Federal Procurement Policy and the General Services Administration to streamline the ability of the federal government to purchase commercial technology and to provide specific training for IT and communications tech acquisition.

It also marks the latest attempt by Senate lawmakers to pass laws to mandate the upskilling of the federal government acquisition workforce. Last year, lawmakers in the chamber passed a bipartisan bill designed to improve federal employees’ understanding of the threats and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence, although the legislation has yet to be advanced by the House.

ARP and NPS News

Panel #18: Contracting Strategies that Improve Outcomes

Chair: John Tenaglia, Principal Director, Defense Pricing and Contracting at United States Department of Defense

Innovation and Middle Tier Acquisitions

• John Kamp and Amir Etemadi,, George Washington University

Assessing Policy Changes on the Cost of Husbanding Services for Navy Ships

• Geraldo Ferrer, Margaret Hauser, and Robert Mortlock, Naval Postgraduate School

Federal Contracting: Senior Leaders Should Use Leading Companies' Key Practices to Improve Performance

• Nathan Tranquilli, Guisseli Reyes-Turnell, and Timothy DiNapoli, Government Accountability Office (GAO)

JBAB master sergeant wins 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year award
Airman 1st Class Anna Smith, Air Force District of Washington

Congratulations to NPS student, USAF Master Sgt. Kade Forrester, Acquisition and Contract Management '23, for being named one of the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year. Forrester was one of the first-ever enlisted personnel selected for this degree program at NPS. Read more.

COME WORK WITH US!

The Department of Defense Management (DDM) at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) seeks candidates for non-tenure track positions in defense acquisition management. Responsibilities include teaching graduate courses in program management, advising student theses and projects, conducting defense acquisition-related research, and managing course/curriculum development and administration.

​

Acquisition and Innovation

Three New Projects for DOD's Innovate Beyond 5G Program
DoD Press Release

GSA to set baseline requirements for cloud providers through Ascend
Dave Nyczepir, Fedscoop

How the Pentagon is messing up a crucial contract finance study three years in the making
Tom Temin with Stephanie Kostro, Federal News Network

Senate passes bill to crack down on conflicts of interest in federal contracting
Nihal Krishan, Fedscoop

GAO dismisses bid protest brought over $2B defense health IT contract
John Hewitt Jones, Fedscoop

Lawmakers push Biden for an order to root out dark money from federal contractors
Chris Riotta, FCW

Job Posting: Director Procurement Innovation Lab (PIL)
USA Jobs

Research

SIPRI Yearbook 2022
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute

The AI-Surveillance Symbiosis in China
David Yang and Noam Yuchtman, Big Data China 

Defense and Federal Government

White House aims to release overdue security strategies within weeks
Joe Gould. Defense News

Biden wants an industrial renaissance. He can’t do it without immigration reform.
Brendan Bordelon and Eleanor Mueller, Politico

Pentagon’s secret communications network to get upgrade from Booz Allen
Colin Demarest, Defense News

Meet Britain’s new ship that will test autonomous and lethal technologies
Andrew Chuter, Defense News

TMF announces over $26 million for three projects
Chris Riotta, FCW

GSA’s Carnahan, other federal IT leaders met with House majority leader to discuss TMF funding
John Hewitt Jones, Fedscoop

Commentary: It’s time for a US-EU industrial strategy on China – even if it costs industry.
Nathan Picarsic and Emily de la Bruyere

Congress

It’s practically official: Brace for the next continuing resolution
Tom Temin with Mitchell Miller, Federal News Network

Senators Can't Agree on Agency Funding Levels, Even As Democrats Hold Back on Some Increases
Eric Katz, Government Executive

Peters & Ernst Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Modernize the Way the Federal Government Acquires Technology
U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 

S. 4623, Advancing Government Innovation with Leading-Edge Procurement Act of 2022, or the AGILE Procurement Act of 2022

Michelle V. J. Johnson, PhD
Communications Manager, Contractor Support
Acquisition Research Program at Naval Postgraduate School
 e: michelle.johnson.ctr@nps.edu

NEED TO KNOW

Acquisition Research Program Newsletter

July 29, 2022       —       Issue 110

This week some big legislation moved through Congress. The House passed the CHIPS Act, creating subsidies and incentives for domestic manufacturing of semiconductors and microelectronics, with $2 billion for defense purposes. And the Senate Appropriations Committee has released the Chairman's mark of all 12 Senate appropriations bills. Total package is $1.7 trillion, with $850 billion in the defense bill (well above the requested $773 billion, and the largest of the four committee defense spending bills).

A few items to note in the appropriation bill: The explanatory statement opines about the need to support the defense acquisition workforce, appropriating an additional $240 million for "initiatives to enable the workforce to improve oversight capabilities and achieve more effective and efficient outcomes."  (This investment is clearly preferable to requests the committee characterizes as "unprecedented acquisition and funding flexibilities" in funds such as the proposed Critical Munitions Acquisition Fund.)  The bill also provides $100 million for new initiatives that enhance access to commercially innovative technologies and "engage non-traditional and regionally-diverse partners."

In Navy news, the Chief of Naval Operations released a new Navigation Plan (NAVPLAN) that more directly corresponds to the latest National Defense Strategy and lays out the vision for Force Design 2045. 

In acquisition news, we have a few articles looking at new/evolving acquisition authorities in some of the younger DoD organizations: the Space Force, Cyber Command, and the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Both Cyber Command and CISA are growing their acquisition workforce and taking on more direct responsibilities, with Cyber Command moving to manage an increased budget of $3 billion. It's worth noting that all three organizations are creating significant demand not just for additional acquisition experts, but tech-savvy ones. 

Space Force acquisition is our top story, and it's not a good one. Despite the potential it held to be a streamlined, agile acquisition organization, unbeholden to established processes and bureaucracy, it has become so convoluted that, as Theresa Hitchens points out, the org chart shows the Commander of Space Systems Command Lt. Gen. Michael Guetlein reporting to himself. In neither of those positions, however, does he have budget authority. The article points out that Congress has played a role in creating this complexity, so it may be here to stay despite internal acknowledgement of its inefficiencies. 

Finally, in ARP news, we have more symposium videos: student research on DCMA's contract closeout process and a panel discussion of artificial intelligence in acquisition, from decision analytics that go into an acquisition to algorithm datasets that build trust in AI on the battlefield. And... we're hiring! If you're a defense acquisition expert ready to teach some of the brightest warrior-scholars around, check out our job posting. 

This Week's Top Story 

Rocket science: How Space Force acquisition works, with many players and dual hats
Theresa Hitchens, Breaking Defense

There is an aphorism among political pros that process often equals policy. If true, it goes some way toward explaining the inherent Defense Department difficulties in space acquisition reform, given not just the legal and regulatory complexities, but also the byzantine and often opaque Pentagon bureaucracy involved.

At the heart of all things military space acquisition is the Space Force’s Space Systems Command (SSC), led by Lt. Gen. Michael Guetlein. In March, Guetlein signed off on a reorganization of the command. It was the third revamp of that longstanding organization, headquartered in Los Angeles, since 2019.

In recent weeks, senior command officials have begun to publicly discuss the details of how SSC functions — including providing a brief on the official organization chart. The devil is in those details, which reveal the complexity of a system that straddles two chains of command, gives budgetary authority over nearly $72 billion to colonels but not to their commanding general, and involves several different organizations responsible for coordinating the various moving parts.

ARP and NPS News

Panel #17: Designing and Deploying Artificial Intelligence to Improve Performance

Chair: Rear Admiral William "Scott" Dillon, Commander, Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division/Assistant Commander for Test and Evaluation, Naval Air Systems Command

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Applications to Navy Ships: Cybersecurity and Risk Management
- Johnathan Mun, Naval Postgraduate School

Two Gaps that Need to be Closed in Order to Trust AI in Complex Battle Scenarios
- Bruce Nagy, NAVAIR, China Lake
- Stephen Fuller, Naval War College

COME WORK WITH US!

The Department of Defense Management (DDM) at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) seeks candidates for non-tenure track positions in defense acquisition management. Responsibilities include teaching graduate courses in program management, advising student theses and projects, conducting defense acquisition-related research, and managing course/curriculum development and administration.

Acquisition and Innovation

Mid-Tier Programs Running Out of Time; Overruns Coming, Kendall Says John A. Tirpak, Air Force Magazine

How the nation’s premier cybersecurity agency can handle its new procurement authority
Tom Temin with Alan Thomas, Federal News Network

Cyber Command looking to bolster acquisition office as it prepares to handle $3B annually
Mark Pomereau, Fedscoop

Update: Software Acquisition Pathway. With vignette on Robotic Combat Vehicle
Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment / DAU

Cyber AB launches voluntary CMMC assessment program for defense contractors
Billy Mitchell, Fedscoop

Defense Department Earns Top Performance Rating in Small Business Procurement Index
DoD Press Release

Breaking and remaking the US defense innovation system: An Atlantic Council commission on improving DoD engagement with new companies and innovators
Atlantic Council

Research

Financial Management: DOE and NNSA Have Opportunities to Improve Management of Carryover Balances
U.S. Government Accountability Office

Semiconductor Supply Chain: Policy Considerations from Selected Experts for Reducing Risks and Mitigating Shortages
U.S. Government Accountability Office

Policy

CNO Releases Navigation Plan 2022
Navy Press Release

Defense and Federal Government

Navy moves to align its strategy with National Defense Strategy priorities
Megan Eckstein, Defense News

Energy Department offices fail to spend over $14 billion in allocated funds
Federal Times

Inside the Pentagon slugfest over the future of the fleet
Lara Seligman, Lee Hudson, and Paul McLeary  |  Politico

Military services ‘not aligned’ on JADC2 efforts, Air Force official warns
Mark Pomerleau, Fedscoop

Saltzman tapped to lead Space Force
Jon Harper, Fedscoop

CNO Seeks Not Just Interoperability But Interchangeability With Foreign Militaries
Caitlin M. Kenney, Defense One

Commentary: The Pentagon Gets the Better Part of a Trillion Dollars a Year. Why Isn’t That Enough?
Mackenzie Eaglen, Defense One

Congress

Senate appropriators seek $850 billion for defense, largest total of 4 key committees
Breaking Defense Staff

Chairman Leahy Releases Fiscal Year 2023 Senate Appropriations Bills (with bill texts, statements, and summaries)
Senate Appropriations Committee

Senate advances CHIPS-plus bill, with $2 billion designated for military microelectronics
Jaspreet Gill, Breaking Defense

Bill would prod Pentagon to accelerate fielding of new tech to defeat drone swarms
Jon Harper, Fedscoop

Michelle V. J. Johnson, PhD
Communications Manager, Contractor Support
Acquisition Research Program at Naval Postgraduate School
 e: michelle.johnson.ctr@nps.edu