Are we overthinking the DoD’s valley of death problem?
Here’s an interesting exchange from the Feb 9, 2023 House Armed Services Committee hearing on the future of war between Representative Ro Khanna and Christian […]
Search Results for valley of death
How DoD’s budget process keeps it on the wrong side of the ‘valley of death’
Here is a slice from an article by Jared Serbu recapping a discussion with Jerry McGinn and myself: In fiscal year 1956, the Army didn’t […]
Podcast: Managing Portfolios to Bridge DoD’s Valley of Death
I hosted a panel event with the the newly named Baroni Center for Government Contracting to discuss our recent report on how funding flexibility can […]
Event: Funding flexibility & bridging the valley of death
If a company brings a new technology or solution to the Department of Defense, officials have few sources of funding that allow them to capitalize […]
The incredible decline of DoD execution flexibility has created the so-called “valley of death”
Here are some excerpts from our recent report at Mason GovCon, Execution Flexibility and Bridging the Valley of Death. Caution: Just how much the purse […]
Bridging the “Valley of Death” in DoD does not require new laws!
Execution flexibility is DoD jargon for delegated authority to move money. It is the most direct way to increase decision speed. Since 1960, execution flexibility […]
Epirus’ CEO on high powered microwaves, valley of death, and working with primes
Here’s a conversation with Epirus CEO Leigh Madden on the DefAero report with Vago Muradian. Epirus is building a software-define microwave system that can quickly […]
USD R&E Heidi Shyu on the valley of death, DIU, and budget reform
In a recent HASC hearing on S&T, several congress members bombarded USD R&E Heidi Shyu with questions about Defense Innovation Unit. Rep. Seth Moulton, who […]
Is DoD starting to bridge the valley of death?
… funding for Advanced Components Development and Prototypes (6.4 funding) has increased from 20.4% of total RDT&E funding in 2012 to 30.2% in the enacted […]
The “valley of death” is but one symptom of the broader governance problems found in PPBE
The PPBE was really a revolutionary and radical idea. One of the things it was trying to do was reduce duplication and overlap. You might […]
DHS, DoD, and revisiting the valley of death
The Army has spent millions of dollars with goTenna, but the service cannot give the company one of the most important things for a small […]
Podcast: Leaping the valley of death with Matt Steckman
Matt Steckman joined me on the Acquisition Talk podcast to discuss about a wide range of issues facing growth-stage companies in the defense industry. He […]
Explaining the valley of death in defense technology
I’m going to walk though some an excellent set of slides on the “valley of death” problem from Gary Hagan over at DAU. Let’s start […]
The “Valley of Death” and the PPBS in defense technology transition
DARPA and the service research labs achieve amazing results. Have you heard about electronics that will physically vanish on command to prevent adversaries from copying our […]
In the Pentagon, money takes so long it’s a death sentence for new tech
Here’s a slice of a panel discussion that includes former HASC Chair Mac Thornberry, former USD Policy Michele Flournoy, and Rep. Elaine Luria: Mac Thornberry: […]