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Management

An uncertain future for Middle-Tier of Acquisition

February 7, 2023 Eric Lofgren 2

Here’s a couple slices from an interesting Breaking Defense article on Middle-Tier of Acquisition (MTA) pathway for rapid prototyping and rapid fielding. First, what’s going […]

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The problem of program manager tenure in DoD

January 20, 2023 Eric Lofgren 4

Many of the great defense programs of the World War II and early Cold War periods were intimately associated with PMs of significant tenure: Bill […]

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DoD reprogrammed nearly $5 billion to increase munitions procurement in FY 22 in response to the Ukraine conflict

January 18, 2023 Eric Lofgren 0

DoD’s Comptroller puts out budget execution data every quarter in a form called the DD1416s, which basically hasn’t changed since the early 1960s. It details […]

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Can you pass the “Ships Test?” Issues of defense requirements

January 6, 2023 Eric Lofgren 0

Here’s an interesting slice of Lockheed Martin’s Inside Skunk Works podcast on something called the “ships” test: The bottom line is don’t add rules that […]

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Problem areas in software and facilities modernization

December 27, 2022 Eric Lofgren 1

Here are a couple interesting excerpts from former deputy Comptroller Don Shycoff’s book, The Business of Defense: Historically, procurement appropriations funded equipment for DOD support […]

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How DoD’s budget process keeps it on the wrong side of the ‘valley of death’

December 22, 2022 Eric Lofgren 0

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 […]

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What is portfolio management and how can it speed up defense tech insertion

December 16, 2022 Eric Lofgren 2

Jerry McGinn and I joined Vago Muradian on the Defense and Aerospace report to discuss our recent webinar event with James Ruocco, Katie Wheelbarger, and […]

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Event: Funding flexibility & bridging the valley of death

December 6, 2022 Eric Lofgren 0

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 […]

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DoD’s hands are being tied when it comes to money

December 1, 2022 Eric Lofgren 2

Every year, DoD is losing flexibility to put money where it matters most. DoD submits a budget with more than 1,800 program elements (PEs) for […]

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A federated approach to JADC2 is the only way to field interoperability before 2027

November 25, 2022 Eric Lofgren 0

Jerry McGinn and I joined Vago Muradian on the Defense & Aerospace report to discuss our recent paper on Execution Flexibility and Bridging the Valley […]

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It takes exceptional people to do average work with DoD’s budgeting system

November 8, 2022 Eric Lofgren 0

“I had a boss one time who said the processes and systems we have [in PPBE] are such that it takes exceptional people to do […]

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Bridging the “Valley of Death” in DoD does not require new laws!

October 25, 2022 Eric Lofgren 0

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 […]

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DoD’s end-to-end budget cycle must be compressed to one year, max

September 22, 2022 Eric Lofgren 0

Here’s a lengthy slice from the recently exited DIU director Michael Brown on the Venture Stories podcast discussing a major barrier to military innovation. I’ll […]

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Why it’s so hard to accelerate change as a junior officer

September 8, 2022 Eric Lofgren 0

Here’s an insightful episode of the Defense Unicorns podcast with Artem Sherbinin, a Lieutenant in the US Navy who was integral to the first applying […]

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How SOCOM makes price tradeoffs to accelerate contract delivery

September 2, 2022 Eric Lofgren 1

Here is Paul Weisgarber and Noel Burke on the Air Force Contracting Experience podcast discussing their experience working with Special Operations Command (SOCOM) through the […]

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Featured

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