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 […]
acquisition
DoD cannot wait for zero risk before scaling important technologies
One of the major ideas of defense acquisition is that programs of record shouldn’t begin until a full requirements and technical understanding has been accomplished. […]
Podcast: In the fight – Scaling AI/ML in defense with Colin Carroll
I was pleased to have Colin Carroll join me on the Acquisition Talk podcast to discuss the acquisition of machine learning in the Department of […]
Podcast: Getting weapons into production with USD A&S Bill LaPlante
The Undersecretary for Acquisition & Sustainment (USD A&S) Bill LaPlante joined us at the 2022 Conference hosted by George Mason University and Defense Acquisition University. […]
The defense industry and the road to nationalization
Here is a good segment from NPS Professor Judson after introducing all the process and people challenges of defense acquisition. It comes from a 1975 […]
Rickover defends the parochial viewpoint
One common complaint about defense acquisition is that the services won’t coordinate their needs and consider the bigger, “joint” picture. Certainly there is something to […]
Origins of the Milestone acquisition process
One of the foundations of the defense acquisition system is the DoD Directive 5000.1, which defines how military systems progress from an idea to production. […]
Deep tech development strategies and imperatives for DoD reform
Here is AJ Piplica, CEO of the hypersonic vehicles company Hermeus, on the Venture Stories podcast discussing the importance of generating revenue ahead of the […]
Regulated industries and the divide between Silicon Valley and DC
New bank charters actually were running pretty high up until 2008, and then they dropped to zero. Whatever happened in banking reform and regulation, and […]
More reasons defense acquisition needs to consider randomness
Discussing Tim Harford’s book Messy, he tells a story of a Jazz musician Keith Jarrett who, upon a major performance was given a poor piano, […]
Podcast: Bringing startups and government together with Andrea Garrity
Andrea Garrity joined me on the Acquisition Talk podcast to discuss how the government can build relationships with nontraditional companies. She is the Chief Growth […]
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: […]
GAO struggles to define oversight for the Adaptive Acquisition Framework
Here’s the General Accountability Office’s take on Middle Tier of Acquisition (MTA) in space systems from a recent report. Remember, MTA efforts must be rapidly […]
Podcast: Commercial space, venture, and DoD with Jordan Noone and Jenna Bryant
I was pleased to have Jordan Noone and Jenna Bryant on the Acquisition Talk podcast to talk about how commercial companies in space and deep […]
The secret to the success of the F/A-18E/F: Lessons in expeditious innovation
For 100 years, success in aerial combat came from the ability to point the nose of the aircraft and shoot the sucker. To do that […]