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 […]
program of record
Podcast: PPBE Reform with Ellen Lord and Michael Brown
Ellen Lord and Michael Brown joined me at the 2022 Conference hosted by George Mason University and Defense Acquisition University to discuss PPBE Reform. Ellen […]
Sources of defense tech transition funding
Here are some excerpts from the Data section of our newest report, Execution Flexibility and Bridging the Valley of Death. First, we have a figure […]
Does DoD not actually want startups to win programs of record?
Here’s the excellent Steve Blank on the Village’s Solarpunk podcast, Rebuilding the Department of Defense. Everyone’s talking about the PPBE — Planning, Programming, Budgeting, Execution. […]
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 […]
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 […]
Space Force doubles down on budget portfolios, but must think carefully about the structure
“One of the things that we’re trying to do out of our office is to think about: How would we manage by portfolio as opposed […]
What’s holding back SBIR and new entrants from transforming DoD?
After proving the efficacy and competitive strength of the technology procured via a SBIR award, federal agencies are required by law to work in good […]
What does DoD find to be the “biggest challenge” to experimentation?
Possibly the biggest challenge to experimentation is securing funding for the experiment or to apply the recommendations resulting from the experiment. When the initiation of […]
Why have America’s best technologists and investors turned away from defense?
When the Cold War ended, there were 107 major defense firms. By the end of the 1990s, there were five. And since then, the middle […]