Defense Department
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The Defense Department wants to maintain its technological advantage in warfare. To do so, it relies on the U.S. industrial base. Next month, DoD will launch a competition to develop a new Institute for Manufacturing. But not just any manufacturing, in this case the work will have to involve photonics. The awardee will receive $110 million to jump start the institute. Adele Ratcliff is director of Manufacturing Technology in DoD's Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manufacturing and Industrial Base Policy. She joined Tom Temin on the Federal Drive to discuss the objective of the new institute.
October 24, 2014 -
The Marine Corps will begin a small scale pilot in the next several weeks to determine whether commercial-grade security containers on mobile devices can meet DoD's security demands. If it's successful, Marines envision a BYOD strategy that begins implementation as soon as next year.
October 24, 2014 -
On this week's edition of On DoD, an update on the Army's efforts to modernize its tactical networks.
October 22, 2014 -
The Army's network integration exercises will emphasize more lab testing and less integration during the NIE itself. Future NIEs will be biased toward programs of record, not off-the-shelf technologies.
October 22, 2014 -
Knowing and appreciating the industry side of the acquisitions process is key to training the acquisition workforce of the future, according to two acquisition experts.
October 21, 2014 -
Arlington County officials have transported an ill woman found Friday in a Pentagon parking lot to a local Virginia hospital. According to a DoD spokesperson, the woman told first responders she had recently traveled to Africa.
October 17, 2014 -
Analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies shows R&D took the biggest hit, dropping by 21 percent in a single year. But payments to large firms and spending on large contracts got some degree of protection.
October 17, 2014 -
A new analysis of federal procurement data confirms what Defense Department vendors already experienced. During the first year of sequestration contracting dollars fell abruptly, dropping 16 percent in 2013 compared to the year before. Federal News Radio's Jared Serbu reports.
October 17, 2014 -
Embedding cybersecurity into the Defense Department's design, manufacturing, and supply chain is a goal the Pentagon sees is possible. Mike Papay is Chief Information Security Officer and Vice President at Northrop Grumman, and Frank Cilluffo is director of the George Washington University Cybersecurity Initiative and the Homeland Security Policy Institute. On In Depth with Francis Rose, they offered steps the DoD can take to address the issue.
October 16, 2014 -
The Defense Department's Joint Rapid Acquisition Cell is responsible for coordinating the department's effort to fill its crucial and often unanticipated operational needs. These are requirements combatant commanders and warfighters often discover they need after yearly budgets have been set. As part of our special report, The Missing Pieces of Procurement Reform, Tom Temin spoke with Andrew Hunter, director of the cell, on the Federal Drive. He explained how rapid acquisition works.
October 16, 2014 -
Congress has repeatedly tried to eliminate the problem of defense acquisition programs that cost more than they're supposed to and take too long to deliver. After several decades of attempts, it might be time to admit that lawmakers can't solve all of the Pentagon's purchasing problems. As part of our special report, The Missing Pieces of Procurement Reform, Federal News Radio's Jared Serbu explains.
October 16, 2014 -
Big programs at DoD continue to overspend their budgets and blow past their schedules because of unrealistic requirements and rosy cost projections. As part of our special report, The Missing Pieces of Procurement Reform, several acquisition experts pointed out that DoD acquisition is one of the most studied problems in the history of government.
October 16, 2014 -
For now, push-ups and math scores are the main methods the Army uses to screen potential recruits. But officials say they are studying measures that take a "whole person" approach identifying future soldiers.
October 15, 2014 -
The U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations asked 31 acquisition experts to weigh in on how the Defense acquisition process can be reformed. Federal News Radio brings you some of the highlights.
October 15, 2014 -
The success of defense acquisition will always depend on the capability of a limited number of people inside and outside government whose resources of time and attention are finite. Increased skill, relevant experiences, and cultural adjustment of the workforce will occur only gradually and only with adequate funding and congressional oversight, says contracting expert Jonathan Etherton.
October 15, 2014