The whole procurement process has been changed for the better. It took a long time, but they realized the inefficiency of a process taking 3 years to write an RFP, 2 years for companies to answer, 1 year to evaluate bids and award, and then the 5 years to design and develop BEFORE the 2 years of certification, acceptance testing, and training that has to happen before something gets into the hands of a person wearing the uniform. Then too often comes the shock that the need for the system has passed or been obviated by something else.
New programs now are much smaller, faster turnaround, and targeted to address current needs. They are also more often Firm Fixed Price - so the cost overrun issues with new programs are going to be due to the Pentagon making changes (which happens more often than you'd want to believe), not because contractors sandbag.
That said, the new rules don't do much. The President needs to muster the bold courage to say that the Pentagon's budget is going to get whacked by some percentage every year - idk, 10%? He's done some good things by winding down the F-22 and TSAT, but that's not cutting the budget, it's just shifting around the money. If the national treasure should be redirected, it should be toward energy independence technology.
So the odds that the President to take the initiative and shake up the Pentagon are??? Anybody else guessing 'low'?
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost
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