POLISCOPE
Back to feed
Part ofdefense acquisition →
FEDERALhearing transcript
High Impact

Senate Hearing on Defense Acquisition Reform

Original title: DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ACQUISITION REFORM EFFORTS

January 1, 2018

defense acquisitionmilitary procurementdefense budgetgovernment oversightmilitary technology

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

The Frame

What this does

This hearing sets the oversight agenda for how the Department of Defense manages multi-billion dollar contracts and procurement programs, which directly impacts military readiness and the allocation of federal defense spending.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Department of Defense

The Department is required to implement new oversight strategies and procurement timelines as directed by the Committee.

Defense Contractors

Contractors may face changes in contract structures, such as moving away from cost-plus-fixed-fee models, and increased pressure for program performance.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2018.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The Senate Armed Services Committee held a hearing to review ongoing efforts to reform how the Department of Defense buys military equipment and technology. Chairman John McCain criticized past inefficiencies in major programs and outlined five key expectations for the Department, including faster procurement, increased transparency, and better management of programs.

Key Facts

  • The Army has invested approximately $6.5 billion into the Win-T network program.
  • The F-35 program is described as a trillion-dollar project currently operating in dysfunction.
  • The Navy's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program has reached $6 billion in costs with ongoing delays and unproven capabilities.
  • The Air Force continues to use cost-plus-fixed-fee contracts to subsidize United Launch Alliance (ULA) for space launches.
  • The Committee expects the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) to allow military services to manage their own programs while maintaining oversight.
  • The Committee demands that the Department of Defense adopt faster procurement practices, citing DIUx, SCO, and RCO as models.
  • The Committee encourages the Department to accept higher risks and allow for smaller, early-stage failures to avoid 'too big to fail' scenarios.
  • The Committee emphasizes the need to invest in and empower the acquisition workforce to utilize new legal authorities.

Why It Matters

This hearing sets the oversight agenda for how the Department of Defense manages multi-billion dollar contracts and procurement programs, which directly impacts military readiness and the allocation of federal defense spending.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is 'acquisition reform' in the context of the Department of Defense?
It refers to changes in the processes, laws, and management strategies used by the military to purchase equipment, technology, and services.
Why is the Senate concerned about the current acquisition system?
The Committee cites concerns regarding eroding military technological advantages, high costs, program delays, and a lack of accountability in major defense programs.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Shift toward risk-tolerant procurement

The Committee is explicitly encouraging the Department of Defense to accept smaller, early-stage failures to prevent massive, unfixable program failures later.

Department of Defense

Connected Entities

otherWin-T“Army network program with $6.5 billion in sunk costs”Map →
personEllen M. Lord“Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics”Map →
otherLittoral Combat Ship“Navy program with $6 billion in costs and delays”Map →
personJohn McCain“Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee”Map →
otherF-35“Trillion-dollar defense program cited for dysfunction”Map →
personMark T. Esper“Secretary of the Army”Map →
personHeather A. Wilson“Secretary of the Air Force”Map →
personJames F. Geurts“Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance85
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy40
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment20
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz30
    Current news / social attention level

Publisher tools

Share or embed this record

POLISCOPE publisher tools

Share or embed this record