Report Of The Defense Science Board Acquisition Workforce Sub Panel Of The Defense Acquisition Reform Task Force On Defense Reform

This report provides three policy recommendations, based on the overarching theme of more closely integrating DoD with industry. The Sub-Panel believes that improved integration with industry is the critical element that will enable the acquisition system to perform better, faster, and cheaper in support of the warfighter. The recommended policy initiatives are that DoD should: 1. Restructure its Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT & E) organizations and associated workforce to enable the Department to make better use of the capabilities of industry and other government agencies, to concentrate in-house capabilities in areas where there is no external capability, and to eliminate duplicative capabilities. 2 Expand the use of price-based forms of contracting to reduce the cost of doing business with Department of Defense (DoD) for existing Defense contractors and to give DoD access the segments of industry that currently choose not to do business with the Department because of the costs and complexities associated with cost-based contracts. 3. Expand the oursourcing of sustainment activities to eliminate duplicative capabilities between DoD and industry, to enable the Department to capitalize on industry's advancements in applying technology to these functions, and to provide better support to the user.

This document contains the final report of the DSB study on Defense Acquisition Reform (Phase II). The Phase I report firmly acknowledged the need to adopt commercial practices as a way of doing business, and developed a set of reform initiatives designed to accelerate the required changes. The thrust of the Phase II effort was to further define these areas by examining specific industry segments, identifying specific combatant commands for increase responsibility in the requirements process, and further identification of the barriers to the adoption of commercial practices. The Task Force concludes that: mature jet engines, microelectronics, software, and space systems can and should be procured and supported in a fully commercial environment; USACOM and CENTCOM should be given increased technical cadres to further their capability to participate in the requirements process; and it is feasible to eliminate may of the barriers to adoption of commercial practices without sacrificing the public trust in spending public funds.

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