Strategies for Competition Beyond Open Architecture (OA): Acquisition at the Edge of Chaos

Abstract

Department of Defense (DoD) Open Systems Architecture (OSA) policies are supposed to enhance acquisition reform to ensure competition for better pricing as dictated by the Weapons Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009. However, the competition for better pricing using OSA does not necessarily drive innovation that addresses increasing system complexity. In the face of increasing system complexity, uncertain security profiles, and a challenging budget environment, the defense acquisition process and system engineering efforts need to work in concert to produce defense systems that reduce time to deployment and are more adaptable. We look to complex adaptive systems (CAS) and evolutionary theory for strategies for competition using methods from dynamical systems and population genetics. The key insight of evolutionary theory is that many behaviors involve the interaction of multiple entities in a population, and the success of any one of these entities depends on how its behavior interacts with that of others. Furthermore, we investigate the potential for bidirectional coupling between population density (market size) and the evolution of an emergent trait such as competition. We propose the Component Competition Readiness Level (CCRL) metrics that define and measure competition readiness to promote agility into the complex dynamics of the acquisition processes.