Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://dair.nps.edu/handle/123456789/1109
Title: Contracting for Reform: The Challenges of Procuring Security Training and Advisory Services in Fragile Environments
Authors: Nicholas Armstrong
David Van Slyke
Keywords: Regulation and Oversight
Procurement
Contracting
Private Sector
Issue Date: 30-Apr-2014
Publisher: Acquisition Research Program
Citation: Published--Unlimited Distribution
Series/Report no.: Contracting
SYM-AM-14-058
Abstract: Scholarship on private military and security companies largely focuses on their regulation and oversight as security and reconstruction service providers. It gives scant attention, however, to their role as institutional reformers, advisors, and trainers. This article presents findings of an in-depth case study on the challenges of procuring advising and training services in Afghanistan. Sixty-seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with elite and mid-level officials embedded within the Afghan defense and interior ministries, national army, and national and local polices forces. We evaluate an existing contracting framework for the purchase and integration of complex products with this data and find that rules, relationship strategies, governance mechanisms, and mutual understanding are critical in security sector reform training and advising contracts. Reliance on the private sector to provide these services will likely remain high, thus, a sharp focus on mutually beneficial outcomes that retain flexibility and accountability is necessary over the long run.
Description: Contract Management / Defense Acquisition Community Contributor
URI: https://dair.nps.edu/handle/123456789/1109
Appears in Collections:Annual Acquisition Research Symposium Proceedings & Presentations

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