Reforming Acquisition: This Time Must Be Different

Abstract

Defense acquisition reform has been pursued for decades within the Department of Defense (DoD), as cost and schedule growth has continued in major programs, and headline-grabbing incidences of waste, fraud, and abuse have gained the attention of Congress and the American public. Although countless reforms have been proposed and implemented, challenges within the defense acquisition system continue and may worsen in the face of emerging challenges, including continued budgetary pressure. Failure to address these problems will have negative impacts for our armed forces and national security policies.