Section 809 Panel - Recommendation #46 - Empower the Acquisition Community by Delegating Below Threshold Reprogramming Decision Authority to Portfolio Acquisition Executives

Abstract

The current reprogramming process in the Department of Defense involves too many levels of approval, and it does not allow for delegation of decision authority to the mid-and lower-levels of the acquisition system. Definitions of appropriations lifecycle categories should be clarified to encourage program offices to focus more on whether capabilities are being delivered, and less on coordinating the timing of the funding for a system's lifecycle phases. This change would facilitate the broader transition to a portfolio-based model for defense acquisition programs laid out in recommendations by the Section 809 Panel.