Section 809 Panel - Recommendation #63 - Create a Policy of Mitigating Supply Chain and Performance Risk through Requirements Documents

Abstract

Vulnerabilities along the supply chain are often difficult to detect and can compromise government networks and operations. The Department of Defense attempts to mitigate these and other risks by imposing stringent compliance requirements on contractors and subcontractors through flow-down clauses in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS). The DFARS is not an effective or responsive tool for developing and implementing supply chain risk policies. Recommendation 63 would move supply chain risk requirements into requirements channels and establish a Supply Chain Assurance Council that can bring appropriate technical expertise to bear quickly to develop and deploy policy solutions.