A Benchmark Study of Rapidx, an Air Force Contracting Innovation Organization

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study is to first conduct a benchmark analysis of RAPIDx, a new, agile, and innovative organization using the Government Accountability Office (GAO) Framework for Assessing the Acquisition Function at Federal Agencies for the Department of the Air Force (DAF). Second, this study provides a record of lessons learned from the implementation of the RAPIDx office from July 2018 to September 2022. Our research methodology includes a gap analysis to compare RAPIDx against two of the four cornerstones outlined within the GAO Framework. Our analysis also offers insight and visibility into RAPIDx’s effectiveness, and it informs our recommendations for evaluating new, agile, and innovative organizations. In particular, we find that RAPIDx had more areas of concern than best practices when compared against the GAO Framework. We captured 16 best practices and identified 20 areas of concern. Finally, to aid RAPIDx, we provide six recommended courses of action to address RAPIDx’s most significant area of concern, adapt the GAO Framework for innovative organizations, and improve the organization’s effectiveness going forward.