By integrating digital capabilities into its acquisition processes, the DoD aims to accelerate the fielding of capabilities, increase agility, bolster operational effectiveness, and maintain a competitive edge. Digital acquisition has the potential to accelerate fielding by improving information flows, streamlining review and decision-support processes, and tightening technology development through improved modeling and simulation.
[Key Takeaways]
- DoD lacks an up-to-date, overarching strategy for digital acquisition.
- There is no single owner of digital acquisition policy and strategy.
- Leadership support and engagement have not been consistent; follow-up and enforcement have been lacking.
- Digital acquisition stakeholders are working in a stovepiped manner, increasing the likelihood of duplicative work.
- There is a lack of reliable and consistent funding for IT infrastructure and specific applications.
- There is no metric or measurement system to track progress toward digital acquisition.
- The defense acquisition workforce is improving its digital literacy, but additional training and upskilling are required.
- Cultural barriers to sharing data across organizational and functional boundaries remain more important than technical barriers.
- Efforts have focused on acquisition category I defense programs; smaller programs lack the necessary attention.