Information technology (IT) offers inestimable capability and has been leveraged extensively by the Department of Defense (DoD) to build national security systems, business systems, and virtually all of today’s weapon systems. As the DoD continues to transform its forces and business systems to meet the challenges of the 21st century, it will continue to rely on the increased functionality that IT delivers, even as its cost decreases.
The DoD’s goal is to acquire IT systems quickly and cost effectively. However, this goal is rarely achieved because the deliberate process through which the DoD acquires IT systems does not—and cannot—keep pace with the rapid development that is occurring in today’s information age. The DoD relies upon a singular, one-size-fits-all process to acquire its systems and services.As a result, IT systems are subject to excessive risk-reduction strategies, sub-optimal test and evaluation (T&E) protocols, and inflexible requirements. Improving the acquisition process for IT is critical if the DoD is to reduce costs and improve the effectiveness of its systems.