AFCEA/GMU C4I Center 2010 Critical Issues in C4I Joint Plenary Critical Issues in C4I Joint Plenary Panel: "Agile Acquisition of C4I Systems" Vice Admiral Nancy Brown, USN (ret) Mr. Paul Brubaker, Cisco Dr Vinton Cerf Google Dr. Vinton Cerf, Google Ms. Dawn Meyerriecks, ODNI Moderator: Chris Gunderson, JITC
Format is a Debate re Defense IT Acquisition Reform f • Based on recommendation of the Mar 2009 DSB report p on IT acquisition reform. • Four provocative (not necessarily realistic) proposals i invented from whole cloth by the moderator. t d f h l l th b th d t • Quasi formal debate format. – Panel member argues 4 minutes in favor of a proposal Panel member argues 4 minutes in favor of a proposal assigned at random. – Other panel members each engage in rebuttal dialog d during or after for 2 minutes each i ft f 2 i t h Afterwards, panel and audience discuss their actual • opinions re DSB recommendations and other ideas. p
Recommendations of Mar 2009 DSB Report re IT Acquisition Reform f • Instantiate commercial best practice re rapid, agile evolutionary approach with new increments every 18 months • Make DOD CIO a strong authority responsible for Make DOD CIO a strong authority responsible for enterprise ‐ wide information policy vision, architecture, infrastructure, metadata. Improve system engineering, information assurance, and network integration information assurance, and network integration • Consolidate acquisition oversight of IT under USD (AT&L) • Require acquisition leaders and mangers to have R i i i i l d d h proven and relevant business experience in acquisition, product development, and management
Notional Proposal #1 re Instantiate Commercial Best Practice l • Some argue that terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda, g g p , though use of state ‐ of ‐ the ‐ art COTS IT + the Internet, achieve a netcentric asymmetric advantage over Blue Forces who are hamstrung by archaic, stovepipe, Forces who are hamstrung by archaic stovepipe MILSPEC C4I gear. • Therefore, Defense policy should mandate use of the p y Internet (rather than private intranets like NIPRNET) for the bulk of Defense communications, and allow military organizations to purchase COTS IT much more military organizations to purchase COTS IT much more freely. Bring pointy ‐ end operators into the IT acquisition feedback loop.
Notional Proposal #2 re Create Strong CIO & & Consolidated IT Acquisition Management lid d i i i • CIOs in successful, well ‐ run, commercial firms CIOs in successful, well run, commercial firms have budget and authority to execute enterprise IT programs that effectively service multiple jealous and demanding verticals • Therefore, the DoD should roll up the IT portion of its entire acquisition program budget into a general IT fund, to be executed b by a properly educated and empowered DoD l d d d d D D CIO.
Notional Proposal #3: Grow IT Engineering Expertise within the Government i i hi h • Some claim that the government has essentially So e c a t at t e go e e t as esse t a y outsourced its “brains” to large Defense integrators on the one hand, and on the other hand, that those integrators do not have the h d h h d h h requisite IT intelligence to succeed. • Therefore, the government should eliminate the Th f th t h ld li i t th Defense contractor “middle man” in IT ‐ intensive programs by re ‐ building government engineering programs by re building government engineering expertise, and having government experts manage IT acquisition detail.
Notional Proposal #4: New Legislation Should Addresses Einstein’s Paradox h ld dd ’ d • Some argue that the Goldwater ‐ Nichols and Clinger ‐ g g Cohen acts, well ‐ intentioned as they were, actually ended up de ‐ incentivizing innovative behavior, and incentivizing increasing bureaucracy across Defense incentivizing increasing bureaucracy across Defense acquisition landscape. • Therefore, any new legislation should incentivize the y g desired innovative, risk ‐ seeking, behaviors associated with successful commercial IT practitioners by creating new processes outside Defense (metaphorical and new processes outside Defense (metaphorical and physical) firewalls, i.e. find ways for government to peer with COTS IT industry.
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