Comments Sought on New DOD Challenge Program

The Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics of the Department of Defense seeks comments on the department’s design for the new Challenge program. This program, required in the FY 2000 National Defense Authorization Act, is designed to increase the adoption of innovative technologies in acquisition programs. Consistent with a 1997 Defense Science Board study, the Challenge program design team has found that there is little competitive pressure -- in fact, there are internal disincentives -- for prime contractors to adopt outside, innovative technologies into an acquisition program after award has been made. The Challenge program, then, would foster competition among alternative technological approaches and suppliers wherever possible in the development of subsystems of DOD acquisition programs and to create other incentives and opportunities for insertion of new technology throughout the acquisition cycle.

Challenge will be pilot tested in at least 20 Acquisition Category 1 or 2 programs. An initial review of the Challenge program’s effectiveness and continuation after the pilot period is scheduled to be completed in 2002 by the Offfice of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization.

DOD requests comments on the following issues: (a) program implementation during the pilot period; (b) criteria for evaluating the pilot program; and (c) consideration in deciding whether and how to continue the program after the pilot period. To view the document, visit the Federal Register (web link available through SSTI’s Resources page http://www.ssti.org/resources.htm), April 12, 2000, pgs. 19744-19746.

Written comments are due by May 12, 2000 to Jon Baron, OUSD (At&L)/SABDU, 1777 North Kent Street, Suite 9100, Arlington, Virginia 22209 or via email at baronj@acq.osd.mil