Thornberry offers DOD reform bill targeting AQ requirements, sustainment

摘要

House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Mac Thornberry (R-TX) has unveiled a standalone Pentagon reform bill he hopes to include in the fiscal year 2021 defense authorization bill. The standalone bill, like Thornberry's past efforts, is mostly focused on reforming the Defense Department's acquisition system. A major focus of this year's bill, he told reporters today, is DOD's requirements and sustainment processes. Thornberry is proposing DOD conduct two assessments - one internal and one external — that would use an array of metrics like efficiency, speed and technical feasibility to determine how the requirements generation process could be improved. He said the external assessment should be aided by the establishment of a DOD "extramural research" program that was mandated in the FY-20 National Defense Authorization Act, but has yet to be stood up. In fact, DOD has missed a March 1 deadline to begin the extramural research program. DOD must also name a director for the effort by Oct. 1. Otherwise, Thornberry's bill would fence off up to 25% of all funding appropriated to operate the Office of the Secretary of Defense, as well as the DOD offices that manage acquisition and sustainment and research and engineering. Thornberry's bill would also require DOD to establish a comprehensive sustainment strategy for all its platforms. "We're not just talking about sustainment of each individual silo," he said.