Outcomes, Principles, and Criteria: A Framework for Assessing Changes to the Defense Acquisition System.

摘要

The Department of Defense acquisition system is perhaps the most studied, analyzed and criticized operating system of the United States government. Relatively speaking, it also is perhaps the most public, in spite of the security classification of many of the weapons it produces. Because it is under glass, and because it consumes such a large portion of the government's budget, it is considered fair game or scrutiny. Often employing diverse viewpoints and methodologies, observers reporting on the system share at least one goal: they all want to help. While advertising its failures and pinpointing its flaws, they usually advance solutions. These solutions range from fundamental reorganizations to quick fixes. Some may work, others not. Regardless, the solutions represent a serious effort to improve, even reform, the system. Each deserves objective assessment. However, what seldom appears are detached, systematic, clinical and measureable evaluations of the proposed solutions themselves and how they would impact the entire acquisition system, Conceivably, this condition exists because there is no visible, standard, accepted framework with which decision makers can exercise such value judgements. This paper offers such a framework. (KR)