Assignment:
Respond to the 2 other student initial posts below. Responses should be a minimum of 100 words and include direct questions.Forum Question:
What would necessitate the Department of Defense (DoD) to have a structured, regulated, and robust acquisition system?
Now,
if you are now familiar with NCMA you should be. Take a quick look at
this Youtube video. It does run 22 minutes and give your valuable
insights into what is the NCMA. Enjoy. You might find some interesting
ideas to help answer this question for this week’s form or a new
direction to think.
Here it is: https://youtu.be/putPFMhMJHI
STUDENT 1: (John )
The biggest
reason the DoD has the need for a structured, regulated and robust
acquisition system is the understand that if you are in a position to
obligate the federal government that you are doing so in a manner that
is commiserate of being a good steward of the taxpayers’ dollars. A 2006
GOA report stated that the “DOD faces vulnerabilities to contracting
fraud, waste, and abuse due to weaknesses in five key areas: sustained
senior leadership, capable acquisition workforce, adequate pricing,
appropriate contracting approaches and techniques, and sufficient
contract surveillance. Because of numerous concerns about control
weaknesses in these areas and others, GAO has had contract management on
its list of high-risk areas since 1992 (Warner, 2006)”. Even with all
the regulations in place i.e. FAR, DFAR, AFFARS, etc. individuals and
defense contractors will always try to find a way to game the system for
their own gain at the determent of the Government and ultimately the
U.S. Taxpayers.
Additionally
the system must be robust since the structure and regulations must be
able to cover so many different organizations. There are literally
dozens of agencies that require acquisition support from the 5 military
branches to the Defense Logistics Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency
and so on. Ensuring all of the players within the agencies have an
understanding of their roles and responsibilities, along with the
legalities and consequences of their decisions is a vast undertaking. STUDENT 2: ( )
As I read the resource material it is apparent that the current
acquisition system has evolved due to the changing needs of the branches
of service. The innovation of joint acquisition programs is what has
required the DoD to have structured,regulated and robust acquisition
system. The Department of Defense needs to have a structured acquisition
system to ensure that the needs of the components are met. The
structure and guidelines make it possible for PM from different
components to lead joint acquisition projects that serve to enhance the
mission capabilities of the combined components. A good structured
system also will cut down on duplication between the branches. If the
system is regulated that will ensure that acquisitions will be done in
such a way to prevent fraud and waste of government funds. The
regulations also standardize the process so the PMs from components can
serve as leads on combined projects. The regulation will also enable
contracts to be awarded in a manner that has maximum participation by
different size defense industry companies. Structure and regulation will
allow for progressive ideas with regard to companies being able to
participate in the acquisition process. Another reason that the
acquisition system is so robust that changing technology, scientific
advancements and the battlefield requires for constant improvement on
the weapons and information systems that the DoD employs for the
defense.
The Introduction to Defense Acquisition System show
the connect between the different parts of the system and how a robust
and regulated system creates a socioeconomic environment that helps the
defense industry,the elected official and communities across the United
States. The structure of the system has been created to have checks and
balances to aid in the effective use of manpower and funds. The Defense
system of acquisition is complex and is so because of the community it
serves.
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