Another Whack at Acquisition Reform

The House Armed Services Committee in its version of the 2010 Defense authorization says in a summary that it plans to provide the Defense Department with the authority to establish 10 pilot programs to "rapidly acquire" information technology capabilities under an alternative acquisition process.

The summary, alas, fails to define that alternative acquisition process, nor does the full bill. So I guess we'll just have to wait for the report to come out in the next few days.

The bill also streamlines cost, performance and schedule reporting for Major Automated Information Systems, which also qualify as Major Defense Acquisition Programs by allowing Defense to designate a major IT acquisition as one or the other -- a move that I am sure will thrill all the IT policy wonks.

The HASC also backed a project that will allow Defense to engage in what amounts to an exchange program with private industry. That will allow Defense to temporarily assign IT professionals to private industry or vice versa.

The bill did not identify the pay scale for this exchange program, and I don't think it will get many takers if it requires a pay cut.