DFARS weight-loss plan

The Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement was created in 1984. Until last year, there were no comprehensive reviews to determine its efficiency or burden on the acquisition community. But that is about to change. Among the proposed changes:

Proposed regulations will be posted in the Federal Register for public comment.

The Defense Department expects to review 83 proposed significant rule changes and will submit them for public comment. In addition, there will be 700 minor changes that will also take effect.

Changes are scheduled to take effect by the end of the calendar year.

Among DOD's goals:

Reduce DFARS from 1,400-plus pages to about 900 pages.

Take a burdensome, lengthy process and make it flexible.

Give rule-writers access to acquisition executives to make changes based on needs, instead of in a vacuum.

Reduce the regulatory burden by 40 percent to 60 percent and cut the regulation process in half.

Do not replace the Federal Acquisition Regulation or supersede anything in the FAR.