Program Management: Roles and Responsibilities in Defense Acquisition
Introduction
Acquisition of Defense is one of the essential tools of a nation's security, with several
departments and actors in the government and industry. As a result, to acquire a comprehensive
knowledge of how defence acquisition works or from which body it derives its power, it is
crucial to familiarize oneself with the responsibilities conferred upon the Executive Branch,
Congress, and the defense industry.
Executive Branch
The Department of Defense supply acquisition process is mainly facilitated by the Executive
Branch headed by the President. As the head of state and Commander-in-Chief, the President
provides principally for defense requirements and ensures the overall concept for procurement
plans. Different agencies and offices of the Executive Branch, particularly the Department of
Defense (DoD), implement these strategies. Key entities include:
1. Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD): This office creates policies and monitors
those already implemented. Under the Department of Defense, the Under Secretary of
Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (USD(A&S)) deals with acquisition policy,
management, and oversight.
2. Military Departments and Defense Agencies: The military forces include the Army,
Navy, and Air Force, while defense-affiliated agencies are organizations that also oversee
the implementation of acquisition programs, such as the Defense Advanced Research
Projects Agency (DARPA).
3. Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS): Responsible for planning and integrating the acquisition
process in a way that can support pressing operating requirements and existing
capabilities.
To expand, the Executive Branch is also responsible for satisfying the national defense needs,
within the given budget, of the acquisition programs and their unity with the strategic planning.
Congress
It is a constitutional responsibility of Congress to defend the nation; hence, it plays a major role
in defense acquisition processes. Its responsibilities include:
1. Authorization and Appropriation: Congress enacts and funds defense programs
through the National Defense Authorization Act and the Defense Appropriations Act.
This legislative power ensures that acquisition programs receive adequate, legislatively
backed funding.
2. Oversight and Accountability: In the U.S., most defense acquisition programs are
handled by several congressional committees, such as the House Armed Services
Committee (HASC) and the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC). These
committees participate in hearings, request reports, and examine programs to ascertain
whether they are relevant, efficient, and financially responsible.
3. Legislative Mandates: include the Federal Acquisition Regulation, which Congress
forms, and the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act. These laws constitute
the career's broad legal requirements and principles governing acquisition professionals.
In this way, Congress can influence, guide, or alter the acquisition process to be consistent with
its priorities and the overall fiscal and political climate in which defense acquisition operates.
Defense Industry
The defense industry, which refers to organizations in the private sector, plays the role of the
acquisition process. Its roles and responsibilities include
1. Research and Development (R&D): The industry participants actively participate in the
R&D process to develop complex solutions and technologies required for defense
applications.
2. Production and Sustainment: Organizations produce and maintain defense apparatuses,
which means that the military acquires what it requires from the firm and is provided for
from the inception and during the useful life of the products.
3. Collaboration and Compliance: It is important to understand that the defense industry
cooperates extensively with DoD, follows federal regulations, and is bound by contracts.
This partnership is crucial for providing performance and value for the government's
agenda.
4. Innovation and Competitiveness: It is responsible for technology advancement and
maintaining its competitive edge, pushing the advancement of technologies and ensuring
the U.S. military has the best technologies.
It is crucial to note the defense industry's contribution in the following regard: The industry
needs more potential defense requirements easily translated into feasible capabilities.
Source of Acquisition Authority
The authority for defense acquisition is derived from several key sources:
1. Constitutional Authority: The Constitution of the United States is partitioned to
Congress to provide and maintain a navy and armies and formulate legislations governing
and controlling the land and naval forces (Article I, Section 8).
2. Statutory Authority: Federal regulations and policies, such as the Department of
Defense Reorganization Act of 1986, commonly referred to as the Goldwater-Nichols
Act, FAR, and DAWIA, provide overviews and standards of acquisition.
3. Executive Orders and Directives: Presidential directives and DoD instructions provide
additional detail and guidance on acquisition policies and procedures.
Conclusion
Even though the details vary with systems and platforms, it is essential to understand the basic
lines of the structure of the Executive Branch, Congress, and the defense industry, as well as the
sources of acquisition authority as the base knowledge to know the defense acquisition process.
It also guarantees that defense acquisition is properly positioned in the nation's best interest,
financially appropriate, and technologically advanced.
