WASHINGTON -- The Department of Defense today announced the creation of a new Advisory Panel on Streamlining and Codifying Acquisition Regulations, with the goal of finding ways to streamline the notoriously cumbersome Pentagon acquisition process.
The panel, which was congressionally mandated under section 809 of the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, will be led by Deidre Lee, former Director of Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy and former Office of Federal Procurement Policy Administrator.
Over a two year term, the panel will focus on five target areas, according to a Pentagon release – to establish and administer appropriate buyer and seller relationships in the procurement system; Improve the functioning of the acquisition system; Ensure the continuing financial and ethical integrity of defense procurement programs; Protect the best interests of the Department of Defense; and Eliminate any regulations that are unnecessary for the purposes described.
While there will be interim reports to the Secretary of Defense, the final report from the panel is due third quarter of 2018. The panel also created a websiteto seek public comment on these issues.
Lee is joined by 17 other members, including William LaPlante, recently Air Force acquisition head and Ret. Vice Admiral Joseph Dyer, former Commander of the Naval Air Systems Command and Naval Air Warfare Center. Maj. Gen. Casey D. Blake, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Contracting, appears to be the only member of the panel still in the military.
The full panel list:
Major General Casey Blake, USAF
Major General Kenneth Merchant, USAF, Ret.
Mr. Elliott Branch
Dr. Allan Burman
Mr. David Drabkin
Vice Admiral Joseph Dyer, USN, Ret.
Mr. Harry Hallock
Mr. Laurence Trowel
Ms. Deidre Lee (Chair)
Mr. David Metzger
Dr. Terry Raney
Ms. Claire Grady
Ms. Cathleen Garman
Major General Darryl Scott, USAF, Ret.
Mr. Charlie E. Williams, Jr.
Lieutenant General Ross Thompson, USA, Ret.
Dr. William LaPlante
Aaron Mehta was deputy editor and senior Pentagon correspondent for Defense News, covering policy, strategy and acquisition at the highest levels of the Defense Department and its international partners.
