Improving Acquisition Execution in the Intelligence Community

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Improving Acquisition Execution in the
Intelligence Community
DIA Acquisition Conference 14 May 2007
Melvin L. Heritage Assistant Deputy Director of
National Intelligence and Senior Acquisition
Executive
This Briefing is Unclassified
UNCLASSIFIED
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Overview

• The IC requires Responsive, Agile, and Affordable
  Acquisitions
• Experience to date has often been just the
  opposite
• Why??

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Outline

• Lessons Learned
• Enabling Agility - DNI Acquisition Improvement
  Initiative
• Improving the Acquisition/Science Technology
  Linkage
• Conclusion

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Lessons Learned

• POOR REQUIREMENTS DEFINITION AND MANAGEMENT
  LEADS TO ACQUISITION FAILURE
• Government must define what it needs
• Measurable and testable outcomes
• Requirements creep is fatal
• AGILITY MUST BE BALANCED WITH ACQUISITION
  PROCESS DISCIPLINE
• Speed is important - Customers wont wait
  forever
• Process flexibility is critical, but it must be
  controlled
• Cannot afford unrestrained tyranny of the
  requirements
• Risk Management - Not risk avoidance

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Lessons Learned (continued)

• ACQUISITION FUNDING MUST BE STABLE
• Funding instability guarantees schedule slips,
  cost growth, and/or reduced performance
• Focusing on closing this years budget without
  addressing out years yields train wrecks
• Solution is to fully budget to a valid ICE, and
  let managers use the risk mitigation funds built
  into the ICE
• SYSTEMS ENGINEERING AND INTEGRATION
• Responsibility to share requires interoperable,
  system-of-systems
• SEI processes are a key to success
• Well understood dependencies and interfaces mean
  fewer surprises and more efficient use of
  resources

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Enabling Agility - DNI Acquisition Improvement
Initiative

• Publish Acquisition Policy and Policy Guidance
  for IC Major Systems
• ICD 105, ICPG 105.1, plus 105.2 and 105.3
• Principles/best practices can be used for
  non-majors if Agencies so choose
• IC elements to publish and use their own
  acquisition policy and guidance consistent with
  DNI acquisition policy and guidance
• AGILITY balanced with DISCIPLINE
• DNI-SecDef MOA for joint management of NIP-funded
  acquisitions executed within DOD in
  coordination
• Appropriately delegate DNI milestone decision
  authority (MDA)
• Budget NIP-funded MSAs to an independent cost
  estimate (ICE) from the DNI Cost Analysis
  Improvement Group (CAIG)
• Enhance acquisition workforce through a
  collaborative effort between the DNI SAE and the
  DNI Chief Human Capital Officer

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Improving Acquisition-ST Linkage

• Acquisition managers responsible for technology
  insertion in their programs
• Leverage opportunities for transitioning
  sufficiently mature technologies into
  acquisitions
• IC elements must ensure ST demonstrations,
  proofs of concept, or risk reduction efforts are
• Demonstrating viability and utility
• Appropriately limited in terms of funding and
  longevity
• Coordinated with acquisitions for long term
  preservation of technology successes

ODNI striving to ensure technologies are properly
matured and rapidly inserted to enhance user
capabilities
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Conclusion

• DNI is executing a multi-part acquisition
  improvement initiative
• Some aspects are already in place
• Some aspects will be part of the DNI 100 Day Plan
• Some aspects will be part of the DNI 500 Day Plan
  
• IC Elements are expected to capitalize on
  acquisition lessons learned
• Linking Acquisition and Science Technology is
  important
• Executing acquisitions in the IC to meet our
  promises (cost, schedule, and performance) is
  critical to the future of the IC

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Questions?