Department of Defense

Subscribe to Department of Defense via RSS
Programming and password concept - graphic

On January 30, 2020, the Department of Defense (DOD) released Version 1.0 of its Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). Under the CMMC program, every contractor who works for the DOD, including subcontractors, will need to be certified at one of five levels. All DOD solicitations will specify which certification level is required for the contract, and contractors who do not have that certification will be ineligible for the contract. In order to obtain the certification, contractors will undergo an assessment by an independent third-party organization. 
Continue Reading New Cybersecurity Requirements Will Impact All DOD Contractors and Their Subcontractors

bridging

On December 3, 2018, the Department of Defense (DoD) issued a deviation from the FAR’s self-performance requirements, which applies to subcontracting limitations on contracts set aside for small businesses. Although the changes to subcontracting limitations were mandated by the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (yes, 2013), implementation has been slow and piecemeal. The Small Business Administration (SBA) did not implement the changes until June 2016, and although the FAR Council recently issued a proposed rule that would bring the FAR into compliance, the FAR has not officially caught up. In the meantime, the discrepancy between the FAR and the SBA regulations has caused headaches for contractors who must decide whether to comply with the FAR, the SBA regulations, or both. The DoD’s deviation will bridge the gap for all DoD contracts until the FAR catches up. 
Continue Reading Department of Defense Issues FAR Deviation for Limitations on Subcontracting

Vector of army green vest with light green contract detailing

As I mentioned in a recent post, the Department of Defense (DoD) is using its “other transaction” authority with increased frequency to attract non-traditional defense contractors and to capitalize on the cutting-edge technological advancements found in the commercial marketplace. Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) are not procurement contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements and, as such, many procurement laws and regulations do not apply, including the Competition in Contracting Act (CICA) and the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). 
Continue Reading Bid Protests: Are Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) Really Bulletproof?

If you gave me $17 million on the credit card, I could call Cabela’s tonight and outfit every soldier, sailor, airman and Marine, and I’d get a discount on it for a bulk buy. This is a pistol. The technology’s been around for five centuries, and arguably it’s the least important weapons system in the Department of Defense inventory.[1]

Senior leaders within the Department of Defense (DoD) have grown increasingly frustrated with an acquisition system characterized by ever-increasing costs and significant delays in getting end items to customers. Their frustration has been heard by Congress and has resulted in recent Congressional action. The latest major acquisition reform effort started with the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), with each subsequent NDAA containing various provisions that are meant to modernize and accelerate the antiquated and cumbersome federal acquisition system providing flexibility and allowing for the agile acquisition of next-generation technology.
Continue Reading The Future of Acquisition in the Federal Government: Innovation and Rapid Procurement Through Other Transaction Authorities and Other Transaction Agreements