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February 10, 2021 By cs

DoD is centralizing space acquisition, but still has bugs to work out

The Air Force is reorganizing its space acquisition office to better support the Space Force and other new space entities, but there are still questions surrounding exactly how the Pentagon will consolidate its space procurement.

Earlier this month the Air Force revamped its space acquisition shop by splitting it into three directorates.

“We have gone from an organization that was largely focused on policy and providing advice and counsel to the Air Force secretary to one that is now focused on, or will be focused on, acquisition, architecture, and then policy and integration,” Shawn Barnes, who is performing the duties of Air Force assistant secretary for space acquisition and integration, told reporters last week.

The three directorates are each run by a colonel and will focus on the three areas Barnes mentioned: acquisition, architecture, and policy and integration.

“Underlying those three key directorates,” Barnes said. “I have a number of subject matter experts that effectively work for all three of those directorates. They’re set up into different teams based on mission areas. We have a mission area related to precision navigation, timing and communications. We have a team that is focused on space control, a team that is focused on launch in space logistics, and then a team that’s focused on space control.”

Keep reading this article at: https://federalnewsnetwork.com/air-force/2021/01/dod-is-centralizing-space-acquisition-but-still-has-bugs-to-work-out/

Filed Under: Government Contracting News Tagged With: acquisition, Air Force, DoD, Missile Systems Center, Space and Missile Systems Center, Space Command, Space Development Agency, Space Force, Space Rapid Capabilities Office, streamlined acquisition process

April 1, 2019 By AMK

GAO says DoD needs to collect data on space acquisition workforce

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released a report indicating that the Department of Defense (DoD) does not routinely monitor the size, mix, and location of its space acquisition workforce.

However, data GAO collected and aggregated from multiple DoD space acquisition organizations show that at least 8,000 personnel in multiple locations nationwide were working on space acquisition activities at the end of 2017.

Military and civilian personnel comprise the majority of the overall workforce, while contractor and Federally Funded Research and Development Center personnel also provide support.

DoD recently announced it plans to establish a new Space Development Agency and a United States Space Command.  DoD reportedly plans to spend about $65 billion from fiscal year 2019 to 2023 on space acquisition programs — including satellites, launch vehicles, ground components, and user equipment.  DoD’s space acquisition personnel perform a variety of activities, such as preparing and reviewing acquisition documents, to manage or oversee programs that develop or procure space capabilities.

According to GAO, several factors hinder DOD’s ability to collect data needed for a comprehensive view of its space acquisition workforce:

  • DoD does not maintain a complete list of its space acquisition programs.
  • DoD’s workforce data systems are not configured to identify personnel working on space acquisition activities.
  • DoD space acquisition personnel are dispersed across organizations and some personnel support both space and non-space programs.

Without complete and accurate data, GAO believes that DoD will be unable to assess gaps in the overall capabilities of the space acquisition workforce.  GAO recommends the identification of space programs and the collection of workforce data to better position DoD to ensure that the appropriate space acquisition personnel are assigned to the new Space Development Agency and the United States Space Command.

GAO also believes that comprehensive data on the space acquisition workforce would be beneficial to support DoD’s efforts related to its recent legislative proposal regarding the establishment of the United States Space Force.

Read GAO’s full report here: https://www.gao.gov/assets/700/697574.pdf

 

Filed Under: Government Contracting News Tagged With: acquisition workforce, DoD, Federally Funded Research and Development Center, FFR&D, GAO, Space Command, Space Development Agency

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