U.S. Reps. Mike Rogers (R-AL) and Adam Smith (D-WA) introduced legislation that would restructure and modernize the acquisition systems for the U.S. Department of Defense.
The bill, H.R. 3838, the Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery (SPEED) Act, would reform the Defense Acquisition System by cutting red tape and delivering capabilities quickly and effectively, the lawmakers said.
“It has never been more important to equip our warfighters with the latest technology and most powerful capabilities,” Rogers, the chair of the House Armed Services Committee, said. “Peace through Strength can only be achieved by maintaining American deterrence. But our military is saddled with a bureaucratic acquisition system that is so dysfunctional that the process between identifying a need to deploying it in the field can take more than a decade. By that time the threat has changed, the technology is outdated, and the program is over budget. The SPEED Act transforms our acquisition system so that it can fulfill its most important mission: getting our warfighters what they need, when they need it.”
The legislation shifts the focus of DAS from compliance to expeditiously equipping warfighters with the capabilities they need in the most cost-effective manner practicable. The legislation would also create new requirements framed around solving problems, while overhauling burdensome acquisition regulations that drive up costs and attracting new entrants to the defense industrial base. The lawmakers said the bill would also promote a culture of speed and responsible risk-taking in acquisition while training acquisition professionals within the military to be high-performing leaders.
“Acquisition programs take too long to develop, produce, and become operational. Our current system is paralyzed by bureaucracy and an outdated process plagued by overly burdensome requirements. And despite a host of authorities granted by Congress to help accelerate and/or streamline acquisition programs, the Department continues to grapple with getting out of its own way,” Smith, the committee’s ranking member, said. “The SPEED Act cuts through the red tape, encourages innovation, and streamlines the decision-making process in a responsible way, making the requirements process more efficient and effective.”