On Nov. 15, the Office of the Secretary of Defense Business Board released findings of its investigation into the effectiveness of a unity of effort in the U.S. government’s space acquisition decision-making.
The Defense Business Board concluded that the National Reconnaissance Office and Missile Defense Agency should keep operating separately from the U.S. Space Force to avoid red tape and maintain the efficiency of acquisition authorities within the Department of Defense.
The six-month study involved interviews with professionals from DOD and other federal agencies, as well as people from the intelligence community and commercial space sector. The team also reviewed studies from academic institutions, DOD and the Government Accountability Office.
The board wrote that while the existing DOD acquisition system should stay in place, it should also adapt to evolving tools and knowledge in the space sector. The Space Service Acquisition Executive should also be allowed to make the final decision in awarding other transactional agreements valued at more than $500 million to streamline the approval process, according to DBB.
On March 5, 2024, the Potomac Officers Club will host a Space Summit to shine a light on critical areas of the global space industry. Join the event by registering here.
