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Writer's pictureAmanda Bresler

Defense Efforts to Attract Innovators are Falling Short

Amanda Bresler and Alex Bresler were recently published in Contract Management magazine's October 2020 issue.


View the full article in the attached PDF. An excerpt is included below.





Because commercial companies with no ties to the federal market increasingly drive advancements in areas crucial to national defense, creating opportunities for these companies to build meaningful revenue streams in the public sector is also essential in curbing the flow of critical technologies overseas.


The Department of Defense (DOD) urgently needs to assimilate innovation from outside the existing defense industrial/innovation base (DIB). Because commercial companies with no ties to the federal market increasingly drive advancements in areas crucial to national defense, creating opportunities for these companies to build meaningful revenue streams in the public sector is also essential in curbing the flow of critical technologies overseas—particularly to China.

DOD contends that it is committed to making it faster, easier, and more appealing for innovative companies outside the traditional DIB to enter the defense market. Further, DOD invests billions of dollars annually in programs focused on innovation, small-business outreach, and rapid acquisition, along with other initiatives—all with the stated or implied goal of attracting and easing the way for new suppliers.

Understanding the effectiveness of these programs and the policies enabling them is essential for shaping future strategies and ensuring DOD is positioned to fight and win. Thus, we undertook to examine key questions:

  • Has DOD attracted new suppliers into the DIB?

  • To what extent have DOD innovation initiatives served as a gateway for new vendors into the defense market?


View the full article in the PDF below or read the text version on the NCMA website.


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