FREE: GovCon 101 – Major Systems Acquisition

Major Defense Acquisitions are truly a world unto themselves.  Since the passage of the Goldwater-Nichols Act in 1986, Congress has mandated a comprehensive management approach for the Department of Defense’s largest, most complex, most costly, and most essential procurements.  By way of context, it is DoD’s plan to invest more than $1.8 trillion in the top 110 current and future major defense acquisition programs, in order to procure the aircraft, ships, missiles, tanks, satellites, autonomous systems, and information technology for the country’s national defense (this figure represents only the amount to be spent on research and development, and procurement; it does not represent total lifecycle costs or include repair, maintenance, or operation).  The Defense Acquisition System represents DoD’s holistic framework to manage all aspects of its major defense acquisitions, including requirements, budgeting, technology, research, development, testing, engineering, production, program management, and contracting–of these major defense programs, and to comply with all existing statutory and regulatory requirements.  Likewise, government contracting takes on additional importance and intricacy in the context of major defense acquisitions.  This class will provide an overall understanding of the Major Defense Acquisition System and the various legal, policy, and political issues which it entails.

PCI course instructors are universally experts in the field of government contracting, with extensive, real-world know-how.  PCI’s instructor for this course, Louis A. (Lou) Chiarella,  is no exception, having more than 30 years of GovCon experience, including in the area of Major Defense Acquisitions.  His wide range of practice, enthusiasm for the topics taught, and strong commitment to providing the best possible training experience, will ensure that the class will be presented in an “edu-taining” manner.

Course Learning Objectives

• Understanding DoD’s Defense Acquisition System (DAS) policies and processes
• Understanding how “capability gaps” and “military requirements” are determined
• Recognizing the role of technology, and how DoD procures research and development (R&D) efforts
• Introducing students to the contract law requirements that are unique to major defense acquisitions
• Comprehending how DoD’s fiscal and budgetary processes impact the procurement of major defense acquisitions
• Understanding the roles of Congress, both formal and informal, that exist throughout the Major Defense Acquisition lifecycle
• Considering Major Defense Acquisition “pathways” and how DoD responds to urgent operational requirements
• Considering the pros and cons of both “top-down” and “bottom-up” approaches to new DoD materiel capabilities

Instructor: Lou Chiarella