Levin wants to rebuild defense acquisition workforce

The Senate Armed Services Committee will take a hard look at defense acquisition reform this year, reports Defense News.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) said Jan. 30 that the committee not only intends to make cuts in future weapons systems programs, but also wants to rebuild the DOD’s acquisition work force. He believes too many acquisition functions, including planning, oversight, financial controls and communications, have been delegated to contractors in recent years.

It’s a familiar theme as Congress has grappled with acquisition reform for at least 30 years.

Beyond those efforts, the committee hopes to simplify programs. “We’ve got requirements piled on requirements,” Levin said. Changing requirements drive up costs and prolong production, he said.