Military's Future Command thrusts to simplify demands while reforming the acquisition process
The U.S. Army's Acquisition Transformation: A Journey Towards Agility and Efficiency
The U.S. Army is embarking on a significant transformation of its acquisition enterprise, aiming to increase agility and streamline processes. This transformation involves consolidating Program Executive Offices (PEOs) into broader Capability Executive Offices (CEOs) and implementing new processes such as Continuous Objectives Requirement Analysis (CORA).
At the heart of this transformation is the Army Futures Command (AFC), which is using a new analytics tool to search and evaluate all Army requirements using a large language model. This tool helps the Army identify redundancies and areas where resources can be reallocated. AFC is also implementing a process called CORA, which takes a bottom-up approach to determining Army needs.
AFC is moving towards directed requirements, also known as capability development documents or annexes, to refine requirements that spin out of prototyping efforts. This approach allows AFC to rapidly respond to emerging needs. However, finding the resources for execution remains a challenge, but the implementation of CORA and directed requirements aims to address this.
The analytics tool links each requirement to specific funding categories within the Army's equipping, sustaining, and training budget categories. AFC is working to open up the requirements trade space to better consider innovative solutions from new companies. This approach is designed to reduce the contract awarding process from nearly two years to less than six months.
However, this transformation has sparked concern and debate. Critics worry that the fragmentation could reduce program visibility, stall decision-making, and complicate execution. For example, the proposed redistribution of acquisition responsibilities from multiple PEOs to consolidated CEOs could eliminate roughly 1,000 acquisition and technical jobs at Picatinny Arsenal.
The Army's efforts are part of a broader restructuring of its acquisition enterprise and are occurring amid wider Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition reforms. These include legislative initiatives like the SPEED Act and FoRGED Act aimed at streamlining and modernizing defense acquisition. The FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is expected to embed many such reforms.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council are advancing legislative proposals and regulatory changes intended to raise acquisition thresholds and expand streamlined procedures to accelerate procurement and reduce bureaucracy. The DoD also seeks industry input on reforms under a 2025 presidential executive order aimed at modernizing defense acquisition and spurring innovation.
Regarding CORA, detailed public updates explicitly outlining its implementation status are not evident in the latest materials. It likely forms part of the broader modernization and streamlining reforms referenced, focusing on aligning requirements more dynamically with capability needs, but requires further official disclosures for specifics.
In summary, the Army's acquisition enterprise is undergoing a major transformation consolidating PEOs into broader CEOs to increase agility and streamline processes. However, this is controversial due to concerns about fragmentation’s impact on program management and workforce stability. This internal restructuring is occurring amid wider DoD-wide acquisition reforms that are progressing through legislative and regulatory channels focused on efficiency, innovation, and streamlined procurement.
Technology plays a crucial role in this transformation, with the Army Futures Command (AFC) utilizing a new analytics tool to analyze Army requirements more efficiently. This technology helps identify redundancies and allows for the reallocation of resources.
In the realm of education and self-development, the Army is striving to improve its acquisition processes through the implementation of Continuous Objectives Requirement Analysis (CORA), a bottom-up approach that determinates Army needs more dynamically. Additionally, the Army seeks industry input on reforms aimed at modernizing defense acquisition, fostering innovation, and spurring technology advancement.
Sports may not be directly associated with the text, but this transformation could potentially be metaphorically compared to a sports team going through a restructuring and training process to improve performance, much like the Army's Acquisition Transformation aiming to increase agility and efficiency.
