Rep. Robert E. Andrews Holds a Hearing On Acquisition and Management of Information Technology Systems

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Rep. Robert E. Andrews Holds a Hearing On Acquisition and Management of Information Technology Systems

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES, DEFENSE ACQUISITION REFORM PANEL HOLDS A HEARING ON ACQUISITION AND MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS

JULY 9, 2009

SPEAKERS: REP. ROBERT E. ANDREWS, D-N.J. CHAIRMAN REP. JIM COOPER, D-TENN. REP. BRAD ELLSWORTH, D-IND. REP. JOE SESTAK, D-PA.

REP. K. MICHAEL CONAWAY, R-TEXAS RANKING MEMBER REP. DUNCAN D. HUNTER, R-CALIF. REP. MIKE COFFMAN, R-COLO. REP. HOWARD P. "BUCK" MCKEON, R-CALIF.

WITNESSES: TIM HARP, ACTING DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR COMMAND, CONTROL, COMPUTERS, INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE AND RECONNAISSANCE AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ACQUISITION

PAUL NIELSEN, DIRECTOR AND CEO, SOFTWARE ENGINEERING INSTITUTE

RON KERBER, CO-CHAIRMAN, DEFENSE SCIENCE BOARD TASK FORCE ON DEFENSE DEPARTMENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR THE ACQUISITION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

[*] ANDREWS: Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to the panel. We're very happy to have you with us this morning.

The witnesses have done a really good job preparing their written testimony, and we look forward to hearing them elaborate on that testimony this morning so we can learn more.

The panel is focused on the difference, if any, that exists between cost and value for our uniformed personnel and their support personnel and the taxpayers of the country.

We spend an enormous amount of money in the defense of our country -- and we should. It is our responsibility to make sure that money is spent prudently and wisely so those who step forward to defend our country have the best technology available, the best tools available to do their job for our country and so that the taxpayers are receiving full and robust value for their investment in the defense of the country.

The panel's work project has proceeded in several steps. We've begun with the question of whether there are adequate metrics to measure the difference, if any, between cost and value. We're now proceeding on a second mode of analysis, which deals with hypotheses about why differences between cost and value have emerged.

The third section of our inquiry will deal with proposed solutions to deal with those problems. And then, finally, the panel will convene toward the end of our term and come up with recommendations which we look forward to advocating in the F.Y. 2011 armed services authorization bill. This morning, we're going to focus on a critical hypothesis about the difference between cost and value. And that is the inadequacies through which the United States Department of Defense purchases information technology, the challenges that we face in doing that.

This is a sort of collision of two cultures, as I see it. For good reasons, we have a culture of deliberation and care in the purchase of equipment and systems and supplies in our Department of Defense. And we should. We want to be very careful of the things -- to be sure that things work right. We want to be sure that we're doing things in an honest and proper way in the procurement process and so that the process matches the requirements and budgeting needs of the Department of Defense.

This culture, which is understandably based upon due deliberation and process, clashes with the hyperventilated culture of the tech world, where, as Moore's Law would tell us, things always change in a big hurry, usually for the better.

So when you combine the dynamic...

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