Many good suggestions, but fixed price contracting is not one of them; especially for design and development of new platforms, weapons, and systems. There are other ways to for enhancing awards to commercial and non-traditional primes, but knee-jerk FP (and especially FFP) methods stifle innovation and problem solving when the cost rises to the target price. And besides, requests for equitable adjustment and claims are always a way out for contractors even in FFP contract types, and the adjudication is often in the contractor’s favor…I mean companies have to make money for shareholders and they employ “millions of registered voters” that members of Congress do not want to see laid off when defense contractors lose money (80’s pop culture reference intended).
I like the idea of a Navy innovation acquisition unit similar to the AF; just make sure that unit has priority within Navy POM and BES formulation.
Many good suggestions, but fixed price contracting is not one of them; especially for design and development of new platforms, weapons, and systems. There are other ways to for enhancing awards to commercial and non-traditional primes, but knee-jerk FP (and especially FFP) methods stifle innovation and problem solving when the cost rises to the target price. And besides, requests for equitable adjustment and claims are always a way out for contractors even in FFP contract types, and the adjudication is often in the contractor’s favor…I mean companies have to make money for shareholders and they employ “millions of registered voters” that members of Congress do not want to see laid off when defense contractors lose money (80’s pop culture reference intended).
I like the idea of a Navy innovation acquisition unit similar to the AF; just make sure that unit has priority within Navy POM and BES formulation.
“Houthis have achieved a level of missile technology and a rate of production that are astonishing for a regional militant group of their size.”
would seem more likely that they would be getting tech rather than producing it. 🧐🤔