b'Conversations with Leadersmore than 1100 submissions last year alone. In our history,and field a certain technology for decades, so we need weve introduced eighty first-time vendors to the DoD. Moreto have a process in place that allows us to refresh and of these vendors are also receiving higher-value productionupgrade that technology capability at the rate of the contracts such as Anduril who recently received a $1commercial market. billion contract from Special Forces to supply counter-drone3.Use commercial acquisition processes.technology or C3 who received a $500 million contract from the Missile Defense Agency to supply synthetic trajectoriesIf we want to encourage more companies to work with for missiles which enables us to better defend againstus, then weve got to use speed as an advantage and incoming missiles. However, given the types and amounts ofencourage that competition. Thats what weve done at procurement of DoD, were just scratching the surface on theDIU with the commercial solutions opening. We use impact we could be having.Other Transition Authority (OTA)as opposed to relying on the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR)to meet We also need to develop solutions alongside our alliesthese demands and exceed our expectations.and partners around the world on a large scale. We would4.Jettison the requirements process. like to be more proactive in using technology from allied companies. Our vision is to sell technology solutions Today, anything that we buy at the Defense Department qualified in a military environmentto our allied military orstarts with requirements specifying what we need. With partner military.commercial technology, we dont need to specify it. Therefore, requirements can be eliminated. We probably On Pursuing a Fast-Follower Strategyneed something in place to validate that we have a need. We need to pursue a fast-follower strategy. This is what isBut we dont need to tell the market what to build.done in the commercial world when you are not first toIf we pursue these four stepsthree things that we market. You quickly follow so that you can minimize theneed in place, one that we need to removethen time between the first mover and your ability to deploy thatwe could effectively implement the fast-follower technology. Since the 1960s, the Pentagon was a first-mover,strategy. Ultimately, we need to modernize faster, taking the lead in bringing technology R&D into use. Butuse more commercial technology, and better enable times have changed.the interlocking aspects of Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPB&E), requirements, Eleven out of the fourteen technology priorities identifiedacquisition, and budget work for the department by the department recently are commercial technologies rather than be impediments. We owe it to our service namely artificial intelligence, software, cyber, autonomousmembers to give them the best tools and technologiessystems, rapid launch, satellite imagery, additiveso they can keep us safe.manufacturing, and more. As such, positioning the department as a fast follower would make it far more competitive in fielding and scaling the best technology quickly. There are four core elements to a fast-follower strategy: 1.Identify an organizational home for commercial technology. We dont need a technology that is service-specific. Rather than duplicate a specific technology across the Services, we need an organizational home for each technology. We do need to have a technology owner whose job it is to assess the need and then field that technology across the Services. Doing this will eliminate duplication and wasted resources.2.Create a consistent budget for refreshing capability. We need flexibility from Congress to budget for a capability rather than a program. We are going to buy 2022 IBM Center for The Business of Government 13'