WASHINGTON – Today the Information Technology Alliance for Public Sector (ITAPS), a division of ITI, commended Reps. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) and Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, for introducing bipartisan legislation seen as a key first step on the road to reforming the acquisition system at the Department of Defense, including how the agency buys critical information technology (IT) goods and services. The legislation’s approach to define a successful acquisition system as proactive, agile, transparent, and innovative is in line with reform recommendations ITAPS developed and submitted to lawmakers on the House and Senate Armed Services Committees last year.

"Maintaining technological superiority is a critical component for protecting and defending our country, but the current acquisition system’s dysfunction actually works to discourage private sector companies from bringing the latest technology into the federal marketplace,” said ITAPS Senior Vice President for Public Sector Trey Hodgkins. “Chairman Thornberry’s legislation introduced today is an important first step toward the reforms that are needed to make sure our government has access to the latest innovations the private sector has to offer."

The legislation seeks to empower the acquisition workforce, provide greater flexibility in risk assessments, remove systematic redundancies, improve government-industry communications, and create a more effective oversight environment – all key components to achieving true acquisition reform. Thornberry also released draft report language for discussion as the legislative process moves forward.  

"It is important to keep in mind," Hodgkins said, "that these components for successful acquisition reform are not exclusive to the Department of Defense, and we encourage Congress and the administration to leverage the Chairman's analysis and groundwork for improved acquisitions governmentwide that leverage the power, efficiency, and cost savings of technology."

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