The Pentagon wants to make it easier for U.S. Cyber Command to quickly acquire the tools and services it needs to support cyber operations, according to the Defense Department’s chief weapons buyer. The support reinforces measures in the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act that — if it passes — will give special procurement authorities to drive cyber-focused rapid acquisition.
“I think in the cyber world — first of all, the acquisition, so to speak, in development programs tend to be very small in dollars and short in duration. I don’t have a personal problem…with CYBERCOM having some acquisition authority so that they can do some of the things that they need to do, quickly,” Frank Kendall, under secretary of Defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, on Oct. 6 told reporters at the Defense One State of Defense Acquisition event in Arlington, Virginia.
Kendall said he’s taking steps at the Pentagon to steer cyber acquisition where it needs to go — away from the conventional weapons-buying processes at the DoD.
“I have a group called the Cyber Investment Management Board, which oversees cyber investments, and it was set up partly because of the need to have very rapid and agile investments in cyber in some areas. And, to not use the traditional system,” Kendall said.
In the meantime, though, the command is already exercising buying power with a new $460 million contract.
The agreement would cover mission support in cyber operations, including providing “cyber joint munitions effectiveness,” according to the draft documents released Sept. 30.
According to the draft task order, the vendor that wins the contract will be expected to handle key areas that include:
- Provide mission essential coverage to support cyberspace operations.
- Identify requirements and concept of operations that focus on the execution of DoD Information Network (DODIN) operations and Defensive Cyberspace Operations Internal Defensive Measures (DCO-IDM) and assist in the development, synchronization, integration and assessment of operational standards ISO achieving the Joint Information Environment end-state.
- Contribute to efforts to secure, operate, and defend the DODIN and its critical dependencies in order to provide full spectrum cyberspace operations, ensuring freedom of maneuver in that domain and denying our adversaries the same.
- Contribute to USCYBERCOM strengthening relationships with key partner nations, coordinating, synchronizing, deconflicting and integrating operational planning efforts for full spectrum cyberspace operations.
- Plan, coordinate, and deconflict offensive cyberspace operations, DCO and DODIN Operations throughout the entire joint operational planning process.
- Identify requirements to fill gaps and identify capabilities in order to achieve an effect in accordance with tactical objectives, operational goals and strategic end-states.
- Prepare courses of action, to include advanced level targeting, capabilities pairing and operational assessments.
RELATED: Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and DISA Director LTG Alan Lynn will appear as keynote speakers at C4ISR & Networks and Federal Times’ CyberCon 2015, held Nov. 18 at the Ritz Carlton-Pentagon City in Arlington, Virginia.
