Redefining Federal Acquisition & Space Tech: What’s Next for the Government and Defense?

November 27, 2024

Navigating Federal Acquisition Shifts: Policy Changes, Night Court Revival, and Workforce Development

Eric Crusius, a partner at Holland & Knight, delves into the dynamic changes anticipated in federal acquisition as a new administration takes the helm. He discusses the potential rollback of executive orders and regulations tied to clean energy and labor policies, reflecting shifts in priorities between Republican and Democratic administrations. Eric also examines the possibility of reviving the DoD’s “Night Court” initiative, a program designed to identify and reallocate funds from underperforming defense projects to higher-priority needs. He emphasizes areas of bipartisan agreement, such as expanding domestic manufacturing and strengthening procurement processes. Additionally, Eric underscores the importance of addressing the shortage of skilled acquisition professionals by expanding the Defense Acquisition University’s mission to train personnel across the federal government. His insights highlight the balance between policy shifts and continuity in federal procurement strategies.

Key Takeaways: 

1. Anticipated Acquisition Shifts: Federal acquisition policies may change under a new administration, with potential rollbacks of executive orders on clean energy and labor, reflecting broader shifts in political priorities.
   
   
2. Revival of “Night Court”: The DoD might bring back the “Night Court” initiative to reallocate funds from underperforming programs to higher-priority defense projects.
   
   
3. Focus on Acquisition Workforce: Expanding the Defense Acquisition University’s mission could help address the critical shortage of trained acquisition professionals across the federal government.

Advancing Space Hardware Resilience and Atmospheric Detection Through Innovative Research

Dr. Ken Obenberger, Senior Research Physicist at the Air Force Research Laboratory, shares his pioneering work on understanding and mitigating the effects of space plasma disturbances on military hardware. His research enhances the durability and efficiency of $4 billion worth of critical military communication, navigation, and surveillance systems. Dr. Obenberger explains how plasma disturbances, often triggered by phenomena such as infrasound waves from ground explosions, can disrupt radio wave propagation in the ionosphere, impacting both space-based and ground-based systems. He also highlights his team’s advancements in detecting smaller-scale atmospheric events, such as volcanic eruptions, that can affect global air traffic. Dr. Obenberger credits collaboration with organizations like NASA, Sandia National Laboratories, and various universities for driving these innovations, which not only improve military operations but also offer practical applications for civilian safety and environmental monitoring.

Key Takeaways:

1. Space Hardware Resilience: Research on space plasma disturbances is enhancing the durability and efficiency of $4 billion worth of military communication, navigation, and surveillance systems.
   
   
2. Innovative Detection Capabilities: Advancements in detecting small-scale atmospheric events, like volcanic eruptions, demonstrate the practical applications of space environment sensing.
   
   
3. Collaborative Progress: Partnerships with NASA, Sandia National Laboratories, and universities are driving groundbreaking innovations in space operations and environmental monitoring.