Acquisition Reposition

By Christopher J. Castelli / June 25, 2009 at 5:00 AM

Ashton Carter, the Pentagon's chief for acquisition, technology and logistics, issued a short June 23 memo implementing organizational changes consistent with the new Weapons System Acquisition Reform Act.

Within the defense research and engineering directorate (DDR&E), which reports to Carter, the memo says the Defense Department created two "new" offices: director of systems engineering (SE) and director of developmental test and evaluation (DT&E). The new law required DOD to create the positions under Carter's purview.

According to a briefing from the Defense Acquisition University, there were already positions in the acquisition shop with “basically the same functions required by the legislation,” but the law codifies the SE and DT&E organizations in Title 10 and requires more reports to Congress.

Also reporting to DDR&E will be the director of research and the director of rapid transition, according to Carter's memo.

The office of systems and software engineering and the joint advanced concepts office will be “reallocated within” the acquisition and technology shop “and to” DDR&E, the missive adds.

Further details on the changes will be “announced later,” Carter writes.

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