Got COTS?

This morning at the scenic campus of the Naval War College in Newport, RI, Defense Secretary Robert Gates was asked whether the Defense Department is focusing enough on commercial-off-the-shelf technologies, as opposed to developing the most advanced systems possible from scratch.

“I think we are beginning to take what is commercially available more seriously in the acquisition and procurement arena,” Gates told the audience. “Frankly I think that getting more civilian professional acquisition employees will create new opportunities for that. Obviously, there’s a certain inherent conflict of interest when you have contractors managing contractors and a desire to get the most technologically advanced -- and by happenstance the most expensive -- capability that you can.”

Gates noted there were instances in his recent fiscal year 2010 budget decisions, including in the classified arena, where DOD walked away from a very high-risk, high-technology capability in favor of buying COTS.