Innovation Debate

The Defense Department's Rapid Innovation Fund -- the subject of new guidance from DOD acquisition chief Frank Kendall -- sparked debate on the House floor Wednesday as Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-KS) sought unsuccessfully to cut $250 million for the effort from House's fiscal year 2013 defense appropriations bill. Pompeo's amendment failed by vote of 137 to 282.

"I urge my colleagues to reject this effort," Pompeo said of the proposed $250 million appropriation. "First of all, the Pentagon . . . never asked for this money. Four DOD agencies declined an invitation to even participate in the fund. There is clearly no one in the military clamoring for what is essentially a slush fund. With sequestration looming, now is the time to make tough choices, not to add $250 million of wasteful spending." Pompeo argued the fund is neither rapid, nor innovative. It was created by Congress because Congress ended earmarks, and some have wanted a way to have earmark-type projects continue to receive government money, he said.

Rep. Norm Dicks (D-WA), the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, defended the account. "The Rapid Innovation Fund was authorized and appropriated by Congress in 2011 to allow innovative small businesses to compete for funding within the Department of Defense," he said. "It is a competitive, merit-based program designed to accelerate the fielding of innovative technologies into military systems." The account was created because small businesses have a lot to offer DOD, Dicks argued.

"Not all of the innovations come from Lockheed and Boeing and General Dynamics," Dicks added. Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA) also defended account, arguing it enables small businesses to provide better, more affordable technology that can be incorporated into major weapons systems.

Inside the Pentagon has more on the fund in today's issue:

Kendall Issues Guidance On $200 Million Rapid Innovation Fund

Emphasizing energy security, materials and microelectronics, the Pentagon this month issued internal guidance to defense officials on how the department plans to use the Rapid Innovation Fund to spur investment and followed up with a related solicitation to industry.

The fund, which DOD did not request funding for in fiscal year 2013, is supposed to support small, urgent projects to be developed by industry. The FY-12 funding for the program is $200 million.

Pentagon acquisition chief Frank Kendall's new guidance lays out detailed plans for the selection of proposals, the evaluation of the proposals, how the awards will be given and how the technology developed will be transitioned into other programs. The memo also says the effort will focus on enhancing energy security and independence, developing advanced materials and advancing microelectronics.