The INSIDER daily digest -- Dec. 7, 2017

The impending end of the current continuing resolution and its effect on defense spending lead off this Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest.

At least one House lawmaker doesn't think a government shutdown will happen:

House's top defense appropriator bullish on budget deal as shutdown nears

The chairwoman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee says she's optimistic Republicans and Democrats will avert a government shutdown Friday and ultimately reach a budget deal that boosts defense spending through the Pentagon's controversial war-funding account.

Check out our previous coverage of what other lawmakers have said about this Friday's impending budget deadline:

• Thornberry supports two-week CR extension, but won't back a longer version
• As Republicans prepare a short-term CR extension, industry remains optimistic
• GOP, Democrat leaders spar over 'seriousness' as Trump's tweet stalls budget talks

Senior DOD officials were on Capitol Hill this morning talking about acquisition reform:

DOD acquisition chief asks Congress to reduce cost data requirements

The Pentagon's acquisition chief has asked Congress to consider legislation to reduce existing requirements for the Defense Department to get detailed cost and pricing data from defense contractors on sole-source contracts.

Esper: Army aims to cut requirements process to 12 months, halve acquisition time line

Army Secretary Mark Esper emphasized the value of prototyping to improve requirements definition as the service aims to streamline its acquisition process, detailing an array of efforts taken or underway during testimony today before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Document: Senate hearing on acquisition reform

Army leaders are taking lessons learned from the defense industry and the other services to improve modernization efforts:

Hix: Modernization command task force seeking 'best practices' for acquisition

As part of the effort to consolidate modernization functions under a single command, Army leaders expect to borrow from industry and the other services to reduce "inertia" and increase agility in the acquisition system.

The Air Force will begin prepping its five-year plan for fiscal year 2020 next month:

Air Force to start review in January to prepare for FY-20 POM, FYDP

Air Force leaders will review the service's programs, budgets and manpower to find ways to get the best bang for their buck in the fiscal year 2020 program objective memorandum and future years defense plan, the service said this week.

Monitoring people with security clearances remains a challenge, according to a new GAO report:

GAO details lack of policy around continuous evaluation of cleared workers

The federal government has not set clear policies for using technologies to continuously monitor individuals who hold security clearances, which experts say could call into question the Defense Department's plan to replace a large portion of the background investigation process with continuous evaluation.

Document: GAO report on personnel security clearances