Pentagon cancels progress payments public meeting

The Pentagon will cancel a planned Oct. 10 meeting on a now-withdrawn rule on performance-based payments and progress payments, according to a forthcoming Federal Register notice.

The notice, slated for publication tomorrow, will formally announce the proposed rule has been rescinded.

Earlier this week, Deputy Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan said the Pentagon would back off the proposal, which had generated industry and Capitol Hill opposition.

"The Department of Defense is fully committed to reform, a pillar of the National Defense Strategy," Shanahan said. "With a reform mindset, the department is changing acquisition rules and regulations. Recently, proposed amendments to the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) were prematurely released, absent full coordination."