ACQUISITIONS ABOVE THE STRATUS: PROCURING CONSUMPTION-BASED SOLUTIONS FOR A MODERN DOD
Authors
Parkin, William S.
Bukowski, Katherine D.
Subjects
contracting
acquisitions
consumption-based
consumption basis
cloud
cloud computing
cloud infrastructure
cloud-based
cloud services
information technology
category
services
software as a service
Department of Defense
DOD
acquisitions
consumption-based
consumption basis
cloud
cloud computing
cloud infrastructure
cloud-based
cloud services
information technology
category
services
software as a service
Department of Defense
DOD
Advisors
Mortlock, Robert F.
Date of Issue
2021-06
Date
Publisher
Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
When procuring information technology requirements for systems such as cloud-based services, acquisition professionals often choose from outdated and misaligned categories of supplies or services established by Department of Defense (DOD) Acquisition regulations. Current contract structures constrain scalability, and it is imperative that the DOD revise its contract types to permit new solutions that enable commercial goods to be procured on a consumption basis. This Capstone Applied Project evaluates the impact of procuring modern DOD capabilities as consumption-based solutions by applying relevant policy analysis, cost effectiveness analysis, and case study analysis. The findings indicate that a consumption-based approach to acquiring cloud-based solutions is the most beneficial method for obtaining fair and reasonable prices while minimizing costs associated with contract administration. The authors recommend that cloud computing be placed into a new category within the DOD Taxonomy for the Acquisition of Services and Supplies & Equipment to enable greater flexibility in implementing a newly proposed contract type, consumption-based variable pricing, which must be supported by the revision of language contained in FITARA and 31 U.S.C. ยง1341 and an extension of FAR Clause 52.241-8.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
NPS Outstanding Theses and Dissertations
Department
Graduate School of Defense Management (GSDM)
Graduate School of Defense Management (GSDM)
Organization
Human Systems Integration (HSI) Certificate Program
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.