The new DoD Instruction 5000.02: an analysis of the efficiencies to be gained

Abstract

In November 2013, the Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a memorandum titled Defense Acquisition, which stated that the 2008 version of the DOD Instruction (DODI) 5000.02 required revision in order to create an acquisition policy environment that will achieve greater efficiency and productivity in defense spending, and effectively implement the Defense Department’s Better Buying Power initiatives. A year later, the Interim DODI 5000.02 was issued and required for use, and the final instruction was signed into effect in January 2015. While the new instruction canceled six directive-type memorandums and reportedly incorporated them in the new instruction, efficiencies are not easily identified. This research provides an analysis of the new DODI 5000.02 and the Better Buying Power initiatives. It was discovered that the efficiencies to be gained have not been properly identified. It is left for interpretation what those efficiencies are. If they are decreased costs and schedules, the metrics used in this research, they have not been achieved to date. Proper metrics for these efficiencies need to be formulated and articulated to the defense acquisition workforce.