Episode 82: Acquisition Awesomeness

Accomplishing DARPA’s mission of creating and preventing strategic surprise is as much a business challenge as it is a technology challenge.In this episode, team members from DARPA’s Contracts Management Office – Office Director Effie Fragogiannis and Deputy Director Catherine Stevens, along with Senior Advisor Scott Ulrey – explore what it takes to innovate contracting processes and mechanisms to enable the development of breakthrough technologies at the speed of relevance.From DARPA’s pioneering work with Other Transactions, to fast-pitch proposals, to the exploration of previously unrealized authorities, hear how the agency is breaking down the barriers of government contracting, providing companies a clearer path to the national security mission.Links:Acquisition Innovation (https://acquisitioninnovation.darpa.mil/) Collaborative Disruption at DoD – Kathleen Hicks – American Dynamism Summit (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN75v_jiLWA)Acquisition Innovation: From Other Transactions to Fast-Pitch Proposals (https://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2024-04-22)Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Other Transactions Guide (https://www.acq.osd.mil/asda/dpc/cp/policy/docs/guidebook/TAB%20A1%20-%20DoD%20OT%20Guide%20JUL%202023_final.pdf)DARPAConnect (https://www.darpaconnect.us/home)

Om Podcasten

DARPA’s podcast series, "Voices from DARPA," offers a revealing and informative window on the minds of the Agency's program managers. In each episode, a program manager from one of DARPA’s six technical offices—Biological Technologies, Defense Sciences, Information Innovation, Microsystems Technology, Strategic Technology, and Tactical Technology—will discuss in informal and personal terms why they are at DARPA and what they are up to. The goal of "Voices from DARPA" is to share with listeners some of the institutional know-how, vision, process, and history that together make the “secret sauce” DARPA has been adding to the Nation’s innovation ecosystem for nearly 60 years. On another level, we at DARPA just wanted to share the pleasure we all have every day—in the elevator, in the halls, in our meeting rooms—as we learn from each other and swap ideas and strive to change what’s possible.