Defense Industrial Base: Acquisition Program Case History

Abstract

This Defense Industrial Base case history encourages critical analysis of a DoD project manager responding to typical management oversight questions regarding industrial base planning within defense acquisition. The analysis centers on the capability and capacity of the defense industrial base to develop and produce body armor for Warfighters. The case incorporates the perspectives from key stakeholders to include commercial industry companies, congressional committees, DoD senior leadership, and the program management/acquisition chain of command. Considerations include the balancing of limited resources against competing priorities, sustaining inventory for wartime readiness, managing the demand for increased capability, and balancing surge requirements with industry capacity. The case history reinforces critical thinking in uncertain environments, documents lessons learned for sound project management, and provides exposure to the complexities of public sector acquisition and manufacture of critical warfighting products.