Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, the newly confirmed chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on Wednesday that he is “optimistic” that the Pentagon will be able to draft better contracts, driving a cultural shift to speed technology procurement within the federal government.
Speaking at the Billington CyberSecurity Summit on Sept. 10, Caine encouraged the largely private sector audience to “keep moving at the speed of technology development,” adding that he hopes the government will start “buying a little bit better.”
“I am optimistic, very optimistic that the leaders that we have right now in the seats on the third floor in the Pentagon, in Congress, on the second floor within the joint force, are very seized with the need to start with culture to make sure that we’re closing deals and getting companies and technologies, not just through the valley of death, but allowing us to innovate through that process,” Caine said.
He added that he’s hopeful that the Department of Defense (DOD) – which the Trump administration has rebranded as the Department of War – will create “competitive forces” so that there’s not just “one tranche” of companies that typically do business with the U.S. federal government.
Instead, he wants new and old entrants alike to have a seat at the negotiating table “to ensure that we’re buying and fielding combat capability ahead of the technical development curve, not behind it.”
“I’m very optimistic we’re going to write better contracts and be better buyers here in the future, and find some way to share risk between the private sector and the government, because we all – as Americans first, and military people and private sector teammates second – have to deliver safety and security for our kids and our grandkids,” Caine said.
“So, we’re all in this together with the goal of creating a more resilient, combat-capable, and ready joint force,” he added. “And I’m very optimistic that the leaders that we have in these seats right now – which I’m humbled to be a part of this team – are the right ones to actually create some change in the way we’re bringing and procuring and fielding combat capability and capacity into the joint force.”
Caine’s comments come after the Pentagon finalized a rule that officially enforces Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) standards in defense contracts. The rule amends the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) and will take effect on Nov. 10.
With the regulatory framework now in place, CMMC moves from concept to practice, requiring contracting officers to apply cybersecurity tiers in all solicitations and contracts.