With just four days under his belt, the Pentagon's new head of acquisition is sifting through the massive job ahead of him and establishing a to-do list that includes reviews of major procurements.
Ashton Carter, who was sworn in as the undersecretary of Defense for acquisition, technology and logistics on Monday, said Thursday that much of what would have been his first order of duty was accomplished during the lead-up to Defense Secretary Robert Gates' release of the department's budget request in early April. Gates recommended major changes in the Pentagon's procurement priorities, including cuts to a number of programs.
Nonetheless, Carter said examining troubled programs and acting on Gates' plan is his first priority. The new acquisition chief plans to review all the department's projects gradually to ensure they are being properly executed.
His second focus will be on logistics, an area he said sometimes is overlooked. With two ongoing wars and a major shift in combat operations, Carter said, attention to logistics will be crucial.
"What's ringing in my ears is the secretary of Defense's often-expressed frustration that the troops are at war but the building as a whole is not," Carter said. "I don't want him to feel that way about his acquisition operation and logistics operation."
Among the greatest challenges will be refocusing resources from Iraq to Afghanistan in President Obama's timeframe.
"We have quite a lot of stuff to move out of Iraq and into Afghanistan ... that's a non-trivial matter both to conceive and to execute, and we can't afford not to meet those timetables," Carter said.
Acquisition reform will be another priority, he noted. Carter already is looking into the appropriate role of contractors "from Blackwater security in theater to pink badges at the Pentagon" and said he wants to improve the government's ability to acquire products quickly.
Presidential and congressional interest in reforms will be an asset, he said.
"If it is going to be different than other efforts at acquisition reform, it's going to be because of that constellation of people who are interested in taking some risk to do things differently if they can see the payoff," Carter said.
By CONGRESSDAILY STAFF
The Senate confirmed Ashton Carter to be the Pentagon's top weapons buyer on a voice vote Thursday night. Carter's nomination to become the assistant secretary of Defense for acquisition, technology and logistics had been stalled by Alabama's two Republican senators over concerns about the competition for aerial refueling tankers. Sens. Jeff Sessions and Richard Shelby lifted their holds after they received assurances from Carter and Defense Secretary Robert Gates that the Pentagon is committed to a fair and open competition for the tanker.
Northrop Grumman Corp. and EADS, the European consortium behind Airbus, had planned to build the Air Force tanker in Mobile, Ala., after winning the lucrative contract last year. GAO ultimately upheld a protest filed by Boeing Co., the losing bidder, and the Pentagon decided to reopen the competition. Defense officials have said they expect to restart the competition this year, with a contract award early next year. "I recognize the need for the secretary to have a confirmed acquisition chief to move the tanker replacement process forward," Shelby said in a statement.
By CONGRESSDAILY STAFF
Citing concerns over the upcoming competition for the lucrative contract to build aerial refueling tankers for the Air Force, Alabama's two Republican senators are blocking the confirmation of Ashton Carter, the Obama administration's nominee to be the Pentagon's top weapons buyer.
A team led by Northrop Grumman and EADS, the European consortium behind Airbus, won the contract last year and planned to build the tankers in Alabama. But GAO upheld a protest filed by Boeing Co., the losing bidder, forcing the Pentagon to announce another competition for aircraft.
"It is of the utmost importance that the new tanker competition be conducted in an open and transparent manner based on a best value process," Sen. Richard Shelby said in a statement today. "Before the new request for proposals is issued, we should have every assurance from Dr. Carter that the Department of Defense will proceed fairly to ensure our warfighters receive the most capable tanker possible."
Sen. Jeff Sessions also issued a statement saying he has "unanswered questions" about Carter's commitment to holding a fair and open competition. Senate Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin, D-Mich., whose panel voted Wednesday to back Carter's confirmation, postponed plans to have the Senate vote late Thursday after Shelby told him he wanted to speak with Carter about his concerns.
"He has made a commitment that he will do so as quickly as he possibly can after the recess so we can hopefully get to this nomination very promptly," Levin said of Shelby.
