Innovation in Government Business
Hosted by the Strategic Institute for Innovation in Government Contracting, this podcast examines federal acquisition and the challenge of delivering new capability and innovation. It notes that despite decades of study and policy mandates, the system has often performed poorly and that leadership, especially in the DoD, has sometimes ignored those mandates. The show is aimed at people working to solve the nation's critical technological challenges. It offers solutions, lessons learned, and highlights the potential of Other Transactions Agreements for fielding advanced capability. Federal acquisition professionals and industry partners are invited to explore the art of the possible.
Episodes
Congress Pushes to Broaden OTAs Applicability, DoD Response is to Narrow It
In this episode Strategic Institute talks about recent Congressional language that seeks to broaden the aperture when it comes to who and what qualifies for OTA awards, while at the same time the bureaucracy is attempting to narrow the thinking around OTAs and kneecap their potential. Who should be served, the will of 'the people' as represented by Congress -or- should the bureaucracy ta
Consequences of Knowledge is Power, Growth & Evolution even in Federal Acquisition
In this podcast episode, Strategic Institute, discusses what has been largely missing in the attempts to use mandated flexible authorities to improve federal acquisition for R&D and delivering new capabilities - KNOWLEDGE. In the rush to use these authorities as a 'work-around' 'hack' 'easy button' or turn them into a process an important steps have been missed.
How do WE get Smart People Doing Intelligent Things in Federal Acquisition for R&D?
In this podcast episode, Strategic Institute, discusses applying critical thinking to federal acquisition processes for R&D and delivering new capabilities. Featured are ideas of using flexible acquisition authorities to explore new business approaches and collaborative arrangements, the notion that you can't solve a problem with the same thinking that created it, what defines intelligen
Will New Thinking Ever be Applied to Federal Acquisition?
In this episode, Strategic Institute, reiterates their main points: that focus on new concepts and ideas in 'teaming' to make the best use of talent and better fulfill mission goals, and applying critical thinking to the use of flexible acquisition authorities. These ideas have been broadly rejected by bureaucrats and insiders who vehemently protect the status-quo of 'teams' r
Special Acquisition Forces & Looking at Defense Acquisition from the Inside Out
In this episode, Strategic Institute discusses the unique perceptions of contracting, management, teaming, and time etc. within federal acquisition for R&D and for delivering new advanced capabilities. Federal processes operate under their own logic, divorced from common and broader methods known outside of the ‘industry’. It seems, those who have been indoctrinated into these systems ‘insid
Defense Acquisition Superheroes: Rise to the Challenge and Bring Home the Win
In this podcast, Strategic Institute highlights the opportunities, mandated by Congress (2018 & 2023) and now the President (2025), to use flexible acquisition authorities and create teams (Special Acquisition Forces) to explore, experiment with new and different business approaches and collaborative arrangements to improve speed and deliver better solutions and value for the warfighter, taxpa
It's me. Hi! I'm the Problem... Defense Acquisition ANTI-HEROES
In this podcast episode, Strategic Institute, discusses why defense acquisition, a well-known weakness in the process for R&D and delivering new advanced capabilities, stays the course despite urgent needs and mandates. A problem decades in the making, DoD does not acknowledge that systems no longer prioritize mission and purpose, but instead comply with diktats from bureaucratic and special
More TEAMS Less BUREAUCRACY to Improve Defense Acquisition & What are OT Condominiums?
In this episode, Strategic Institute, highlights their long standing message of teaming for success. It is widely believed that family is the essential building block of society/civilization, just like a team is for any significant endeavor or enterprise. Federal Acquisition by-and-large does not seem to respect how critical the team is in contributing to success of a program or project. To say
What is the Purpose of Other Transactions & Why 'so-called OT Consortia suck!
In this podcast episode, Strategic Institute gets back to basics, asking what is the purpose of Other Transactions, why were they created, what is their 'mission'? The answer, while misunderstood by many, is simple and clear.Additionally, we tackle the 'so-called' OT consortia issue, which generally speaking, are NOT consortia, may not be legal, and have an obvious conflict of
The DOGE Effect on Defense Acquisition - Opportunity or Nightmare?
In this episode, Strategic Institute, discusses the opportunity to make improvements in defense acquisition for R&D and delivering new advanced capabilities by recognizing and jettisoning systems and processes that have become institutionally corrupt, that do not serve its 'purpose', its 'why' or the reason it exists.How will the defense bureaucratic-industrial complex res
Don't be a JAG-off | How Government Lawyers can Enable Innovation
When it comes to innovating federal business practices for R&D and delivering new capabilities a frequently identified roadblock to bettering processes are government lawyers. Government lawyers tend to err on the side of the bureaucratic myth and lore over actual law, mandate, and need. In a recent conformation hearing, the new Secretary of Defense used the term JAG-off to describe lawye
New Administration - New Acquisition System?
We're back! Strategic Institute dusts itself to help off to once again help affect positive change in Federal Acquisition for R&D and the delivering of new advanced capabilities.In this episode we talk paradigm shifts, institutional corruption and other fun stuff.Let's raise consciousness, increase imagination and really come through and deliver for a higher cause.Article: New Admin
New Other Transactions Guide: A Retreat from Innovation
The new (2023) Other Transactions Guide was waylaid by the DoD acquisition bureaucracy for a few years. Now out, the new guide, as expected, reflects business-as-usual thinking and a desire to limit the potential of these flexible authorities before folks even bother to understand them. The new guide contains misinformation, eradicates emphasis on smart interdisciplinary teaming and upfront prob
DoD: You have License to Think
A June 2023 Government Accountability Office report shows that DoD has a plethora of flexible authorities to use for more effectively pursuing and advancing knowledge and capability that are going unused or little used. Why? In this episode try to answer that. What these authorities have in common, when it comes to R&D, is they give the government a lot of flexibility and the workforce lice
The Narrow Mindedness of Defense Acquisition
Given the pitiful state of defense acquisition for R&D and delivering new capability defers risk to the warfighter, wastes taxpayer funding, shrinks the industrial base, steals from the future, and is an obvious threat to national security, one would think that there would be serious and concerted efforts to change it. You would be wrong! In order for something like that to happen, someone in
DoD's S&T Strategy 2023 is a "wish list" not strategy
OUSD R/E recently published "National Defense Science and Technology Strategy 2023" that contains ZERO consequential strategy and parrots what others have said ad nauseam. The document correctly identifies that there is a very serious problem with the government system for delivering the fruits of taxpayer funded R&D efforts. It identifies point A and points to B, but offers abso
Unsticking DoD's Acquisition Process - easier done than talking about it FOREVER!
In this episode Rick Dunn, former DARPA General Counsel, talks with TC Hoot, a long time DoD Acquisition Program Manager, currently Senior Program Manager at MISI, a Partnership Intermediary serving U.S. Cyber Command, about how to move out on acquisition and business process innovation to more efficiently and effectively deliver knowledge and solutions resulting from defense R&D efforts and s
Is DoD's Acquisition System for R&D Institutionally Corrupt?
Most people have a good idea of what fraud, waste, and abuse looks like, but few recognize institutional corruption, because it's "normal". From Harvard's, Safra Center of Ethics: "Institutional corruption is manifest when there is a systemic and strategic influence which is legal, or even currently ethical, that undermines the institution’s effectiveness by diverting it
Effectively Utilizing Other Transactions: A Program Manager's Perspective
In this episode Rick Dunn with the Strategic Institute, talks with Maj. Ben Leaf currently assigned to USSOCOM about his experiences utilizing Other Transactions Agreements to deliver excellent results. Ben discusses his experience that highlights the importance of the team, open mindedness, and lawyers who enable business process innovation. This is story of how goal oriented action produces p
WWII Pacific Air War and Modern Defense Acquisition
In this episode, Strategic Institute's Founder, Rick Dunn hosts Professional WWII Historian, Justin Taylan, to discuss how major events are effected by numerous small events and decisions behind the scenes, as is the a case for acquisition and R&D. For those who like to nerd-out to the WWII Pacific Air War and present day defense acquisition, this is your podcast.
Accelerating Acquisition Innovation with Bill Greenwalt
In this episode Rick Dunn, former DARPA General Counsel and pioneer of DoD's Other Transactions (OTs) authority, talks with Bill Greenwalt, a long time Senate Staffer and former Deputy Undersecretary, who was instrumental in the creation of Middle Tier Acquisition, and bolstering the power and potential of OTs, about the intent to create an alternative acquisition system to better deliver the
What are Other Transactions authorities for?
In the episode Strategic Institute cuts through DoD's myth and lore to highlight the reason why Other Transactions were created and what problems they are intended to solve. Other Transactions authorities (OTs) have realized increased use, but so too has misunderstanding. A dearth of education and misinformation from the top-down are obvious culprits, as is leadership's lack of vision.
The March of Folly: DoD Acquisition for R&D and New Capability
Folly: 1) Lack of good sense, understanding, or foresight 2) a costly and foolish undertaking; unwise investment or expenditure.Few subjects have been the focus of more study than DoD acquisition for R&D and the delivery of new capability. The resultant body of insight is comprehensive, expert, unanimous, and spans decades. The findings? The traditional acquisition system sucks! It fails
5 Principles of Other Transactions
In this podcast episode Strategic Institute discusses the five principles for using Other Transactions (OTs) authorities for federal R&D. 5 Principles of OTs 1. OTs = Flexibility2. If it's R&D, use an OT3. OTs are FAR out4. OTs want you to Think5. Team for Success After 30 years in use, government and industry insiders struggle to conceptually understand what Other Transactions
DoD Lawyers Enabling Business Innovation for R&D
In this episode Rick Dunn talks with LTC Dean Korsak from the Air Force Research Laboratory, Information Directorate about the critical role government lawyers can take to enable business process innovation, using flexible contracts, to better deliver the fruits from R&D activities. This positive episode discusses issues that teams using non-FAR based acquisition strategies face. While ther
ACQUISITION BUREAUCRACY STRIKES BACK
In this episode Strategic Institute discusses the forces pushing back against innovation in business processes for federal R&D. Other Transactions authorities are flexible contracts that permit the government to experiment with different business approaches and arrangements in effort to improve the delivery of the fruits of federal R&D activities. They are intended to be used by smart
Congress Says Get Educated on Other Transactions, Again!
In this episode Strategic Institute discusses the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in regard to acquisition for R&D, and specifically the report language, "strongly encouraging" DoD to educate the workforce in flexible acquisition authorities - other transactions. Other Transactions are the authorities that can enable and permit the #disruption and #innovation that
Year End: State of Innovative Acquisition and Education for Federal R&D
In this year end episode Strategic Institute discusses what improvements have been made to educate and support the federal workforce to make positive changes (innovation) for better outcomes from investments in federal R&D. Business-as-usual influences kicked the butt of federal business process innovation this year. The bright spots in federal acquisition did not draw much attention. It ap
Strategic Capital: Utilizing Private Funding to Improve Outcomes of Federal R&D
In this episode Strategic Institute's Rick Dunn and special guests Col. Mark "Puck" Mykleby and Sam Moyer discuss opportunities and potential challenges that wait ahead for the newly announced Department of Defense, Office of Strategic Capital; which seeks to leverage private sector funding to improve federal R&D efforts, reduce taxpayer risk and burden, and deliver more capabi
3rd Party Financing for Federal R&D and Innovation
In this episode Strategic Institute discusses how tapping outside funding, non taxpayer sources, can benefit federal R&D and innovation programs.We applaud the idea behind the recently announced Department of Defense, Office of Strategic Capital. Strategic Institute with partners, Innovation Finance Group and 50lb Brain, spent years spreading the gospel of using outside capital to better th
Obstacles to Learning: How the Federal Government Discourages Innovation and Hurts Stakeholders
In this episode Strategic Institute discusses factors in federal acquisition that prevent learning new approaches for delivering the fruits of research and development (R&D).Does previous indoctrination affect the ability to learn new things? Do Federal Acquisition Regulations limit thinking? Does focus and incentives benefiting government and industry insiders (shareholders) fail the warfight
Federal Business for R&D: Let's Step Beyond Ignorance
In this episode Strategic Institute goes strong on the message of positive transformation in federal acquisition for effectively delivering the fruits of R&D and new capabilities. The days of "my ignorance is as good as your knowledge" approach, responsible for so much systemic navel gazing and institutional corruption, has reached its bounds. It is killing the host and sacrificing
Other Transactions are Team Sport - Teaming to Better Deliver the Fruits of Federal R&D
In this podcast episode Strategic Institute discusses assembling interdisciplinary teams that are empowered and protected by leadership for the purposes of exploring and exploiting the flexibility inherent in Other Transactions authorities, and the wide variety of business relationship and approaches they allow for the purposes of delivering the fruits of federal R&D. This contrasted with the
Other Transactions Consortia - Do they Award OTs? Are they Consortia?
In this episode Strategic Institute questions the government's use of so-called Other Transactions consortia. Are these arrangements the best use of the authorities? Do they meet the definition of consortia? Do they actually award OTs? Are they even legal? -or- Are they an "easy button" to quickly get money on contract? Are they more akin to support services than consortium? c
Middle Tier of AWESOME (Acquisition)
In this special and highly educational episode Rick Dunn, the OG of DoD Other Transactions authorities, discusses Middle Tier of Acquisition with three of today's brightest minds in federal acquisition for R&D and advancing new capability. This is a "stop what you are doing and gather 'round" episode. It is difficult to imagine a more informative discussion on topic that
Other Transactions (flexible contracting) can be applied to more than Acquisition
Other Transactions (OTs) are flexible contracts that are intended to foster the business relationships needed to facilitate and deliver new and advanced technologies, innovative solutions, and to maximize investment in research and development (R&D). As flexible contracts, specifically for the purposes of R&D and delivering the fruits for the benefit of the warfighter, society, and nation
New DoD OT Guide: Bureaucracy Strikes Back or New Hope?
In this episode Strategic Institute discusses the forthcoming DoD Other Transactions Guide that has been in the works for some time. The most recent 2018 OT Guide was developed by the Office for the Undersecretary of Defense, Acquisition and Sustainment. While it did not become a "living document" as intended, it is still very good. Use of OTs has seen a significant uptick since.
If it is R&D use an OT
In this podcast Strategic institute discusses the advantages of using appropriate contracts for federal R&D. Federal Acquisitions Regulations (FAR) contracts are inappropriate, per Part 35, which states FAR is procurement for acquiring goods and services. R&D and advancing new capabilities requires a totally different business model and strategy. If the federal government is serious ab
Gearing Defense Acquisition for the Times w/ Raj Shah
In this episode Rick Dunn, Strategic Institute, sits down with Raj Shah a former Managing Partner at the Defense Innovation Unit, an F-16 pilot, and entrepreneur to discuss gearing defense acquisition to keep pace and innovative to meet current and future challenges.
Other Transactions & Partnership Intermediary Connection
In this podcast episode Strategic Institute recaps controversial topics from a previous episode (protest & consortia), and points out and illustrates the natural symbiosis between flexible federal contracting authorities, other transactions, and the greater flexibility offered to the government by using a partnership intermediary. Related:The Other Transactions & Partnership Intermedia
Other Transactions Protest Reveals Lack of Training & Education
Chalking it up to the 'you can't make this stuff up' category, the latest Other Transactions (OT) protest highlights the continued need for education and training for all involved in awarding these agreements. In this case, it appears that no party involved understood the Other Transactions for prototypes statute.Also in this podcast episode we poke at the much venerated consortia
Keeping the Faith in Federal Acquisition for R&D and Delivering New Capabilities
More than 30 years since Other Transactions authorities were first introduced in the DoD, the early pioneers, adopters, and educators still have faith that one day leaders in federal acquisition will have an 'ah-ah' moment of clarity, realizing the potential of these flexible contracting authorities for leveling-up R&D activities and delivering new capabilities. With policies and C
Federal R&D: Creating the Infrastucture to Support Innovation
In this episode Strategic Institute discusses the lack of "infrastructure" to support federal acquisition that is dynamic and promotes synergy for the best results in R&D and delivering new capability. Instead, the government chooses to miss opportunities and potential for improvement to stick with what knows. The status quo acquisition system is heavy on indoctrination and has t
Optimism for Federal Acquisition Innovation
In this episode Strategic Institute talks with Dr. Dolores Kuchina-Musina of REXOTA Solutions to discuss the focus of her PhD dissertation - Other Transaction Agreements (OTA) and innovation policy. Dolores approaches her work and study of an often difficult and frustrating topic with cheer and optimism, while keeping in mind the common good. She shares some findings and what she has learned si
Prototype Prototyping: Rolling up sleeves at the front-end to save time and resources at the back
The DoD is notorious for slacking at the front end of R&D programs, preferring to punt and hope that it all comes together at the back-end. From a business perspective this is sheer insanity! The more thoroughly an organization identifies problems and solutions sets early, typically the more time and resources are saved with better solutions delivered. The DoD, committed to the traditional
Status-quo Strikes Back: Consequences resulting from a lack of education for flexible contracting authorities
The secret to federal business ingenuity and greater acquisition success for R&D and delivering new capability lies in educating people, whereas the secret for maintaining the status quo is in keeping them ignorant. The federal government has been "gifted" with highly flexible contracting instruments, meant to encourage desperately needed business ingenuity for the acquisition of kno
Acquisition Ingenuity - applying new ideas and education to create positive change
Strategic Institute is one of the few advocates for education, training, and supporting the workforce to best utilize highly flexible contracting authorities, other transactions and related for R&D and delivering new capability, available to the federal government. DoD leadership has ignored the 2018 Congressional mandate telling them to do exactly that! So as to not be swept under the rug,
Is an Alternative for Acquisition Needed, or is Old Think Enough?
Do we need a better acquisition system to exploit the fruits of R&D and deliver new capabilities? While the often mouthed rhetoric says "yes" actions by leadership send the opposite message "NO!" The piece parts of what can easily be understood to be an alternative acquisition system for R&D exists! These authorities, that provide contract flexibility and much mo
AF/DoD Acquisition Leadership - Rhetoric vs. Reality
The United States Air Force was once a leader in technological developments. Before WW2 Assistant Chief of Staff for Procurement Maj. Gen. H.H. "Hap" Arnold took advantage of commercial developments that increased the octane-rating of aviation gasoline to ensure that the U.S. led the world in fuel for high performance aero engines. Those commercial developments were spurred by Army Ai
Fear and Lore in the DoD Acquisition System
In this episode Strategic Institute discusses the toxic DoD acquisition workforce culture where fear and lore is enabled and perpetuated by entrenched interests. The DoD acquisition system for R&D and delivering new capabilities failed sometime ago by any metric that really matters. However, the DoD uses metrics that do not really matter. The continued use of a system that fails its own st
DoD's Most Important Innovation
In this podcast episode, Rick Dunn, former DARPA General Counsel, addresses the 2022 Breakthrough Energetics Conference highlighting the most critical innovation the DoD can focus its energies on is business process reform already supported by policies and mandates. This is the innovation in which delivering all other innovations efficiently, effectively, and affordably rely.
Is DoD Acquisition Leadership above the Law?
“Rules for thee but not for me.” – DoD The Department of Defense acquisition system can be defined by its separateness. It is a whole universe unto itself, walled off and apart from the rest of industry and the ways other organizations work. In a similar vein, when Congress passes a law on citizens and corporations they are expected to comply, with threat of punishment. However, DoD acquisitio
DoD prioritizing COST over Value and Affordability
The defense acquisition system prioritizes cost in its business transactions to the point of making the entire system unaffordable. In this episode Strategic Institute discusses the difference between 'cost' and 'value', and the real cost of all this focus on price tags. The DoD by-and-large engages in the rudimentary business of procurement, establishing a buyer/seller relat
Taking a Whooping! A Critical Look at the State of Small Businesses in the Defense Industrial-base
In this podcast episode Strategic Institute's Founder, Rick Dunn talks with Amanda Bresler and Alex Bresler with PW Communications about their latest research - Analyzing the Composition of the Defense Small Business Industrial Base. The findings are eye-opening as the stated goals of many small business policies and programs are not being served. Small business programs attempt to make u
Sabotaging Innovation - Using a Procurement System for R&D
In this episode Strategic Institute talks about DoD's continued reliance on a procurement system for R&D and advancing new capability. "When the only tool you use is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail." The DoD habitually uses the wrong contractual instrument to achieve its stated goals for the important work of advancing knowledge and delivering new capability to the
Innovative People Do Not Use the Word "Innovation"
In this episode the Strategic Institute team talks about "innovation," a buzz term that has become ubiquitous in the federal government. Using an article as a basis of discussion, the team relates and connects it to Other Transactions authorities and federal government acquisition. Article: Stop Saying Innovation - Here's Why - by author Scott Berkun "People with good ideas a
Why the DoD Acquisition System is Stuck
Join Strategic Institute in discussing why the defense acquisition system for R&D and delivering new capabilities is persistently stuck in first gear and getting passed by on the rapid 21st century highway. The DoD once had a functional acquisition system capable of expediency and creativity, i.e. going to the Moon in less than a decade, producing a nuclear bomb just six years after splitting
How Do I Do an Other Transactions Agreement?
In this episode Strategic Institute discusses the most common question we hear from federal contracting personnel... How do I do an OT? Unlike the traditional system based on the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Other Transactions have no plug-n-play option, there is no cut-n-paste and that's the point. OTs are FAR out, and OTs make you think. OTs are flexible contracts that allow fo
(mal)Adaptive Acquisition Framework
In effort to fix the critically serious and empirically known problems that has plagued DoD acquisition for R&D and delivering new capability for decades, the DoD unveiled The Adaptive Acquisition Framework as a remedy. However, the graphic representation of the framework clearly shows that all acquisition pathways lead back to the same place, the traditional acquisition system, while obfusc
Private Sector Funding for Federal R&D & New Capability
In this episode Strategic Institute discusses why private sector funding of government R&D and in the development of new capability is not only permissible using Other Transactions but also why it makes a lot of sense. With so many dollars (debt) being created out of thin air, funneling their way into asset classes across the board, does it really makes sense for taxpayers to take on all the
Other Transactions: Education Precedes Innovation
In this episode the Strategic Institute team talks about Other Transactions (OT) education. More specifically the lack thereof and how this tantamount to shooting oneself in the foot. It has been almost FIVE YEARS since Congress mandated that the DoD develop a 'preference' for using OTs for R&D and prototype projects. At the same time in 2018 they mandated that program, technical
Acquisition Solutions for R&D: Empower Protected Teams
Extensive study of the defense acquisition system has produced numerous recommendations for its improvement. A recommendation found throughout is the need for empowered and protected teams. When it comes to R&D, innovation, and delivering new capabilities, teaming strategies as well as skill-sets are vital to doing it well. Equipped with flexible contracting authorities, the government can
Is the DoD Acquisition System for R&D Institutionally Corrupt?
YES! This episode begins with a snippet of President Eisenhower's farewell address warning the public of the corrupting influence of the Military Industrial Complex, and ends with his warning about squandering future generation's resources for present day comforts. Strategic Institute refers to the mission statement of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR 1.1) to illustrate how th
Other Transactions and Compliance
In this episode of Innovation in Government Business, Strategic Institute discusses OTAs and compliance issues and myths. Other Transactions Agreements (OTA) are unlike procurement contracts under the Federal Acquisition Regulations System (FAR). The primary objective under FAR system is to ensure compliance with the myriad of rules and regulations that grew, often nonsensically, over time. OTA
Other Transactions for Experimental Purposes 10 USC 2373 (now 4023)
Other Transactions for experimental purposes 10 USC 2373 (now 4023) is rarely used by Federal program offices. The authority allows DoD to quickly access commercially available technologies and products for test, experimentation and residual use. The authority is ideal for assessing current technologies and state-of-the-art, and to gain insight to inform program and project development. "Th
Why Use Other Transactions?
Richard Dunn former DARPA General Counsel and pioneer of DoD's Other Transactions Authorities discusses why Federal research and development organizations should explore and use flexible agreements to spur innovation, drive culture change, engage with the larger industrial base and talents, and deliver better solutions in more timely fashion. Win/win scenarios and business arrangements ar
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