There was one message from Anne Rung, administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, which elicited applause during a panel discussion at the Executive Leadership Conference. And it was one she targeted directly to the acquisition community.

"Move away from this rules-based approach," she said.

But there is nothing in acquisition regulations that actually requires such a thing. "Mind-numbingly frustrating," as Rung put it during the panel at ACT-IAC's premiere event for federal leaders.

Or perhaps that foundation helped enable the pockets of success. Rung pointed to the Buyers Club at the Department of Health and Human Services, which seeks to overcome acquisition barriers not through new regulations or statutes but emphasizing new strategies allowed under the FAR or other approved legislation.

The Office of Management and Budget expects to get its first batch of data mid November from its Acquisition 360 initiative, which seeks feedback from vendors and internal contracting officers and program managers on how well certain high-dollar IT acquisitions perform. It's the first time that industry has been asked how government is doing.

"Don't break the rules," Rung said. "But take responsible risk."

About Jill Aitoro

Jill Aitoro is editor of Defense News. She is also executive editor of Sightline Media's Business-to-Government group, including Defense News, C4ISRNET, Federal Times and Fifth Domain. She brings over 15 years’ experience in editing and reporting on defense and federal programs, policy, procurement, and technology.

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