The Make-or-Buy Line has Moved

The article discusses the U.S. Secretary of Defense's November announcement on acquisition reform, which aims to accelerate delivery of critical capabilities to warfighters. A key pillar is a 'commercial first' policy, directing acquisition officers to prioritize existing commercial solutions. If those are insufficient, they should modify them; only as a last resort should they pursue traditional military-specific development. The policy leverages less-used acquisition authorities, non-traditional contract vehicles, and flexible solicitations to shift the make-or-buy line toward buying commercial products.