EXCLUSIVE: Hegseth draft memo lays out software acquisition reform push
Pentagon leaders are crafting a plan to shake up how they buy and field technology, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth starting things off by potentially directing that the department adopt the Software Acquisition Pathway (SWP) as the preferred method for software development.
In a draft memo obtained by Breaking Defense, Hegseth calls on the department to adopt the Software Acquisition Pathway, a practice created in 2020 to accelerate software development by implementing best practices from the private sector. At its core SWP is a streamlined method for procuring software programs bespoke to DoD requirements. Through the SWP organizations can deploy capabilities into platforms within six months or less, DoD has previously stated that the goal is to speed this process up into hours or days.
The memo also directs the use of Commercial Solutions Openings and Other Transactions as the “default solicitation” and award avenue for acquiring capabilities.