Bill Overview
Title: To make improvements to cybersecurity acquisition policies of the Department of Defense, and for other purposes.
Description: This bill requires the Defense Acquisition University of the Department of Defense (DOD) to develop training curricula related to software acquisitions and cybersecurity software or hardware acquisitions and offer the training to applicable DOD contracting officers and individuals with specified acquisition positions. Additionally, DOD must submit to Congress a plan to streamline approval processes related to information assurance and cybersecurity for software acquisitions.
Sponsors: Rep. Bice, Stephanie I. [R-OK-5]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals employed by the Department of Defense
Estimated Size: 2800000
- The bill targets the Department of Defense, which has over 2.8 million service members and civilian employees, according to recent numbers.
- The improvements in cybersecurity acquisition policies could potentially affect all personnel within DOD who interact with software and cybersecurity systems.
- Training curricula will be directly available to all DOD contracting officers and individuals in specific acquisition positions, likely numbering in the thousands.
- Cybersecurity improvements could indirectly affect citizens due to the enhanced security of national defense systems, though this is a secondary and less direct impact.
Reasoning
- The Defense Acquisition University is a centralized education institute associated with the Department of Defense aiming to enhance procurement processes, and this policy is likely to directly impact people involved with DOD procurement processes.
- The budget of $100 million in the first year and $610 million over ten years indicates scaled development and implementation, necessitating effective resource allocation primarily for technology development and human resource training.
- The impact on wellbeing is anticipated to be lower due to the specificity and narrow focus of the policy, which primarily affects job efficiency and security perceptions among DOD employees first and broadly society second if at all.
- Due to the highly specialized nature of the policy concerning technological systems within a defense context, broader public psychological or emotional wellbeing responses are likely minimal.
Simulated Interviews
DOD Contracting Officer (Arlington, VA)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy will make my job much smoother, reducing the bureaucracy in approval processes.
- Training will keep us updated on new cybersecurity threats and procurement techniques.
- It's a relief that the government is investing in streamlining our acquisition processes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Cybersecurity Consultant (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Enhanced procedures could mean more consistent consulting opportunities due to streamlined DOD needs.
- However, increased internal management might reduce need for external consultants.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 6 |
Software Developer (Boston, MA)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Improved approval processes might open more job opportunities in DOD for tech developers.
- It's good they're focusing on new talent development.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Defense Analyst (Washington, D.C.)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy has long-term benefits for national security strategies.
- It's critical for the DOD to stay updated with training.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Military Personnel (Denver, CO)
Age: 32 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Indirectly benefits my operations with better software systems security.
- It might prevent future cybersecurity issues.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Technology Policy Advisor (Seattle, WA)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy reflects necessary changes in the defense acquisition processes.
- Its success relies heavily on correct implementation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
DOD IT Specialist (Fayetteville, NC)
Age: 45 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- With systematic training and streamlined processes, my workload in security updates might decrease.
- Our systems becoming more secure is always a win.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Civilian Employee in DOD (Austin, TX)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Training curricula can help me navigate these processes easier as a newcomer.
- It’s promising to have clearer guidelines moving forward.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Security Software Developer (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 48 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Streamlined approval processes might increase project speed and innovation.
- Could lead to more steady contracting opportunities with DOD.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 7 |
Policy Researcher (New York, NY)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy is a step towards modernizing defense acquisition, albeit delayed in reacting to swift tech changes.
- Its broader impact on national security wellbeing is optimistic.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $100000000 (Low: $80000000, High: $120000000)
Year 2: $90000000 (Low: $70000000, High: $110000000)
Year 3: $80000000 (Low: $60000000, High: $100000000)
Year 5: $60000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $80000000)
Year 10: $30000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $40000000)
Year 100: $10000000 (Low: $5000000, High: $15000000)
Key Considerations
- The scalability and flexibility of DOD's training capacity are crucial to successfully implementing widespread educational enhancements.
- Potential technical and budgetary challenges could arise when streamlining cybersecurity approval processes.
- Long-term technological dynamism in the field of cybersecurity means curricula will require frequent updates.