Modernizing Defense Acquisitions and Spurring Innovation in the Defense Industrial Base
Record date: 2025-04-15
( printed page 15621) Executive Order 14265 of April 9, 2025 Modernizing Defense Acquisitions and Spurring Innovation in the Defense Industrial Base By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1 . Purpose . As Chief Executive and Commander in Chief, I am committed to ensuring that the United States military possesses the most lethal warfighting capabilities in the world. America's defense industrial base is central to this effort. Similarly, the defense acquisition
What this record contains
- Federal Register document
- 2025-06461
- Publication date
- 2025-04-15
- Citation
- 90 FR 15621
- Issuing office
- Executive Office of the President
Official record excerpt
( printed page 15621) Executive Order 14265 of April 9, 2025 Modernizing Defense Acquisitions and Spurring Innovation in the Defense Industrial Base By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1 . Purpose . As Chief Executive and Commander in Chief, I am committed to ensuring that the United States military possesses the most lethal warfighting capabilities in the world. America's defense industrial base is central to this effort. Similarly, the defense acquisition workforce is a national strategic asset that will be decisive in any conflict, where the factory floor can be just as significant as the battlefield. Unfortunately, after years of misplaced priorities and poor management, our defense acquisition system does not provide the speed and flexibility our Armed Forces need to have decisive advantages in the future. In order to strengthen our military edge, America must deliver state-of-the?art capabilities at speed and scale through a comprehensive overhaul of this system. Sec. 2 . Policy . It is the policy of the United States Government to accelerate defense procurement and revitalize the defense industrial base to restore peace through strength. To achieve this, the United States will rapidly reform our antiquated defense acquisition processes with an emphasis on speed, flexibility, and execution. We will also modernize the duties and composition of the defense acquisition workforce, as well as incentivize and reward risk-taking and innovation from these personnel. Sec. 3 . Acquisition Process Reform . Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the President a plan to reform the Department of Defense's acquisition processes that, to the maximum extent possible, incorporates the following: (a) Utilization of existing authorities to expedite acquisitions throughout the Department of Defense, including a first preference for commercial solutions and a general preference for Other Transactions Authority, application of Rapid Capabilities Office policies, or any other authorities or pathways to promote streamlined acquisitions under the Adaptative Acquisition Framework. Starting upon issuance of this order, and during the formation of the plan, the Secretary of Defense shall prioritize use of these authorities in all pending Department of Defense contracting actions and require their application, where appropriate and consistent with applicable law, for all Department of Defense contracting actions pursued while the plan directed by this section is under consideration. (b) A detailed process review of each functional support role within the acquisition workforce to eliminate unnecessary tasks, reduce duplicative approvals, and centralize decision-making. These reviews should also include evaluations of program managers, contracting officers, engineering authorities, financial managers, cost estimators, and logisticians. (c) A detailed process by which the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Service Acquisition Executives, and Component Acquisition Executives can effectively manage risk for all acquisition programs through a formal steering board known as a Configuration Steering Board. Sec. 4 . Internal Regulations Review . The Secretary of Defense shall oversee the review of and, as appropriate, propose revisions to relevant Department ( printed page 15622) of Defense instructions, implementation guides, manuals, and regulations relating to acquisition to: (a) Eliminate or revise any unnecessary supplemental regulations or any other internal guidance, such as relevant parts of the Financial Management Regulation and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement. (b) Promote expedited and streamlined acquisitions. Where new supplemental regulations or internal guidance is proposed, the Secretary of Defense shall apply the ten-for-one rule as described in Executive Order 14192 of January 31, 2025 (Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation). Sec. 5 . Acquisition Workforce Reform . Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Air Force, and Component Acquisition Executives, shall develop and submit to the President a plan for consideration to reform, right-size, and train the acquisition workforce that includes the following components: (a) The restructuring of performance evaluation metrics for acquisition workforce members to include the ability to demonstrate and apply a first consideration of commercial solutions, adaptive acquisition pathways through the Adaptive Acquisition Framework, and iterative requirements based on the perspective of the end user. (b)
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