NPS IDARM Helps Acquisition Professionals Advance Their Trade
Today@NPS
NPS IDARM Helps Acquisition Professionals Advance Their Trade
By Javier Chagoya
International Defense Acquisition Resource Management (IDARM) adjunct faculty Trevor Taylor presents to the latest student cohort in IDARM's Principles of Defense Acquisition Management program, March 7. The two-week course provides participants with an understanding of important concepts and challenges associated with defense acquisitions and logistics.
"We have participants from 10 countries that have varied technical experience in acquisition. Poland has a lot of knowledge in acquiring major pieces of equipment, while other countries on the continent of Africa, for instance, are returning to the international system after 25 years of absence, and are regaining a foothold in their country's revitalization," said Taylor.
Participants will spend the next two weeks examining the defense acquisition cycle from capabilities-based planning through the contract formation stage. They will engage in discussions of International best practices along with the challenges of implementation.
"We use exercises and case studies to test how well they are learning these principals, and to also get them to figure out matters between themselves as we put them in working groups. We try to cover the whole scope of defense acquisition," said Taylor.
"A big take-away is that acquisition is a team sport, and to get people with different functions in government to work towards a common purpose. It's a joint activity," he stressed. "You must also recognize the capability of what it is you want to do, rather than to jump into the solutions."
Rwanda Army Capt. Edward Baranga says he has already learned quite a bit in just a day-and-a-half of class.
"It's very interesting for me to listen to the other officers from Brazil and Poland, who are in acquisitions, talk about some of their own challenges and how to best affect change in budgets and funding for our armies. I think this course will be a valuable tool for myself, and for my country," said Baranga.