Start Small. Prove Fast. Scale Deliberately. Why Software Vendors Must Rethink Packaging Under the Warfighting Acquisition System
For years, selling software into the federal government often meant pursuing a large program opportunity, negotiating a broad deployment, and structuring a multi-year agreement from the outset. Even when pilots were used, they were often treated as stepping stones toward immediate enterprise adoption.
The Portfolio Manager Is New and It Changes How Software Vendors Must Scale Inside DoW
This post is Part Two of a Marion Square blog series examining the Department of War’s shift to the Warfighting Acquisition System and what it means for commercial technology vendors.
The new acquisition strategy responds to this reality by introducing something DoW did not previously have in a formal, empowered way: portfolio level ownership of digital and software capabilities.
That is where the new Portfolio Manager role comes in.
The Warfighting Acquisition System: What the Biggest Shift in DoD Buying Means for Technology Companies
Last week’s release of Transforming the Defense Acquisition System into the Warfighting Acquisition System is likely the most consequential change in defense acquisition policy in decades and it sends a very clear message to the industrial base, startups, and commercial vendors:
Speed, modularity, and mission impact now outrank process, compliance, and tradition.
For companies building AI, cybersecurity, PQC, quantum, edge compute, cloud, analytics, sensors, or advanced manufacturing technologies, this is not just a policy update.
It’s an open door.
Government Contract: Why You Shouldn't Forget About Them
Thinking about hopping into the Federal Government market? Don't forget to make contracting a key piece of your launch.