Events

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  • 2021
  • 2022
  • 2023
  • 2024

Innovation

The Acquisition Innovation Research Center (AIRC) is requesting proposals for “Innovation Capstones” from all accredited universities in the U.S. as part of the inaugural DCTC Innovation Capstone Cadre.

Unlocking the PPBE Commission’s Final Report — What Can DoD Do Now?

July 18, August 1 & August 15, 2024 | 1:00 PM ET

This three-part webinar series organized by AIRC and the George Mason University Baroni Center for Government Contracting will discuss the nine-part series of reports AIRC wrote for the Commission on Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) Reform.

AIRC-DAU Quarterly Research Forum: Megaproject Lessons Learned

June 14, 2024 | 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET

Led by AIRC’s Deputy Director Tom McDermott, this third webinar on megaprojects organized by AIRC and Defense Acquisition University will present best practices with evidence from historical case studies and ongoing megaprojects.

DCTC Scholar Showcase

July 30-31, 2024 | 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET

The inaugural DCTC Scholar Showcase will lean into key pillars of DCTC: a cohort model and immersive learning. This event will convene DCTC scholars (Cohorts 0 and 1), OUSD(A&S) stakeholders, Department of Defense partners, pilot university leadership, and Congressional representatives for face-to-face engagement.

AIRC-DAU Quarterly Research Forum: The Future of Managing Mega Projects (Benchmark Results)

March 15, 2024 | 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET

In this follow-up Quarterly Research Forum with Defense Acquisition University, AIRC researchers research team will present the results of benchmarking the use of data visualization, machine learning, and artificial intelligence in existing commercial and defense mega projects.

Agility through Appropriations

February 27, 2024 | 10:00 AM ET

AIRC and the George Mason University Costello College of Business’ Greg and Camille Baroni Center for Government Contracting are collaborating on a webinar to discuss the equities and tensions between Congress and the Department of Defense that impact the acquisition of weapon systems, as well as opportunities and challenges of colorless funding and portfolio management of funds.

Embracing Digital Acquisition for Agility and Resilience

March 7, 2024 | 7:00 AM – 1:00 PM ET

This year’s AIRC Research Review (ARR) will be held on March 7, 2024, at The National Press Club. The ARR will feature senior national security leaders committed to acquisition innovation, including HON. William “Mac” Thornberry.

Defense Data Grand Prix 2024

The DoD is seeking faculty-led student teams to tackle compelling, real-world problems with data science. These challenges offer ready-made practicums that can be integrated with graduate courses and research seminars.

AIRC-DAU Quarterly Research Forum: The Future of Managing Mega Projects

December 8, 2023 | 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET

AIRC researchers are exploring how data visualization, artificial intelligence, and machine learning can be combined with human knowledge transfer across teams to aid in the management of DoD’s largest programs (mega projects). In this Quarterly Research Forum, the research team will present the current state-of-practice in commercial industry and non-DoD governmental use of data visualization, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to manage mega projects.

Department of the Air Force and Army Digital Materiel Management (DMM) Industry Association Consortium (IAC)

November 2-3, 2023 | 9:00 AM ET

This workshop will bring the Department of the Air Force, Army, industry, and academia together to jointly define the necessary details of DMM and an enabling collaborative framework, across engineering, program management, contracting, logistics, financial management, and test & evaluation.

Assessing Contractor Labor Law Violations

September 12, 2023 & December 12, 2023 | 11:00 AM & 1:00 PM ET

The Department of Labor has thousands of records on violations by federal contractors. Do you know how to access and assess those records when evaluating contractors’ present responsibility? To learn how, join this free training, called for by the U.S. Congress and coordinated by AIRC and the Defense Acquisition University (DAU).

Model-Based TEMP Strategy & Integrated Decision Support Key Workshop

August 2-3, 2023

The United States (US) Department of Defense (DoD) and its supporting industry, research, and academia partners have proposed using Digital Engineering (DE) methods and tools to update traditional systems engineering (SE) and test and evaluation (T&E) practices to improve acquisition outcomes and accelerate traditional processes. This workshop will explore Digital Engineering, TEMPs, IDSKs to identify best practices, new methods and tools, and build consensus on where digital transformation will have the largest impact on T&E processes and documentation.

AIRC-DAU Quarterly Research Forum: Digital Engineering

June 23, 2023 | 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM

The fourth Acquisition Innovation Research Center-DAU Quarterly Research Forum (QRF) will focus on understanding how increasing government access to the models and artificial intelligence algorithms used in system design might decrease the need for and expense of testing and increase confidence in results. Join on June 23, to learn more about digital engineering.

Optimizing Incentives for Acquisition Innovation and Agility

June 28, 2023 & August 17, 2023 | 10:00 AM ET

The Acquisition Innovation Research Center (AIRC) and the George Mason University School of Business’ Greg and Camille Baroni Center for Government Contracting cordially invite you to participate in a two-part webinar series on Optimizing Incentives for Acquisition Innovation and Agility. Each discussion will be enriched by the research papers authored by AIRC. The panel for each session will include a paper author, a government representative, and an industry member.

2023 Phase I Call for Research Proposals

May 19, 2023 – June 23, 2023

Open call to all faculty, fellows, and research staff at SERC/AIRC universities for Phase I research proposals related to innovative ideas to improve the integration and interoperability of acquired defense systems. Funding awards for Phase I studies up to $75,000 are anticipated for the Fall 2023 Semester.

Agile Development of Hardware-Reliant Systems Workshop

April 18-19, 2023

Agile practices for hardware-intensive systems in Digital Engineering and Digital Acquisition as a primary driver to agile product development, along with focused adaptations in acquisition practices and policy in support of agile transformation.

AIRC-DAU Quarterly Research Forum: Improving the DoD Requirements Process

March 13, 2023 | 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM

AIRC principal investigators will present their research findings and recommendations on the Requirements Definition process in Defense Acquisition. Faculty from Defense Acquisition University (DAU) will present the DAU learning and development opportunities supporting the Requirement Definition process. The event will elicit feedback from the audience on the research and development opportunities.

Do Cost or Pricing Requirements Improve Contract Outcomes?

January 11, 2023 | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM ET

This one-hour webinar hosted by AIRC and the George Washington University (GW) Law School’s Government Procurement Law Program explores potential benefits and disadvantages of requiring cost or pricing data in public procurement.

AIRC-DAU Quarterly Research Forum: December 2022

December 9, 2022 | 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM

What will the future of Defense Acquisition look like? What policies, procedures, and priorities will characterize Defense Acquisition in the next five years? If you are a leader or emerging leader in the Defense Acquisition Workforce, you are probably interested in the answers to these questions.

The Art of Acquisition Workshop

September 23, 2022

The wisdom of Sun Tzu and his legendary Art of War  treatise from the 5thcentury BC have been applied to a range of fields outside of the military, including business, law, and even sports. On September 23, 2022, the Acquisition Innovation Research Center (AIRC) convened a workshop with 20 thought leaders with expertise across the Defense Acquisition system. This workshop drew on these other applications of the Art of War  to develop relevant insights for practitioners of Defense Acquisition in an era of Great Power Competition.

Annual Research Review 2022

November 15, 2022

This event unites a national network of defense practitioners and researchers across government, industry, and academia to discuss issues of national and global significance and share updates and progress on research addressing the most challenging issues facing the Department of Defense.

AIRC-DAU Quarterly Research Forum: September 2022

September 15, 2022 | 12:30 PM – 3:30 PM

AIRC principal investigators will present their research findings and recommendations on the Requirements Definition process in Defense Acquisition. Faculty from Defense Acquisition University (DAU) will present the DAU learning and development opportunities supporting the Requirement Definition process. The event will elicit feedback from the audience on the research and development opportunities.

Digital Acquisition and Data Strategy Forum

December 8, 2021

The objective of this forum is to help shape the vision, strategy, principles, and implementation steps for the DoD Digital Acquisition and Data Strategy that the DoD is developing for acquisition and sustainment.

2021 Annual Sponsor Research Review

November 2, 2021

Nov 2nd marked the first annual AIRC Sponsor Research Review, held as a hybrid event with participants in Washington, DC and virtual.. The program focused on the context of modern acquisition, early AIRC research results around innovation in acquisition, and demonstrations of modeling and simulation for acquisition.

Fall 2021 Acquisition Innovation Forum

September 9, 2021

For the DoD to maintain its competitive edge globally, it must be able to rapidly improve its capabilities, which includes increased engagement with the commercial sector to acquire novel and/or rapid upgrade technologies – particularly from small companies and nontraditional contractors.

Defense Data Grand Prix 2022-2023

August 2021 – January 2023

The Department of Defense (DoD) is seeking faculty-led student teams to tackle compelling, real-world problems with data science. These challenges offer ready-made practicums that can be integrated with graduate courses and research seminars. The Acquisition Innovation Research Center (AIRC)—a partnership of 22 U.S. universities—has established a Defense Data Grand Prix prize competition that allows you and your students to get access to these data and problems in semester-long competitions.

CALL FOR RESEARCH PROPOSALS

April 19, 2021 – June 14, 2021

The following is an open call to all faculty, fellows, and research staff at SERC/AIRC universities for 2-page research proposals related to the topics included in this solicitation. Our intent is to also consider proposals from faculty at non-SERC/AIRC universities within the United States.