Reengineering the Rfp Process through Knowledge-based Systems

Acquisition plays a vital role in national defense of the United States. But, defense acquisition can be quite difficult, and few would argue that current acquisition processes perform in an optimal manner. The magnitude of change mandated by FASA and DAWIA, along with changes mandated from within DoD, is such that “business as usual” no longer represents a viable alternative for acquisition management. The military procurement process in general requires reengineering, and the research described in this paper focuses upon the Request for Proposal (RFP) subprocess in particular. The use and utility of a knowledge-based system to support process redesign are demonstrated, and insight is provided into the potential of AI-based technologies to dramatically improve military procurement. The results provide the basis for a number of conclusions that are important for the acquisition professional, and establish an agenda for future research.