Ellen Lord Archives

Aerial view of the United States Pentagon, the Department of Defense headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, near Washington DC, with I-395 freeway and the Air Force Memorial and Arlington Cemetery nearby. — (Getty Images)

Biden nominates LaPlante as defense acquisition chief

William LaPLante previously served as Air Force acquisitions leader under the Obama administration.

Nov 30, 2021 By John Hewitt Jones

Ellen Lord, Department of Defense, DOD, Pentagon — Ellen Lord briefs the press at the Pentagon on April 30, 2020. (DOD /Lisa Ferdinando)

Ellen Lord: ‘Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good’ with CMMC

In an exclusive interview, Ellen Lord urges the DOD to move fast on CMMC and cautions against pausing the program.

Sep 16, 2021 By Jackson Barnett

Deputy Secretary of Defense nominee Kathleen Hicks listens to the start of her Senate confirmation hearing in Washington, D.C. Feb. 2, 2021. (DoD photo by EJ Hersom)

Pentagon chief Hicks pursuing workarounds to fast-track military tech acquisition

The Deputy Secretary of Defense says the agency may redefine which projects are designated as new start programs.

Jun 8, 2021 By Jackson Barnett

Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition & Sustainment Ellen Lord holds an on-camera, on the record press briefing August 20, 2020, in the Pentagon Briefing Room. (DoD photo by Marvin Lynchard)

DOD nudges innovative startups toward ‘trusted capital’ with new digital marketplace

In what was likely her last press conferences at DOD, Ellen Lord announced the creation of the Trusted Capitol Digital Marketplace.

Jan 13, 2021 By Jackson Barnett

Ellen Lord, DOD undersecretary — Ellen Lord participates in panel discussion from the Pentagon Briefing Room on Dec. 1, 2020. (DOD / Marvin Lynchard)

‘Adversarial capital’ remains a threat to defense industrial base, DOD leader warns

The Pentagon continues to warn young companies, especially tech firms, against taking investments from U.S. adversaries, Undersecretary Ellen Lord says.

Dec 3, 2020 By Jackson Barnett

Developing programmer Development Website design and coding technologies working in software company office — (Getty Images)

Pentagon software acquisition enters new era with updated purchasing policy

Ellen Lord unveiled the changes to software and other acquisition policy at a press conference from the Pentagon Wednesday.

Oct 7, 2020 By Jackson Barnett

Ellen Lord, DOD — Ellen Lord briefs the press about acquisition in regards to COVID-19, at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., March 25, 2020. (DoD photo by Lisa Ferdinando)

DOD’s push for innovative, agile purchasing codified in adaptive acquisition policy

The new 5000.01 directive implements cultural changes to DOD purchases. Officials call it "one of the most transformational changes to acquisition policy in decades."

Sep 21, 2020 By Jackson Barnett

DIU launches governmentwide drone-buying program

The program will be offered on the GSA schedule for agencies to purchase gear from five verified companies.

Aug 20, 2020 By Jackson Barnett

DOD gets temporary waiver from Chinese tech ban

The waiver will allow DOD to continue to purchase high volume items to ensure the end of fiscal-year activity can proceed without interruption.

Aug 17, 2020 By Jackson Barnett

Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen M. Lord speaks to the DSI DoD Hypersonic Capabilities Symposium, from the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., July 20, 2020. (DoD photo by Lisa Ferdinando)

New ‘color of money’ for DOD software gaining traction, Lord says

By changing the "color of money," DOD will create a software-specific way for contracting officers to buy code. Other changes are coming too.

Aug 13, 2020 By Jackson Barnett