NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis encouraged the Department of Defense Sept. 20 to expand its communication with industry to increase the military’s access to new technology.

Mattis said that parts of DoD have become overly cautious in their dealings with private firms because they fear violating ethics rules designed to avoid favoritism. While he believes information-sharing is “very healthy” in some areas, he sees it languishing in others.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee June 13. (DoD photo)
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee June 13. (DoD photo)

“The most important thing is that we open the lines of communication in a way that considers industry — American industry and allied industry where it’s appropriate — as partners in this effort,” Mattis said on the third and final day of the Air Force Association’s annual Air, Space & Cyber Conference. “Make certain that the lines of communication are open in a way that we can aggressively and swiftly take advantage of the opportunities that we see developing around us in the private sector.”

After taking office in January, Mattis found that “some of the services had gotten to the point of paralysis because they felt they could not speak to members of industry, representatives of industry, because somehow it was illegal,” he said. “There are right ways to do this where you never violate our ethical rules.”

One way to avoid ethical pitfalls is by meeting with industry representatives as a group. “You just can’t meet with one and show favor,” Mattis explained.

Mattis, who lived in Silicon Valley for three years after retiring from the Marine Corps in 2013, said his time in that high-tech region impressed upon him how “they’re changing the world we live in.”

Mattis told the conference audience that taking full advantage of that rapid technological change will require DoD to reform its acquisition practices.

“We’re looking at how we break that out between software and hardware to take advantage of software development,” he said. “Do we really need to have the same procedures when we’re doing a small program as when we’re doing a major aircraft program? All these things are being looked at and I’ve got some great people coming in to help,” including Deputy Defense Secretary Pat Shanahan and Pentagon acquisition chief Ellen Lord, both former industry executives.

Mattis cautioned that defense contractors will not invest in new efforts if they do not have predictable funding from Congress. He urged lawmakers to prevent the return of across-the-board budget cuts in fiscal year 2018 and to adopt a year-long budget instead of a series of continuing resolutions.