The acquisition environment has changed faster than most vendors realize
Three policy actions since early 2025 reshaped how DoD buys software. The March 2025 Hegseth memo mandated the Software Acquisition Pathway (SWP) as the preferred pathway for all software development, directing Competitive Solution Orders (CSOs) and Other Transaction Authorities (OTAs) as the default solicitation and award approaches. The November 2025 Acquisition Transformation Strategy delegated Middle Tier of Acquisition (MTA) approvals to the lowest permissible level and eliminated MTA advisory boards. The January 2026 AI Strategy established a monthly Barrier Removal Board and a CTO Action Group empowered to waive non-statutory requirements that slow AI fielding.
These are not incremental changes. They are a structural shift toward faster, more commercial procurement. Hegseth's own language: 'Instead of spending years writing detailed requirements and going through a rigid one-size-fits-all process, we can tap into the best tech available right now, prototype it fast and get it to the field quickly.'