The Government Funding Appropriation Process and its Inability to Keep Up with Software and Digital Technology

Abstract

Software development and fielding is a fast-paced environment that is constantly evolving. In order to better keep up with the latest software technologies, the current funding process, to include the planning, programming, budgeting, and execution (PPBE) process and the funding appropriation breakout categories, must be reformed and updated. This project conducts a comparative analysis of the timeline for appropriations actions vs. the software development/fielding timelines to which the DOD is hoping to transition. After analyzing the current funding method, it is clear that methods such as the “colorless money” initiative or software-specific funding should be explored. Furthermore, a software-specific funding category would be best in promoting a rapid software acquisition environment, but more data and piloting still needs to be conducted to determine overall success.