A study examining OT Consortia finds they support government acquisition by fostering direct communication between enterprises and clientele.
The Center for Government Contracting at George Mason University recently released a new report titled “The Power of Many: Leveraging Consortia to Promote Innovation, Expand the Defense Industrial Base, and Accelerate Acquisition.” The study assesses the value proposition of OT Consortia, a relatively new form of contracting conglomerate. You can download the report here.
Key Takeaways from the Report:
- The study found that the consortia model supports government acquisition by fostering communication between government, industry, and academia.
- The consortia model also facilitates partnerships, provides surge capacity, and offers a network of specialized suppliers.
- Consortia expand the defense innovation base by bringing in nontraditional contractors and small businesses.
- While recognizing the consortia model as a valuable tool, the report underscores that its effectiveness varies and should not replace essential acquisition competencies.
- The report encourages the government to judiciously use and manage consortia, avoiding over-reliance.
- The report suggests leveraging available consortia-level data for better management and insight. It also emphasizes the need for the Department of Defense (DoD) to take steps in this direction.
- There are seven recommendations for improving consortia efficacy, such as cautioning against overly stringent statutory and regulatory measures that may impede the consortia model and OTs, and preserving the definition of nontraditional defense contractors.
The Broad View
The report drew data from 12 of the 42 consortia identified. Of these 12 consortia, 77% of the membership comprised nontraditional defense contractors. It’s clear that in terms of fostering unconventional partnerships, the value proposition of OT Consortia is strong.
“The data paints a clear picture that the consortia model plays a vital and growing role in the defense innovation ecosystem,” said report co-author Stephanie Halcrow. “Most significantly, consortia create a space for government-industry collaboration and bring the value of nontraditional contractors and small businesses to the table.”
Vertx Partners places special attention on the needs of nontraditional contractors. In order to lower the barrier of entry, we’ve authored a series of five articles that explain Other Transactions Agreements (OTAs), OT Consortia, and OT success stories.
Interested in joining an OT Consortia? Reach out to Vertx Partners today for a personalized consultation.