DISA’s acquisition reforms answer Secretary Hegseth’s call for speed and agility


By Lia Carvalho, Strategic Initiatives Group

February 25, 2026
 
Jason Martin is pictured on the left side looking towards the right while sitting on an wooden chair. He's wearing a suit, collard shirt with the top button open and no tie. He has a lapel mic clipped on his shirt. Behind him, from left to right, there is an empty lectern, the national ensign, an AFCEA flag and an AFCEA Washington D.C. backdrop. In his right hand he holds large notecards, and to his left there's a wooden table.
(DISA photo by David Abizaid)
 
In response to the Department of War’s mandate for sweeping acquisition reform, the Defense Information Systems Agency is adopting a new model that has already been slashing delivery times and rapidly fielding integrated capabilities for warfighters.

DISA Acquisition Director and Senior Executive Jason Martin explained the new guidance is not a course correction for DISA, but a validation of a strategy already in motion and a catalyst to accelerate it, directly supporting Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s vision of building a faster, more lethal, and more innovative arsenal of freedom.

A Proactive Strategy Already in Motion

The central message from DISA leaders at a recent industry event was clear: DISA has been succeeding at the Department of War’s acquisition model, and with the new formal guidance, it will deliver capabilities to the warfighter even faster.

“We're already doing a lot of these things,” Martin explained. “Over the past two years, you've heard me say… that we're going to centralize governance. We have absolutely done that… it forces integration.”

Empowering Leaders to Drive Integration

This proactive stance is built on DISA’s Portfolio Acquisition Executive model, which shifts authority to empowered leaders to make decisions and integrate capabilities. This change is a deliberate effort to break down the organizational barriers that have historically impeded progress.

“Accountability begins with the PAEs,” Martin stated. “They are empowered to make decisions”
 

This empowerment has been the engine behind DISA’s push for speed and has already yielded significant results. Martin pointed to a recent success with the Joint Operational Edge-Coalition Environment prototype as a prime example. “We were told in 90 days we would do JOE-CE. We prioritized, we moved resources around, and we are ready for Keen Edge. We are there now.”

 

In this photo, from a distance, Jason Martin is facing in the direction of the camera but looking to Steve Wallace sitting to Martin's left. Martin and Wallace are framed by the heads of two other panelists sitting with them on a stage. To the lower left of the panelists there are several attendees looking to the panel. The room has high ceilings a large fireplace on the left of the image with a large framed painting. In the center of the image is a large framed mirror, and an ornate chandelier hangs from the ceiling.

(DISA photo by David Abizaid)


A Culture of Risk and Collaboration

This success reflects a willingness to accept calculated risks to avoid delivering obsolete technology. Caroline Bean, DISA PAE for Services, emphasized this move away from perfection and toward speed.

"No more are the days of perfect requirements that I just pass along to you," she said addressing members of industry. "We need to come in, pilot, use things like [other transaction authorities], use the acquisition pathway, prototype, get it out in the field and accept more risk.

“This mindset directly echoes Secretary Hegseth's call for an "85% solution in the hands of our Armed Forces today," she added.

This reform is not just an internal reshuffle; it’s a clear signal to industry partners that DISA is changing how it does business. The agency is moving toward a model of “early and continuous collaboration” and is shifting toward "in-person proposal presentations to gain consensus and make decisions much more quickly,” Bean explained.

Leading the Way for a More Decisive Future

By transforming its acquisition model over a year ago, DISA has not only anticipated the Department of War's vision but has already proven its effectiveness. As Martin concluded, the result has been a "fundamental change in collaboration, communication, and a general understanding of what integration means across the agency." With this new guidance as a tailwind, DISA is positioned to continue its success in delivering a more agile and lethal force for the 21st century, ensuring the warfighter has the decisive advantage on the digital battlefield.