DTRA will implement technology security, Cooperative Threat Reduction, arms control treaty monitoring and on-site inspections, force protection, NBC defense, counterproliferation support, and nuclear sustainment missions and programs. A Threat Reduction Advisory Committee of distinguished experts from public and private sectors was established to advise the Secretary, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology, and the DTRA Director. The Under Secretary of Defense for Policy remains responsible for supervising and directing the Department s activities related to export controls. However, public-private competition presents both an opportunity and a dilemma for the military. Efficiencies derived through competition must be balanced with readiness and warfighting capability.
Competition can improve quality, reduce costs, and provide better focus on customers needs.
Maintaining unneeded facilities drains limited resources. Non-core functions should not be performed by DoD uniformed or civilian personnel unless the Department can do the job better and more cheaply, and uniformed personnel can meet wartime planning requirements. Every review of the Department s costs has resulted in recommendations for expansion of competitive outsourcing of selected government functions to the private sector. The internal examination phase of this process creates a transparent environment that encourages and identifies greater efficiencies within the organization. The larger the scope of a function to be competed, the greater the potential savings even when the government wins the competition.