Driving to Better Outcomes with Bonnie Evangelista

Bonnie Evangelista argues that better outcomes come from moving quickly, learning from mistakes, and keeping the mission at the center of acquisition decisions. Evangelista calls for faster learning cycles and modular contracting so government can adapt as needs and technologies change. She also urges agencies to shape requirements around viable commercial products and create clear pathways for promising technology to reach the mission. Two key takeaways: • Shorten the path from decision to learning: Use faster learning cycles and modular contracting to test, adapt, and deliver value sooner. • Connect acquisition to mission impact: Align requirements with useful commercial capabilities and build pathways that help promising technologies reach the people who need them. With two quotes to help guide the conversation: "There are a bunch of humans who are trying to do the best they can. And oftentimes the friction points are that we get lost in a lot of people trying to be right instead of trying to get it right." [00:08:02] "It is not the vendor’s job to figure out who’s going to cut the contract and what their future should look like. It’s our job to figure out how to get the vendor’s solutions into the right places at the right time." [00:49:13]