The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) recently held their Customer and Industry Forum. The Forum attracted over 5,000 participants and exhibitors to the Baltimore Convention Center. The annual DISA conference brought together decision-makers and subject-matter experts from the military services, combatant commands, industry, and academia to share information and ideas that are critical to helping DoD achieve mission success and are of mutual interest.
Lieutenant General Pollett, the DISA Commander, welcomed participants, framed the discussions to be had through the Forum, and expressed his gratitude towards the State for its partnership and leadership in providing a smooth transition to Ft. Meade because of the 2005 BRAC. He also challenged DISA’s partners, to include the State, to be innovative in finding solutions to current and future challenges that may arise.
For participants, the Forum was broken into a series of tracks (Enterprise Infrastructure, C2/Information Sharing, Operate and Assure, Contracting, Engineering, Information/Knowledge Management & Process Improvement, Spectrum, and Testing) that addressed DISA’s three lines of operation – Enterprise Infrastructure, Command and Control and Information Sharing, and Operate and Assure. The tracks were arranged in specific sessions to discuss current state of operations, what the future may hold, and challenges that DISA continues to face.
On Wednesday, the Forum centered on forecasting needs to industry. The Forecast to Industry was hosted by Kathleen Miller, director of DISA’s Procurement Directorate and chief of the Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization (DITCO). A panel of DISA senior leaders discussed issues pertaining to requirements and acquisitions. The rest of the program consisted of high-level briefings by DISA senior officials, including program executive officers, about DISA’s requirements, contracts, and business opportunities.
For additional information and electronic copies of the presentations: http://www.disa.mil/conferences/2011/index.html.