Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va. -- Last month, Marine Corps Systems Command, or MCSC, and Program Executive Office Land Systems, or PEO LS-- in collaboration with the Consortium Management Group, or CMG-- hosted the Other Transaction Authority Collaboration Day at the Convention Center in Fredericksburg, Va.
This day-long event represented a pivotal convergence of the Corps' acquisition community with defense industry partners-- spotlighting the Pentagon's Other Transaction Authority, or OTA, as a catalyst for both business innovation and enhanced lethality on the modern battlefield.
Throughout the day, attendees heard insights from key figures including Brig. Gen. David C. Walsh, MCSC commander; Mr. Stephen Bowdren, Program Executive Officer Land Systems; Col. Tim Hough, program manager for Advanced Amphibious Assault; Michael Bayer, National Defense Industrial Association chairman; and Lt. Gen. (Ret) Paul Ostrowski, enriching the dialogue on accelerating Marine Corps modernization and fostering robust partnerships for the rapid deployment of new capabilities.
“Collaboration stands at the heart of the OTA; it's key to developing and delivering capabilities to our Marines,” said Walsh. “We owe a great debt to our industry partners; without them, we couldn't equip our warfighters for the challenges ahead. In my career, the urgency to deliver these capabilities has never been more acute, given the near-peer threats and the rapidly advancing technological landscape."
Developed by the Pentagon to reduce bureaucratic delays and inflexibility in procurement, the Other Transaction Authority streamlines the acquisition process, enabling rapid integration of cutting-edge technologies from the commercial sector into military applications. This approach not only fosters partnerships between traditional and non-traditional defense entities, but also supports Force Design’s modernization objectives, allowing the Corps to quickly adapt to mitigate growing threats while maintaining a technological edge. Through such collaborative efforts, OTA is essential for rapidly modernizing the Corps, broadening the industrial base, and ensuring Marines are equipped to fight and win whenever our nation calls.