The Tedae and Aesmide associations have called for a transformation of defense procurement processes to shorten the time between identifying an operational need and delivering the capability. Their presidents presented their proposals at the Spanish Army’s 2E+I Forum in Toledo, where they advocated stable planning and earlier coordination among the Armed Forces, procurement officials, and companies.
Tedae President Alberto Gutiérrez argued that speed of delivery should be regarded as a capability in its own right. “It is not enough to develop a capability; it has to arrive when it is needed,” he said. In his view, processes require greater flexibility, predictability, and funding so companies can accelerate development and respond to needs that may change before a program is completed.
Gutiérrez linked timelines to economic efficiency, warning that “a cheap solution that arrives late is of no use.” To reduce subsequent revisions, he proposed involving the end user, developer, and procurement official from the earliest stages. He also highlighted the need to connect the talent and technologies available in Spain with the demands of the Armed Forces.
The Tedae president included sustainment among the factors that must be considered throughout the entire life cycle. Under his approach, the process does not end with the development and delivery of a system, but must ensure its subsequent availability and evolution.
Review of procurement procedures
Aesmide President Gerardo Sánchez focused his remarks on the regulatory and contractual framework governing the relationship between the public administration and companies. “Technology evolves faster than certain administrative procedures,” he said. The association is calling for more agile mechanisms that allow technological advances to be incorporated without dispensing with the legal safeguards of public procurement.
Sánchez also advocated a more predictable relationship between the public administration and industry, as well as better identification of the capabilities available across Spain’s business sector. In this area, he backed consortia and partnerships combining technology provided by SMEs and startups with the industrial and systems-integration capabilities of large companies.
