CATEGORY: INNOVATION IN OVERCOMING OBSTACLES
From Friction to Velocity: Building the Expedited Research Innovation System (ERIS) B Y SIMON KLINK Innovation inside the defense acquisition system rarely fails for lack of ideas. More often, it slows under the weight of process. Before arriving at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), I worked on major weapon systems. From that vantage point, I saw capable technologies struggle to move from concept to fielded capability. The obstacle was not technical feasibility. It was process inertia. Even when urgency was clear, the structure of the acquisition system constrained how quickly we could move. When I came to DARPA, I asked a seemingly simple question: if we bring innovation into the system differently, can capability move faster to the field? That question led to the creation of the Expedited Research Innovation System (ERIS). The Obstacle: A System at Odds with the Speed of Innovation The challenge was not a single failed program or contract, but structural friction in how the defense acquisition system discov- ers and engages innovation. I identified three consistent, limiting factors: 1. Significant barrier to entry Traditional proposal processes require extensive technical documentation, cost volumes, compliance certifications, and internal reviews. These processes, designed to ensure fairness and accountability in large-scale procurement, serve an im- portant purpose. However, for small businesses, startups, and others operating on compressed timelines and lean resources, the transaction cost of participation is high. Preparing a compliant proposal can require months of non-reimbursable effort without assurance of alignment, discouraging participation before ideas are ever evaluated. 2. Fundamental timeline misalignment Commercial innovation cycles are measured in weeks or months, while the standard defense acquisition cycle is often measured in many months or years. By the time a traditional solicitation is released, evaluated, and awarded, the cutting- edge technology it sought may already be a generation old. This disconnect risks placing government engagement behind the pace of technological development. 3. Reactive posture The traditional solicitation model depends on the government defining requirements before industry responds. In emerg- ing technology areas, however, innovation frequently occurs before requirements are fully understood. A reactive system cannot capture capabilities it does not yet know to request. Taken together, these factors created systemic acquisition drag that incremental adjustments could not resolve. The Innovation: Inverting the Model Recognizing that the engagement model itself was the constraint, I sought to invert it. Rather than waiting for episodic solicitations, ERIS established a standing marketplace through which innovators could present solutions at any time. The objective was to broaden access while accelerating evaluation without sacrificing rigor. ERIS was designed around four principles: 1. Lower the barrier to entry.
2. Compress evaluation timelines. 3. Preserve rigor and transparency. 4. Operate flexibly within existing statutory authorities.
To reduce transaction costs, ERIS replaced lengthy written proposals with a streamlined submission consisting of a seven-minute video and four slides. This format supports a fundamental shift in our engagement model. Instead of requesting a robust re- sponse to a detailed specification, ERIS solicits industry’s best approaches to solving mission-level operational problems. This allows innovators to present their technical trajectories without months of preparatory overhead while preserving competitive evaluation standards.
JULY – AUGUST 2026 | DEFENSE ACQUISITION MAGAZINE 39
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