Electronics modernization as a competency

The US industrial base has a large set of capabilities that is sometimes difficult to track as an acquisition official. Where the Department of Commerce helps track the most important technological inputs into Army Modernization and individual companies track technological inputs into their own modernization, some of the actual capabilities to `modernize' and upgrade existing electronics are hard to find or evolve rapidly. This paper describes capabilities that have proven to be valuable competencies when modernizing embedded electronics, and what tools and personnel are needed to provide an effective and efficient modernization capability. This will help the acquisition officer or procurement manager know what questions to ask and skills to demand from modernization suppliers.