U.S. DEPARTMENT OF WAR
Mission Engineering and Integration Activity
The MEIA Pipeline
The pipeline between American innovation and the warfighter is broken.
MEIA is the fix.
The technology to win the next fight exists—in labs, garages, and commercial R&D centers across the country. But telling a leader "the system is broken" is useless. Here is specifically where it breaks, and the repeatable, measurable process MEIA uses to fix it.
The Problem — Specifically
The Acquisition System Fails in Four Specific Places.
1. Requirements Black Hole
Operational requirements leave the unit and are never translated into language industry can respond to.
MEIA translates requirements into unclassified Topic Areas and publishes them widely to traditional and non-traditional innovators.
2. Industry Ghosting
Companies submit proposals and hear nothing, driving away the most promising dual-use solution providers.
MEIA provides substantive feedback on every submission, keeping innovative companies engaged.
3. Evaluation without Operators
Technologies are evaluated in briefing rooms with PowerPoints, not by the warfighters who will use them.
MEIA holds Operator Integration Events, putting warfighters hands-on with technology in relevant conditions.
4. The Contracting Bottleneck
Even with a "Go" decision, contracting takes another 6-12 months, making the technology obsolete by delivery.
MEIA engages Agreements Officers from Day 1, targeting a rapid cycle from first contact to contract using pre-identified pathways.
The Result
From a Broken System to a Functioning Pipeline
BEFORE MEIA
Technologies are delayed while the threat accelerates.
Needs are lost in translation; industry hears nothing.
The warfighter is disconnected from evaluation.
Contracting takes 6-18 months after a "Go" decision.
WITH MEIA
Capabilities are fielded in months, not years.
Requirements are published; every company gets feedback.
Operator feedback directly drives Go/No-Go decisions.
Rapid target from first contact to executed contract.
Engage with the Pipeline
Ready to get started?
Whether you have a problem or a solution, there is a clear path forward.
OUSW(R&E)
The Pentagon
Office of the Under Secretary of War,
Research and Engineering (OUSW(R&E))
3030 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-3030