Audio Briefs “When to Use (and Not Use) ‘As a Service’ for Government Space Requirements”: Audio Brief with Clayton Swope
Jan 22, 2026
Clayton Swope, Deputy Director of the Aerospace Security Project at CSIS, dives into his white paper on government space procurement. He discusses the shift from ownership models to 'as-a-service' approaches, emphasizing the need for clear decision criteria. Swope highlights the importance of focusing on performance, schedule, and cost, warning against getting sidetracked by terms like 'commercial'. Ultimately, he advocates for a best-value approach that prioritizes outcomes over labels.
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Prioritize Outcomes Over Labels
- Place a laser focus on outcomes like performance, schedule, and cost when choosing acquisition models.
- Avoid letting distractions cloud decision-making about space procurement.
‘Commercial’ Is Often A Distracting Label
- The term "commercial" has become so broad that it often distracts from core procurement questions.
- Focus on value rather than labels when evaluating space solutions.
Inherently Governmental Tests Rarely Apply
- By legal definition, nothing from space counts as an inherently governmental function.
- Treat 'inherently governmental' concerns as secondary to performance, schedule, and cost analysis.