Acquisition
Regulators grapple with supply chain security
As the U.S. government continues to identify potential threats in the technology supply chain in the public or private sector, officials must thread the needle between promoting good security practices while not running afoul of the free market, low-cost principles that have become a hallmark of the globalized economy.
Joyce Corell, assistant director for supply chain at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, told FCW on the sidelines of a recent government meeting that while briefing members of the private sector on risks, they try to get companies to consider not just the immediate upfront costs that come with a particular contract or transaction, but the “total cost of ownership,” which takes into account the potential for breaches, hacks and other forms of compromise that come with it.
A company’s country of origin is “probably not the sole factor” in determining risk but “in certain cases it may be a very relevant factor.”
