The Air Force is proposing a “Quick Start” program that would allow the service to begin initial contract work and early-stage program activities, even if a budget hadn’t yet been passed and the department is operating under a continuing resolution.  Up to $300 million would be made available to fund covered programs according to Air Force officials.  Unsurprisingly, the idea is not garnering widespread Congressional support.  That’s unfortunate because Congress, itself, is the problem as this year’s hijinks show all too clearly.  In fact, more federal agencies would benefit from having quick start authority.  The best-case scenario right now is that agencies typically have only three-quarters of a year to initiate new programs.  That’s not nearly enough for critical cyber, national defense, and citizen-centric programs.  An effective government should ideally have multi-year appropriations authority for critical programs to ensure that work continues even when Congress can’t meet its own deadlines.  Simply put, neither public nor national safety should suffer because small groups of elected leaders fail to do their jobs in a timely manner.  Contractors should use their leverage and relationships to promote quick start authority for selected programs.  Language that would create this authority on a test basis for Air Force projects is reportedly in the Senate version of the FY’24 NDAA.  Contractors should urge House and Senate conferees to keep it in the final version.  Congress will be first in line to ask questions about why the Air Force, or other critical agencies, weren’t prepared the next time a crisis arises.  While Quick Start can’t solve all of these issues, it will help in other situations and give Congress one less finger to point to itself when problems arise.