Megan McKernan

Senior Defense Researcher; Professor of Policy Analysis, Pardee RAND Graduate School

Pittsburgh Office

Education

M.A. in international trade and investment policy, George Washington University; B.A. in economics, William Smith College

One Page Bio

Media Resources

This researcher is available for interviews.

To arrange an interview, contact the RAND Office of Media Relations at (310) 451-6913, or email media@rand.org.

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Overview

Megan McKernan is a senior defense researcher at RAND and a professor of policy analysis at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. She specializes in Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition of weapon systems along with acquisition data governance, management, sharing, and analytics. She has also conducted analysis in a wide variety of defense acquisition-related areas including: Space and Cyber rapid acquisition; software acquisition; requirements planning; acquisition program office structure; identifying acquisition metrics; contractor performance; Navy innovation and rapid development; prototyping; industrial base considerations; earned value management; tailoring acquisition; program manager tenure; program framing assumptions; rapid acquisition; analysis of root causes of Nunn-McCurdy Unit Cost Breaches; acquisition program cancelations; schedule growth; acquisition knowledge management; and other program-specific analyses. She uses a variety of quantitative and qualitative methods in conducting research including case studies, logic models, maturity models, policy reviews, data collection and analysis, interviews, and literature reviews.

Prior to working at RAND, McKernan was an economic analyst for four years providing reports for policymakers, primarily at the National Security Council, Department of Treasury, and Department of State on global economic issues with a concentration on emerging market countries. She holds an M.A. in international trade and investment policy from George Washington University and a B.A. in economics from William Smith College.

Research Focus

Concurrent Non-RAND Positions

Recent Projects

Updating Space Acquisition in Light of the New Space Force
Identification and Characterization of Program Data for Acquisition Category (ACAT) II and III, Pre-MDAPs, and Business Systems
Supporting Prototyping Execution
Policy Implications on the Management and Access of Acquisition Data
Tailoring: Practical and Possible?

Selected Publications

Drezner, Jeffrey A., Jon Schmid, Justin Grana, Megan McKernan, and Mark Ashby, Benchmarking Data Use and Analytics in Large, Complex Private-Sector Organizations: Implications for Department of Defense Acquisition, RAND Corporation (RR-A225-1), 2020

Anton, Philip S., Megan McKernan, Ken Munson, James G. Kallimani, Alexis Levedahl, Irv Blickstein, Jeffrey A. Drezner, and Sydne J. Newberry, Assessing the Use of Data Analytics in Department of Defense Acquisition, RAND Corporation (RB-10085-OSD), 2019

McKernan, Megan, Jessie Riposo, Geoffrey McGovern, Douglas Shontz, and Badreddine Ahtchi, Issues with Access to Acquisition Data and Information in the Department of Defense: Considerations for Implementing the Controlled Unclassified Information Reform Program, RAND Corporation (RR-2221-OSD), 2018

McKernan, Megan, Nancy Young Moore, Kathryn Connor, Mary E. Chenoweth, Jeffrey A. Drezner, James Dryden, Clifford A. Grammich, Judith D. Mele, Walter T. Nelson, Rebeca Orrie, Douglas Shontz, and Anita Szafran, Issues with Access to Acquisition Data and Information in the Department of Defense: Doing Data Right in Weapon System Acquisition, RAND Corporation (RR-1534-OSD), 2017

McKernan, Megan, Jeffrey A. Drezner, and Jerry M. Sollinger, Tailoring the Acquisition Process in the U.S. Department of Defense, RAND Corporation (RR-966-OSD), 2015

Riposo, Jessie, Megan McKernan, Jeffrey A. Drezner, Geoffrey McGovern, Daniel Tremblay, Jason Kumar, and Jerry M. Sollinger, Issues with Access to Acquisition Data and Information in the Department of Defense: Policy and Practice, RAND Corporation (RR-880-OSD), 2015

Kavanagh, Jennifer, Megan McKernan, Kathryn Connor, Abby Doll, Jeffrey A. Drezner, Kristy N. Kamarck, Katherine Pfrommer, Mark V. Arena, Irv Blickstein, William Shelton, and Jerry M. Sollinger, Joint Precision Approach and Landing System Nunn-McCurdy Breach Root Cause Analysis and Portfolio Assessment Metrics for DoD Weapons Systems, Volume 8, RAND Corporation (MG-1171/8-OSD), 2015

Jessie Riposo, Megan McKernan, Chelsea Kaihoi, Prolonged Cycle Times and Schedule Growth in Defense Acquisition: A Literature Review, RAND (RR-455), 2014

Honors & Awards

RAND Bronze Medal (2018); RAND Spotlight Award (2015); RAND Impact Award (2011); and RAND Merit Bonus Team-Player Award (2007), RAND
Recipient of Full-tuition Fellowship for Master's Degree at The George Washington University - 1997, Wolcott Foundation
Recipient of a Foreign Language Study Grant and an Internship Grant at The Elliott School of International Affairs - 1999, The George Washington University

Commentary

Military Acquisition and Procurement

Speaking in One Voice to Advance Space Acquisition
Space acquisition is hard, and many challenges remain today for development of true unity of effort. But a new “clean sheet” is not the answer. Such an approach simply cannot take the place of doing the hard work required to realize enduring change.
Sep 6, 2023
The RAND Blog

Publications

Report
Quantifying Vulnerability Lifespans for U.S. Marine Corps Joint Cyber Weapons
The authors generated novel vulnerability life span and software update cadence datasets. Datasets were used to quantify cost and operational time uncertainties, and estimate life-cycle costs of the U.S. Marine Corps Joint Cyber Weapons program.
Nov 14, 2023
Report
Incorporating Environmental Considerations into Defense Acquisition Practices
RAND researchers assess the knowledge, tools, and capabilities needed by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition workforce to infuse environmental considerations into DoD requirements, acquisition, and resource allocation decisionmaking.
Oct 19, 2023
Report
Building a Joint Cyber Weapons Acquisition Program in the Marine Corps: Software Acquisition Pathway Lessons Learned
The authors present lessons learned from an effort to inform future U.S. Marine Corps Joint Cyber Weapon program acquisition information requirements and educate Department of Defense Software Acquisition Pathway program planning efforts.
Sep 20, 2023
Report
Improving Integration and Synchronization of Space Acquisition and Fielding
The authors of this research explored ways the United States Space Force can facilitate the integration and synchronization of space acquisition and fielding to support the delivery of end-to-end space capabilities to outpace adversary threats.
Aug 31, 2023
Report
A Cost Estimating Framework for U.S. Marine Corps Joint Cyber Weapons
To help improve leadership decisionmaking related to the costs of offensive cyber operations acquisition, the authors developed a life-cycle cost-estimating framework for the U.S. Marine Corps and conducted exploratory modeling and simulation.
Feb 2, 2023
Report
Ensuring Mission Assurance While Conducting Rapid Space Acquisition
The authors of this report examine what streamlining techniques are being used to accelerate U.S. Space Force acquisition, the risks associated with those techniques, their potential impact on mission assurance, and the possible mitigations.
Dec 15, 2022
Report
Using Metrics to Understand the Performance of the Adaptive Acquisition Framework
The authors of this report identify initial metrics that the U.S. Department of Defense can use to assess whether pathways in the Adaptive Acquisition Framework are achieving their goals.
Oct 5, 2022
Report
Early Predictive Indicators of Contractor Performance: A Data-Analytic Approach
This report presents initial insights and approaches in exploring and prototyping methods to identify potential contractor performance risks for the Department of the Air Force earlier than would be typically reported via traditional methods.
May 12, 2022
Report
Relative Contractor Risks: A Data-Analytic Approach to Early Identification
The authors prototyped a new way to apply data analysis on a variety of government and commercial data sources to assess the relative contractor performance risks in Air Force acquisition contracts and programs.
Feb 4, 2022
Report
A Clean Sheet Approach to Space Acquisition in Light of the New Space Force
The authors describe an unconstrained "clean sheet" approach to space acquisition for the U.S. Space Force designed around the unique mission and calling of the new service.
Aug 25, 2021
Report
Benchmarking Data Use and Analytics in Large, Complex Private-Sector Organizations: Implications for Department of Defense Acquisition
This report examines how the private sector addresses data governance and analytics to inform how the Department of Defense can develop and apply advanced analytics to acquisition challenges.
Jun 4, 2020
Report
Considerations for Managing Program Data in the Emerging Acquisition Environment: Summary
This research identifies and describes some of the issues related to managing acquisition program information in the emerging acquisition environment resulting from statutory changes within the Department of Defense acquisition community.
Feb 6, 2020
Report
Issues with Access to Acquisition Information in the Department of Defense: A Series on Considerations for Managing Program Data in the Emerging Acquisition Environment
This research identifies and describes some of the issues related to managing acquisition program information in the emerging acquisition environment resulting from statutory changes within the Department of Defense acquisition community.
Feb 6, 2020
Report
Assessing Department of Defense Use of Data Analytics and Enabling Data Management to Improve Acquisition Outcomes
Congress asked about acquisition data analytics in the Department of Defense. This report identifies and measures capabilities and recent progress. Barriers to improvement include a culture against data sharing due to security and burden concerns.
Aug 13, 2019
Research Brief
Assessing the Use of Data Analytics in Department of Defense Acquisition
This research brief addresses congressional concerns about the use of data analysis, measurement, and other evaluation-related methods in U.S. Department of Defense acquisition programs and decisionmaking.
Aug 13, 2019
Report
Issues with Access to Acquisition Data and Information in the Department of Defense: Considerations for Implementing the Controlled Unclassified Information Reform Program
This report provides a closer look at the current state of the Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) program as well as how the new CUI rules might affect DoD acquisition data management.
Jan 24, 2018
Report
Issues with Access to Acquisition Data and Information in the Department of Defense: Doing Data Right in Weapon System Acquisition
This report examines Department of Defense acquisition data and the information systems where it resides and offers insights into improving the management, availability, and usefulness of this information.
Mar 27, 2017
Report
Issues with Access to Acquisition Data and Information in the Department of Defense: A Closer Look at the Origins and Implementation of Controlled Unclassified Information Labels and Security Policy
The authors evaluated current Controlled Unclassified Information labeling procedures, practices, and security policies for U.S. Department of Defense acquisition data and recommend improvements.
Dec 19, 2016
Report
Contestability Frameworks: An International Horizon Scan
RAND identified and reviewed international contestability practices on behalf of the Australian Department of Defence.
Mar 21, 2016
Report
Joint Precision Approach and Landing System Nunn-McCurdy Breach Root Cause Analysis and Portfolio Assessment Metrics for DoD Weapons Systems, Volume 8
The authors examine the Joint Precision Approach and Landing System Inc. 1A Nunn-McCurdy breach and document a methodology that can assess and summarize the overall performance of an acquisition portfolio at a point in time and over several years.
Oct 23, 2015
Report
Tailoring the Acquisition Process in the U.S. Department of Defense
The research reported here explores tailoring or streamlining in defense acquisition processes to determine whether this policy area would benefit from additional in-depth research.
Jun 16, 2015
Report
Issues with Access to Acquisition Data and Information in the Department of Defense: Executive Summary
This report identifies the problems and challenges associated with sharing unclassified information within the U.S. Department of Defense and investigates the role of policies and practices associated with such sharing.
Jun 12, 2015
Report
Issues with Access to Acquisition Data and Information in the Department of Defense: Policy and Practice
This report identifies the problems and challenges associated with sharing unclassified information within the U.S. Department of Defense and investigates the role of policies and practices associated with such sharing.
Jun 12, 2015
Report
Management Perspectives Pertaining to Root Cause Analyses of Nunn-McCurdy Breaches, Volume 6: Contractor Motivations and Anticipating Breaches
The authors analyze what motivates defense contractors to determine if better incentives exist to the ones now used, and analyze major defense acquisition programs to see if it is possible to identify programs that might incur a Nunn-McCurdy breach.
Oct 8, 2014
Report
DoD and Commercial Advanced Waveform Developments and Programs with Multiple Nunn-McCurdy Breaches, Volume 5
Compares aspects of the Joint Tactical Radio System network domain program with similar elements for the commercial long-term evolution waveform and analyzes acquisition programs that have repeatedly exceeded certain cost thresholds.
Aug 25, 2014
Report
Prolonged Cycle Times and Schedule Growth in Defense Acquisition: A Literature Review
This report summarizes a selection of the defense acquisition literature from the 1960s to the present on potential sources of prolonged acquisition cycle times and schedule growth, as well as potential opportunities for improvement.
Apr 30, 2014
Report
Rapid Acquisition of Army Command and Control Systems
For the last decade, the U.S. Army has quickly acquired systems for war. By examining the nontraditional methods used, this study examines how the Army can improve rapid acquisition, focusing in particular on command and control systems.
Mar 28, 2014
Report
Management Perspectives Pertaining to Root Cause Analyses of Nunn-McCurdy Breaches, Volume 4: Program Manager Tenure, Oversight of Acquisition Category II Programs, and Framing Assumptions
Concerned with cost overruns in programs that breached Nunn-McCurdy thresholds, Congress directed investigation of the root causes of these overruns, and the authors examine various possible contributors to these breaches.
Oct 3, 2013
Report
Rapid Acquisition and Fielding for Information Assurance and Cyber Security in the Navy
The U.S. Navy requires an agile, adaptable acquisition process that can field new IT capabilities and services quickly. A RAND study sought to identify ways to accommodate the unique acquisition demands of information technology and cyber programs.
Dec 21, 2012
Report
Methodologies in Analyzing the Root Causes of Nunn-McCurdy Breaches
Congressional concern with cost overruns in some major defense acquisition programs led to an investigation of root causes in six programs, enabling RAND to develop a methodology for carrying out such analyses.
Sep 27, 2012
Report
Root Cause Analyses of Nunn-McCurdy Breaches, Volume 2: Excalibur Artillery Projectile and the Navy Enterprise Resource Planning Program, with an Approach to Analyzing Complexity and Risk
Concern with cost overruns in major defense acquisition programs led Congress to direct investigation of root causes of programs that breached Nunn-McCurdy thresholds. RAND applied its methodology to Excalibur and the Navy's ERP.
Aug 27, 2012
Report
Root Cause Analyses of Nunn-McCurdy Breaches, Volume 1: Zumwalt-Class Destroyer, Joint Strike Fighter, Longbow Apache, and Wideband Global Satellite
Congressional concern with cost overruns in some major defense acquisition programs led to an investigation of root causes by examining program reviews, analyzing data, participating in contractor briefings, and holding meetings with stakeholders.
Nov 7, 2011
Report
Are Ships Different? Policies and Procedures for the Acquisition of Ship Programs
The policies and procedures established by the Department of Defense for program management and oversight can be tailored to meet the unique needs of ship acquisition programs without compromising oversight.
Nov 3, 2011
Journal Article
Identifying Urban Flashpoints: A Delphi-Derived Model for Scoring Cities' Vulnerability to Large-Scale Unrest
This article presents a method for the assessment of cities' vulnerability to large-scale urban unrest. Results include a tool that will allow users to rank cities on their vulnerability to large-scale urban unrest.
2008
Report
Measuring the Statutory and Regulatory Constraints on Department of Defense Acquisition: An Empirical Analysis
Contrary to widespread perceptions, program office personnel do not spend inordinate amounts of time on statutory and regulatory compliance activities.
Jul 23, 2007
Report
Measuring the Statutory and Regulatory Constraints on DoD Acquisition: Research Design for an Empirical Study
This report describes the research methodology, focus, and data collection processes of a study of the cost of compliance with acquisition-related statutes and regulations incurred by major weapon system programs at the program office level.
Jul 19, 2006