William Shelton

Director of Strategic Planning and Operations, RAND Homeland Security Research Division; Senior Engineer; Professor of Policy Analysis, Pardee RAND Graduate School

Washington Office

Education

M.S. in aero/astro engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology; B.S. in aero/astro engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

One Page Bio

Overview

William (Bill) Shelton is director of strategic planning and operations in the RAND Homeland Security Research Division (HSRD), which operates the Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center (HSOAC), a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). He is also a senior engineer at RAND.

As director of strategic planning and operations, he is the primary contact for all inquiries on how to work with HSRD and HSOAC. Before taking on this role, Shelton was acting director of HSRD's Infrastructure, Immigration, and Security Operations Program (IISO). In that role, he oversaw numerous projects sponsored by operational components across DHS. In addition, over the past several years, he has conducted research for DHS's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA), the Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), and the Joint Requirements Council (JRC). Outside DHS, his research has covered such topics as accelerating Air Force and Space Force acquisition programs and how to improve the Air Force's development and implementation of large-scale Enterprise Resource Planning programs.

Shelton served in the U.S. Air Force for over 26 years. After retiring in 2007, Shelton worked in industry and government before joining RAND. While on active duty, Shelton served as a program manager on the F-16, F-22, and Joint Strike Fighter, ran the Air Force's Link 16 program, and interfaced with the Combatant Commands employing the nation's ballistic missile defense system. Additionally he served at the Department of State in Defense Trade Controls as an expert on export controls and the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), had Air Staff and intelligence tours as well as a RAND Air Force Fellowship.

He has a B.S. in aeronautics/astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an M.S. in aeronautical engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology.

Research Focus

Recent Projects

Early Indicators of Relative Contractor Performance Risk for Air Force Acquisition
Business Process Review of Mission Support Functions
Identifying Savings in the Conduct of AT&L Business Areas
Alternative Space Architectures: Better Leveraging Commercial Space and the Effect of Delayed New Starts
A Clean Sheet Approach to Space Acquisition in Light of the New Space Force

Selected Publications

Gilmore, J. Michael, William Shelton, and Sarah Harting, Estimating Potential Savings in Department of Defense Activities, RAND Corporation (RR-2329-OSD), 2019

Harting, Sarah, Shelton, William L., Anton, Philip S., Blickstein, Irv, Brauner, Marygail K., Lachman, Beth E., Moore, Nancy Y., Conley, Tim, Smith, Meagan L., Lewis, Austin, Unconstrained Ideas and Savings Initiatives for the Department of Defense in Three Areas: Acquisition and Procurement, Logistics and Supply Chain, and Real Property Management, (RP-3621-OSD), 2018

Anton, Philip S., Conley, Tim, Blickstein, Irv, Lewis, Austin, Shelton, William L., Harting, Sarah, Baselining Defense Acquisition, (RP-3611-OSD), 2018

Snyder, Don, Bernard Fox, Kristin F. Lynch, Raymond E. Conley, John A. Ausink, Laura Werber, William Shelton, Sarah A. Nowak, Michael R. Thirtle, and Albert A. Robbert, Assessment of the Air Force Materiel Command Reorganization: Report for Congress, RAND Corporation (RR-389-AF), 2013

Riposo, Jessie, Guy Weichenberg, Chelsea Kaihoi, Bernard Fox, William Shelton, and Andreas Thorsen, Improving Air Force Enterprise Resource Planning-Enabled Business Transformation, RAND Corporation (RR-250-AF), 2013

Huber, Arthur, Philip Sauer, Joseph L. Hollett, Kenneth Keskel, William Shelton, and John T. Dillaplain, The Virtual Combat Air Staff: The Promise of Information Technologies, RAND Corporation (MR-759-AF), 1996

Shelton, William, Cynthia R. Cook, Charles Barton, Frank Camm, Kelly Elizabeth Eusebi, Diana Gehlhaus, Moon Kim, Yool Kim, Megan McKernan, Sydne J. Newberry, and Colby P. Steiner, A Clean Sheet Approach to Space Acquisition in Light of the New Space Force, RAND Corporation (RR-A541-1), 2021

Honors & Awards

Bronze Medal, RAND Corporation

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
Military Acquisition and Procurement

Building Better Government Acquisition Programs: Q&A with William Shelton
In the U.S. Air Force, William Shelton managed hundreds of millions of dollars in acquisition programs. He retired as a colonel then joined RAND as an engineer. One of his recent projects provided the U.S. Space Force with a new approach to acquisition, designed around its unique mission.
Mar 4, 2022
Military Acquisition and Procurement

Multiple Factors Drive Program Success
Congress continues to express concerns about weapon system cost growth and is considering multiple acquisition reform proposals for the National Defense Authorization Act. One proposal would hold program managers accountable via a “performance agreement” for key parameters that must be met.
Sep 30, 2015
Defense News

Publications

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
Demographic Diversity of the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Workforce in the U.S. Department of Defense: Analysis of Compensation and Employment Outcomes
The authors examine compensation differences for gender, racial, and ethnic groups in the Department of Defense civilian science, technology, engineering, and mathematics workforce and explore ways to address these differences.
Apr 27, 2023
Report
Improving the Technical Requirements Development Process for Weapon Systems: A Systems-Based Approach for Managers
Oversights during development of technical requirements for new weapon systems can result in cost or schedule overruns or unsuitable operational performance. This report describes a systems-based approach to help improve this process.
Nov 3, 2022
Report
Joint Requirements Framework for Collaboration at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
To help the U.S. Department of Homeland Security plan and assess joint activities, researchers created a framework with a decision aid, a taxonomy, a tool for selecting program types, and recommendations for structuring joint programs for success.
Sep 6, 2022
Report
Contractor Risk and Performance Indicators: Prototype Functional Specification and Developer Document
This report presents the technical design and architecture of a RAND-developed software prototype that assesses relative contractor risks in Department of the Air Force acquisition contracts and programs as described in two companion reports.
May 16, 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
Reimagining Defense Advisory Boards: Lessons Learned for Leaders in the U.S. Department of Defense
RAND Corporation researchers embarked on this exploratory study to reveal lessons learned for how the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) can improve its use of advisory boards.
Feb 9, 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
Research Brief
The Department of Defense's Posture for Artificial Intelligence: Assessment and Recommendations for Improvement
In this report, RAND Corporation researchers assess the state of artificial intelligence relevant to the U.S. Department of Defense and provide recommendations for the future of the department's artificial intelligence posture.
Jan 26, 2021
Report
The Department of Defense Posture for Artificial Intelligence: Assessment and Recommendations
In this report, the authors assess the state of artificial intelligence (AI) relevant to DoD, conduct an independent assessment of the Department of Defense's posture in AI, and put forth a set of recommendations to enhance that posture.
Dec 17, 2019
Report
Baselining Defense Acquisition
In support of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) efforts to improve mission effectiveness and efficiency, this report identifies DoD government functions for procurement and acquisition, estimating their costs at between $29 billion and $38 billion.
Nov 20, 2019
Report
Estimating Potential Savings in Department of Defense Activities
There is a push to make the U.S. government run like the private sector. Alternatives to this approach that attempt to account for the complexity and uniqueness of the U.S. Department of Defense are presented in this report.
Feb 11, 2019
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
Acquisition of Space Systems, Volume 7: Past Problems and Future Challenges
As Department of Defense plans for the next-generation space systems in an increasingly challenging fiscal and security environment, it is important to apply lessons learned from past space acquisition, which had experienced many difficulties.
Mar 30, 2015
Report
Assessment of the Air Force Materiel Command Reorganization: Report for Congress
Assesses the FY 2012 reorganization of the Air Force Material Command, which was undertaken as one of the initiatives to achieve mandated budget reductions by eliminating civilian manpower positions, thus achieving cost savings.
Nov 21, 2013
Report
Improving Air Force Enterprise Resource Planning-Enabled Business Transformation
RAND Project AIR FORCE identified key conditions to aid the success of business transformation enabled by enterprise resource planning systems, challenges the Air Force must address to achieve them, and options for overcoming these challenges.
Oct 25, 2013
Report
Air Force Materiel Command Reorganization Analysis: Final Report
A congressionally mandated review of the proposed restructuring of Air Force Materiel Command examined the proposal and its effect on life-cycle management, weapon system sustainment, and overall support to the warfighter.
Jul 6, 2012
Report
The Virtual Combat Air Staff: The Promise of Information Technologies
The results of this research indicate that the rapid advances now progressing within the technological realm, as well as within organizational theory and practice, presage a different paradigm for the future combat air staff.
1996