Enhancing DOD’s IT and acquisition security have been key portions of recent defense bills passed by Congress.  There are penalties now, as an example, for contractors whose supply chains aren’t secure.  The agency does not have access to some commercial IT because Congress and DOD officials believe that there are inherent security risks with such equipment.  An October 27^th article in “The Wall Street Journal” identified additional problems with DOD’s use of foreign-made microchips.  Yet many of these justified protections may fall quickly by the way-side with the passage of legislation creating commercial e-commerce platforms for DOD commercial item acquisitions.  The popularity and ease of use of such platforms, already in use in every agency, poses a strong incentive for buyers to get product delivered to the Pentagon door the next day.  Buyers should not take it as a given, though, that such sites will enforce DOD’s security rules.  It is not at all difficult to predict that gray market, counterfeit, and other questionable products will make their way into DOD IT systems.  We’re all in favor of streamlined commercial acquisition, but national security is even more important.  Perhaps someone can tell Congress.