Defense Health Agency appoints Matthew Clark to lead research and acquisition

Retired Army Colonel Matthew Clark has assumed the role of assistant director for research, development, and acquisition at the Defense Health Agency (DHA). Sworn in by DHA Director Navy Vice Adm. Darin K. Via, Clark serves as the component acquisition executive and senior procurement executive.

Clark introduced the DELIVER Care framework to guide the agency’s enterprise activities. The acronym stands for decisive effects through excellence, lethality, integration, velocity, enterprise partnerships, and readiness and resilience. The framework aims to align research, development, acquisition, and contracting work with the agency’s strategic priorities to improve medical readiness and the speed of delivering capabilities to the force.

Clark, who brings over 30 years of experience in military operations and medical product development, stated that his team will focus on mission outcomes and speed rather than legacy paperwork processes to ensure medical supplies and services reach the force more efficiently.