TITLE VIII--ACQUISITION POLICY, ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT, AND RELATED MATTERS

Subtitle A—Acquisition Policy and Management.

P. L. 118-31

(a) Senior Contracting Official.--The staff of the Director of the Strategic Capabilities Office shall include a senior contracting official (as defined in section 1737 of title 10, United States Code) who shall have the authority to enter into and administer contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, and other transactions in execution of the program activities of the Strategic Capabilities Office.

(b) Effective Date; Implementation Plan.--

(1) Effective date.--The authorities described in subsection (a) shall take effect 30 days after the date on which the Secretary of Defense submits the plan described in paragraph (2).

(2) Plan.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a plan for the implementation of the authorities described in subsection (a). The plan shall include the following: 

(A) A plan for oversight of the senior contracting official described under subsection (a).

(B) An assessment of the acquisition workforce needs of the Strategic Capabilities Office to support the authority provided under subsection (a). 

Sec. 807--Senior contracting official for Strategic Capabilities Office

The Senate amendment contained a provision (sec. 803) that would grant authority to conduct limited acquisition activities within the Strategic Capabilities Office.

The House bill contained no similar provision.

The House recedes with an amendment that clarifies that the Strategic Capabilities Office shall have a head of contracting authority.

S. Rept. 118-58

Head of Contracting Authority for Strategic Capabilities Office (sec. 803)

The committee recommends a provision that would grant authority to conduct limited acquisition activities within the Strategic Capabilities Office. Such authority would not include major defense acquisition programs, major automated information system programs, or acquisitions of foundational infrastructure or software architectures that are expected to last more than 5 years. This authority would not become effective until 30 days after the date on which the Secretary of Defense provides a plan for implementation of these authorities.