§1732 Portfolio acquisition executive

Summary

Create a portfolio acquisition executive (PAE) to run a group of defense programs and manage their plans, budgets, and full life cycle. Program managers for those defense programs must report to the PAE unless a higher acquisition official says otherwise. Each PAE must report to the component or service acquisition executive, who picks PAEs, checks their work, and decides their resources. PAEs must make sure their programs follow the goals of the defense acquisition system and put Department of Defense policies into practice for the people assigned to them. They must work with the relevant service chief when changing requirements, quantities, or readiness goals, and talk directly with users to get regular feedback. PAEs must give timely cost, schedule, and performance information to the service chief, the Joint Staff, the Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, and others the Secretary of Defense names. They must use iterative development and can change, stop, or cancel efforts that no longer meet joint needs or that have big cost, technical, or schedule problems. PAEs must also work with mission engineering, do strong market research, and favor prototype transactions under section 4022 and buying commercial products and services under chapter 247 when practical. The Secretary must give each PAE dedicated staff and resources in areas like contracting, cost estimating, finance, life‑cycle support, program and engineering management, and testing. Staff must report to the PAE and not be assigned only part‑time or through dual reporting unless the Secretary allows it in writing.