DoD's Latest Regulatory Wishlist: Same Old Bureaucratic To-Do List
Published Date: 8/14/2026
Notice
Summary
This agenda announces the regulatory and deregulatory actions the DoW plans to take in the next 12 months and those regulatory and deregulatory actions completed since the publication of the Spring 2025 Unified Agenda. It was developed under the guidelines of Executive Order 12866, "Regulatory Planning and Review," and Executive Order 13563, "Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review." This agenda includes actions that support the Administration's priorities; the Secretary of Defense's top priorities to revive the warrior ethos, rebuild our military, and reestablish deterrence. Members of the public may submit comments on individual proposed and interim final rulemakings at www.regulations.gov during the comment period that follows publication in the Federal Register. This agenda updates the report published on September 22, 2025, and includes regulations expected to be issued or under review by DoW over the next 12 months. The complete Unified Agenda will be available online at www.reginfo.gov. In accordance with the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 602), which requires agencies to publish their regulatory flexibility agendas in the Federal Register, the DoW's printed agenda entries in the Federal Register include only: (1) Rules that are in the Agency's regulatory flexibility agenda, in accordance with the Regulatory Flexibility Act, because they are likely to have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities; and (2) Any rules that the Agency has identified for periodic review under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 610). Although printing of these entries is limited to fields that contain information required by the Regulatory Flexibility Act's agenda requirements, additional information on these entries is in the Unified Agenda available online.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Changes to Other Transaction (OT) Rules
The Department of War is finalizing revisions to rules for Other Transaction (OT) agreements for prototype projects. The changes explicitly include authority for follow-on production OTs and contracts; special circumstances for award of OTs to small businesses, nontraditional defense contractors, nonprofit research institutions, and consortia; approval requirements for large-dollar OTs; authority to supply prototypes and production items to another contractor; and applying procurement ethics requirements to covered OT agreements. The NPRM was published 09/04/24 and the entry lists a Final Action date of 07/00/26.
CMMC 2.0 Implementation for Contractors
The Department of War issued a final DFARS rule implementing the CMMC 2.0 Framework to assess contractor cybersecurity compliance and protect intellectual property and sensitive information in the Defense Industrial Base. The rule provides DoD assurances about contractors' security and the document estimates annualized costs of approximately $16,000,000 for the public; the final action was published 09/10/25 and became effective 11/10/25.
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Key Dates
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-19734, Proposed Collection; Comment Request
The Department of Defense wants your thoughts on a new info collection about contractor flight crew training and approvals. If you’re involved in defense contracts, this could affect you! They’re asking for comments by November 27, 2026, to make sure the process is clear, useful, and not too much work or cost.
2026-19803, Bulk Manufacturer of Controlled Substances Application: Irvine Labs, Inc.
Irvine Labs, Inc. wants to become a big-time maker of some powerful controlled substances like LSD and psilocybin for research. People and companies affected can share their thoughts or ask for a hearing by November 27, 2026. This move could boost scientific studies but won’t impact prices or public use right now.
2026-19711, CSX Transportation, Inc.-Abandonment Exemption-in Hamilton County, Ohio
CSX Transportation is planning to stop using about 2 miles of railroad track in Hamilton County, Ohio, because no trains have run there for over two years. This change affects local businesses and workers, but any employees impacted will get special protections. If no one steps up to save the line by October 8, 2026, the closure will go ahead on October 28, 2026.
2026-19736, Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
The Department of Defense is updating the form that kids aged 18 to 22 must submit to prove they're still in school to keep getting their benefits. About 7,200 students will fill out this form each semester, which takes about 30 minutes. Comments on this change are open until October 28, 2026, and the form helps make sure funds go to the right students on time.
2026-19807, Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Hearing
The FMCSA is considering requests from 11 people who are hard of hearing or deaf to be allowed to drive big trucks across state lines without meeting the usual hearing rules. If approved, these folks can get behind the wheel and keep America moving! You have until October 28, 2026, to share your thoughts, so don’t miss your chance to weigh in.
2026-19810, Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Hearing
The FMCSA is renewing special permissions for 20 hard of hearing or deaf drivers, letting them keep driving commercial trucks across state lines. These exemptions help qualified drivers stay on the road safely without meeting the usual hearing rules. If you want to share your thoughts, make sure to comment by October 28, 2026.
Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2026-16621, 2026 Unified Agenda of Regulations
In compliance with Executive Order 12866, entitled "Regulatory Planning and Review," and the Regulatory Flexibility Act, as amended, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) publishes in the Federal Register an agenda of regulations under development or review over the next 12 months. Rulemaking actions are grouped according to pre-rulemaking, proposed rules, final rules, long-term actions, and rulemaking actions completed since the publication of the Spring 2025 Unified Agenda. The purpose of the Agenda is to provide information to the public on regulations that are currently under review, being proposed, or recently issued by Commerce. It is expected that this information will enable the public to participate more effectively in Commerce's regulatory process. Commerce's 2026 Unified Agenda includes regulatory activities that are expected to be conducted during the period November 1, 2025, through October 31, 2026.
Next: 2026-16623, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service: Availability of a Petition for a Determination of Nonregulated Status and Draft Plant Pest Risk Assessment for Early and Near-Continuous Blooming European Plum (Prunus domestica) Lines (34 plum and 157 plum)
We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has received a petition from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service seeking a determination of nonregulated status for two European plum (Prunus domestica) lines (34 plum and 157 plum) which have been developed using genetic engineering to promote early and near-continuous blooming. We are making the petition and draft plant pest risk assessment available for public review and comment.