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119-s-2135119th Congress

Prototype to Production Act

Sponsored By: Senator Sheehy, Tim [R-MT]

Introduced

Summary

Limits follow-on production authority and forces senior, written approval while creating a fast-track option to field proven systems. This bill would tighten how the Department of Defense moves prototypes into production and add a rapid production route for ready technologies.

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  • Would require written sign-off by the head of the contracting activity for prototype and follow-on production transactions that exceed $100 million, and would make that approval non-delegable. This raises the level of accountability for big acquisitions.
  • Would place the same written-determination duty on the directors of DARPA, the Defense Innovation Unit, and the Missile Defense Agency for transactions they control. Those directors would personally authorize high-dollar follow-on deals.
  • Would add a new production-transaction path to rapidly field emergent, proven technologies that need no more development when an appropriate acquisition executive documents exceptional circumstances. It also defines “follow-on production” to cover contracts that further develop, test, produce, deploy, operate, or sustain a capability prototyped under the authority.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

New rules for defense prototyping

If enacted, the bill would change how the Department of Defense uses 'other transaction' authority for prototypes and related production. For any prototype or follow-on production transaction expected to cost more than $100,000,000 (including all options), a senior official (the head of the contracting activity or, for DARPA, DIU, or MDA, the agency director) would have to make a written determination that certain requirements are met. That approval could not be delegated. The bill would also define key terms and let a senior service or component acquisition executive, in exceptional high‑priority cases, award a production transaction (with or without competition) to rapidly field proven systems that need no more development.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Sheehy, Tim [R-MT]

MT • R

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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