§1743 — Title 10 Armed Forces | U.S. Code

Summary

The President of the Defense Acquisition University must create two award programs to honor members of the acquisition workforce. One award, up to $5,000, goes to a person who writes a personal account showing how they used their own judgment to solve a problem in the defense acquisition system and who used an iterative writing process. Another award, up to $5,000, goes to the person who best uses the flexibilities in the Federal Acquisition Regulation and Department of Defense Instruction 5000.02. The University can give up to five of the first awards and one of the second award each year, and a person can get only one award per year. To apply for the first award, a person must send a first-hand account that shows an original idea, use of independent judgment, and an iterative writing process with evidence of critical thinking, feedback from different perspectives, and editing for plain writing. The University must keep a website with those submissions and allow public comments. To apply for the second award, a person must provide documents showing they used innovative, locally adapted program management approaches, such as simplified procedures, FAR flexibilities, commercial contracting, public-private partnerships, cost-sharing, or new contractor incentives. The Secretary of Defense must pay for these awards from the Defense Acquisition Workforce Development Account.

Title 10, §1743

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The President of the Defense Acquisition University shall establish two programs to provide awards to recognize members of the acquisition workforce as follows:

(1)An award of not more than $5,000 to such members who use an iterative writing process to document a first-hand account of using independent judgment to overcome an obstacle the member faced while working within the defense acquisition system (as defined in section 3001 of this title).

(2)An award of not more than $5,000 to such members who make the best use of the flexibilities and authorities granted by the Federal Acquisition Regulation and Department of Defense Instruction 5000.02 (Operation of the Defense Acquisition System).

(b)(1)The President of the Defense Acquisition University may make not more than five awards under subsection (a)(1) and one award under subsection (a)(2) each year.

(2)A member of the acquisition workforce may receive one award each year.

(c)(1)A member of the acquisition workforce desiring an award under subsection (a)(1) shall submit to the President of the Defense Acquisition University the first-hand account described in such subsection. Such first-hand account shall demonstrate—

(A)an original and engaging idea documenting the use of independent judgment to overcome an obstacle the recipient faced while working within the defense acquisition system; and

(B)the use of an iterative writing process, including evidence of—

(i)critical thinking;

(ii)incorporation of feedback from diverse perspectives; and

(iii)editing to achieve plain writing (as defined in section 3 of the Plain Writing Act of 2010 (5 U.S.C. 301 note)).

(2)The President of the Defense Acquisition University shall establish and maintain a website to serve as a repository for submissions made under paragraph (1). Such website shall allow for public comments and discussion.

(d)A member of the acquisition workforce desiring an award under subsection (a)(2) shall submit to the President of the Defense Acquisition University documentation that such member uses approaches to program management that emphasize innovation and local adaptation, including the use of—

(1)simplified acquisition procedures;

(2)inherent flexibilities within the Federal Acquisition Regulation;

(3)commercial contracting approaches;

(4)public-private partnership agreements and practices;

(5)cost-sharing arrangements;

(6)innovative contractor incentive practices; or

(7)other innovative implementations of acquisition flexibilities.

(e)The Secretary of Defense shall use funds from the Defense Acquisition Workforce Development Account to carry out this section.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 3 of the Plain Writing Act of 2010, referred to in subsec. (c)(1)(B)(iii), is section 3 of Pub. L. 111–274, which is set out in a note under section 301 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 1743, added Pub. L. 101–510, div. A, title XII, § 1202(a), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1651, related to cooperative education program, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 108–136, div. A, title VIII, § 834(b), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1551.

§1743 Awards to Recognize Members of the Acquisition Workforce