§3101 — Title 10 Armed Forces | U.S. Code

Summary

Defines key words used in the chapter. Best value is the best mix of price, quality, technical ability, and delivery time for a purchase. Capability requirement is a capability that is critical to solve an operational problem. Cost-effective means giving better results for users at the same or lower cost than other choices. Operational problem is a military department’s challenge meeting a mission because of current rules, new threats, or future plans and may include limits in ability, size, resources, or coordination. Service chief names the top leader for each service: the Army’s Chief of Staff, the Navy’s Chief of Naval Operations, the Marine Corps’ Commandant, the Air Force’s Chief of Staff, and the Space Force’s Chief of Space Operations.

Title 10, §3101

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

In this chapter:

(1)The term “best value” means, with respect to an acquisition, the optimal combination of cost, quality, technical capability or solution quality, and delivery schedule.

(2)The term “capability requirement” means a capability that is critical or essential to address an operational problem.

(3)The term “cost-effective” means, with respect to an acquisition, delivering superior end-user results at equal or lower cost compared to alternatives.

(4)The term “operational problem” means—

(A)a challenge of a military department in achieving an assigned military objective based on current doctrine, emerging threats, or future concepts; and

(B)may include limitations in capabilities, capacity, resources, or the ability to effectively and efficiently coordinate across the joint force, with another combatant command, or among military capabilities.

(5)The term “service chief” means—

(A)the Chief of Staff of the Army, with respect to matters concerning the Army;

(B)the Chief of Naval Operations, with respect to matters concerning the Navy;

(C)the Commandant of the Marine Corps, with respect to matters concerning the Marine Corps;

(D)the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, with respect to matters concerning the Air Force; and

(E)the Chief of Space Operations, with respect to matters concerning the Space Force.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification section 2545 of this title, which was transferred to this section by Pub. L. 116–283, § 1808(a)(2), was also transferred or copied in large part to section 3001 of this title by Pub. L. 116–283, § 1806(a)(2)–(4).

Amendments

2025—Pub. L. 119–60 amended text generally. Prior to amendment, text defined the term “acquisition”. 2021—Pub. L. 116–283, § 1808(b)(1), substituted “In this chapter, the term” for “In this chapter:”, par. (1) designation, and “The term” and struck out pars. (2) to (4) which defined “defense acquisition system”, “element of the defense acquisition system”, and “acquisition workforce”. Pub. L. 116–283, § 1808(a)(2), renumbered section 2545 of this title as this section. 2014—Par. (1). Pub. L. 113–291 substituted “section 131 of title 41” for “section 4(16) of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act (41 U.S.C. 403(16))”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2021 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 116–283 effective Jan. 1, 2022, with additional provisions for delayed implementation and applicability of existing law, see section 1801(d) of Pub. L. 116–283, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.

§3101 Definitions