§3602 Middle Tier of Acquisition for Rapid Prototyping and Rapid Fielding

Summary

Set up two faster ways to buy and deliver military equipment. The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, with advice from the DoD Comptroller and the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, must create these paths for programs meant to finish in two to five years. One path, rapid prototyping, uses new technologies to build and test fieldable prototypes. The goal is to have a prototype shown in real operations and still be useful within five years after an approved requirement is developed. The other path, rapid fielding, uses proven technologies to start production quickly. The goal is to begin production within six months and finish fielding within five years after an approved requirement is developed. The Under Secretary must make a faster, coordinated process that creates an approved requirement in no more than six months. Programs using these paths are not tied to the usual long DoD development rules. The processes must include merit-based selection of ideas or products, plans for funding and buying, real-world testing and evaluation, and ways to move successful prototypes into production. They must also consider life-cycle costs, logistics, and interoperability, and look for ways to lower total ownership cost. Leaders can appoint experienced program managers, give them technical and business staff, allow trade-offs among cost, requirements, and schedule, seek fast waivers of rules that cause delay or cost, and continue iterative prototyping and fielding in five-year cycles without a limit.