§1171 Definitions

Summary

Defines words and phrases the Coast Guard uses for buying, managing, and testing big systems. It names the two congressional committees involved (House Transportation and Infrastructure; Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation) and the Chief Acquisition Officer (the officer appointed under section 308). It says a "customer of a major acquisition program" is the field unit that will use the system. A "Level 1 acquisition" is a Coast Guard buy that costs more than $1,000,000,000 over its life or more than $300,000,000 to acquire, or any purchase the Chief Acquisition Officer calls especially important because it is experimental, technically immature, very complex, consumes big resources, aims at particular capabilities, or is a joint buy. A "Level 2 acquisition" falls between the Level 1 and smaller thresholds ($300,000,000–$1,000,000,000 life-cycle or $100,000,000–$300,000,000 acquisition). "Life-cycle cost" covers all development, buying, building, operating, and support costs whatever the funding source. A "major acquisition program" has life-cycle costs of $300,000,000 or more. A "project or program manager" is the person chosen to make, deliver, and run the asset and to control cost, schedule, and performance. "Safety concern" means any hazard likely to cause serious injury, death, or major damage during normal use or maintenance. "Developmental test and evaluation" means testing and checking if the asset meets contract and technical requirements. "Operational test and evaluation" means testing the asset in realistic conditions to see if it works and is suitable for Coast Guard missions.