TITLE VIII--ACQUISITION POLICY, ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT, AND RELATED MATTERS

Subtitle A—Acquisition Policy and Management.

P. L. 118-31

SEC. 813. FOCUSED COMMERCIAL SOLUTIONS OPENINGS OPPORTUNITIES.

(a) Requirement.--During each fiscal year beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the service acquisition executives of each military department, shall exercise the authority under section 3458 of title 10, United States Code, not less than four times to acquire goods or services addressing the mission needs of a geographic combatant command.

(b) Execution.--With respect to acquisition carried out under section 3458 of title 10, United States Code, pursuant to subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall--

(1) assign the responsibility for carrying out such acquisition to a program executive officer and a head of a science and technology reinvention laboratory from the same military department, who shall co-lead such acquisition; and

(2) ensure that the program executive officer and the head of a     science and technology reinvention laboratory assigned as co-leads under paragraph (1) have similar existing requirements and funding for transitioning technologies to acquisition programs within the area of focus for such acquisition.

(c) Sunset.--Subsection (a) shall expire on September 30, 2027.

(d) Definitions.--In this section:

(1) The terms ``military department'' and ``services acquisition executive'' have the meanings given such terms in section 101(a) of title 10, United States Code.

(2) The term ``program executive officer'' has the meaning given such term in section 1737(a) of title 10, United States Code.

(3) The term ``science and technology reinvention laboratory'' means a science and technology reinvention laboratory designated under section 4121(b) of title 10, United States Code.

Sec. 813--Focused commercial solutions openings opportunities

The Senate amendment contained a provision (sec. 805) that would require the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the service acquisition executives of each military department, to create at least three new commercial solutions openings each year.

The House bill contained no similar provision.

The House recedes with a clarifying amendment.

S. Rept. 118-58

Focused commercial solutions openings opportunities (sec. 805)

The committee recommends a provision that would require the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the service acquisition executives of each military department, to create at least three new commercial solutions openings (CSOs) each year.

The committee underscored the benefits of leveraging CSOs to enhance procurement practices by making them a permanent authority in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 117-81). CSOs are an effective means of acquiring emerging technologies and dual-use products and services by promoting competition and streamlining the procurement process. As a result of promising case studies, the committee believes expanded use of CSOs across a range of programs and initiatives will enable more efficient procurement outcomes.