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TITLE IX — DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT

House Conference Report 109-360

SEC. 907. REPORT ON ESTABLISHMENT OF A DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR MANAGEMENT.

(a) Study Required- Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall, as determined by the Secretary, select one or two Federally Funded Research and Development Centers to conduct a study of the feasibility and advisability of establishing a Deputy Secretary of Defense for Management. The Secretary shall provide for each Center conducting a study under this section to submit a report on such study to the Secretary and to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives not later than December 1, 2006.

(b) Content of Study- Each study under this section shall address--

(1) the extent to which the establishment of a Deputy Secretary of Defense for Management would--

(A) improve the management of the Department of Defense;

(B) expedite the process of management reform in the Department; and

(C) enhance the implementation of business systems modernization in the Department;

(2) the appropriate relationship of the Deputy Secretary of Defense for Management to other Department of Defense officials;

(3) the appropriate term of service for a Deputy Secretary of Defense for Management; and

(4) the experience of any other Federal agencies that have instituted similar management positions.

(c) Deputy Secretary for Management Position Described- For the purposes of this section, a Deputy Secretary of Defense for Management is an official who-

(1) serves as the Chief Management Officer of the Department of Defense;

(2) is the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense on matters relating to the management of the Department of Defense, including defense business activities, to ensure Department-wide capability to carry out the strategic plan of the Department of Defense in support of national security objectives; and

(3) takes precedence in the Department of Defense immediately after the Deputy Secretary of Defense.

The Senate amendment contained a provision (sec. 905) that would require the Secretary of Defense to select two Federally Funded Research and Development Centers to conduct independent studies of the feasibility and advisability of establishing a Deputy Secretary of Defense for Management. Each study under this section would be delivered to the Secretary and the congressional defense committees not later than March 15, 2006. Each study required by this section would address the extent to which the establishment of a Deputy Secretary of Defense for Management would improve the management of the Department of Defense; expedite the process of management reform in the Department; and enhance the implementation of business systems modernization in the Department.

The House bill contained no similar provision.

The House recedes with a technical amendment.