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

Subtitle A — Acquisition Policy and Management

NDAA Section

House Conference Report 110-477

SEC. 810. CLARIFICATION OF LIMITED ACQUISITION AUTHORITY FOR SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND.

Section 167(e)(4) of title 10, United States Code, is amended--

(1) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (D); and

(2) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new subparagraph:

`(C)(i) The staff of the commander shall include a command acquisition executive, who shall be responsible for the overall supervision of acquisition matters for the special operations command. The command acquisition executive shall have the authority to--

`(I) negotiate memoranda of agreement with the military departments to carry out the acquisition of equipment, material, supplies, and services described in subparagraph (A) on behalf of the command;

`(II) supervise the acquisition of equipment, material, supplies, and services described in subparagraph (A), regardless of whether such acquisition is carried out by the command, or by a military department pursuant to a delegation of authority by the command;

`(III) represent the command in discussions with the military departments regarding acquisition programs for which the command is a customer; and

`(IV) work with the military departments to ensure that the command is appropriately represented in any joint working group or integrated product team regarding acquisition programs for which the command is a customer.

`(ii) The command acquisition executive of the special operations command shall be included on the distribution list for acquisition directives and instructions of the Department of Defense.'.

The House bill contained a provision (sec. 817) that would clarify the authorities available to U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) by codifying the position of acquisition executive and senior procurement executive, respectively, by amending section 167(e)(4) of title 10, United States Code.

The Senate amendment contained no similar provision.

The Senate recedes with an amendment that codifies the position of the SOCOM command acquisition executive, and deletes language stating that the acquisition executive shall have the same duties and authorities as the service acquisition executives. Furthermore, this provision states that the command acquisition executive is responsible for supervising all SOCOM acquisition matters regardless of whether or not such an activity is carried out by the command or by a military department (MILDEP) pursuant to a delegation of authority by the command. The provision further authorizes the command acquisition executive to negotiate acquisition-related memoranda of agreement with the MILDEPs, to ensure proper representation of the command in acquisition discussions, and to receive acquisition directives and instructions of the department.

House Armed Services Committee Report 110-146

SECTION 817--CLARIFICATION OF LIMITED ACQUISITION AUTHORITY FOR SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND

This section would clarify the authorities available to U.S. Special Operations Command by codifying the position of acquisition executive and senior procurement executive, respectively. This section would allow for the designation of the same individual to serve in both positions.